Expert Advice From Helpmesara

Sara Dimerman in conversation with anger management specialist, Nicole Ali, about how to manage your anger rather than letting it manage you. Over the course of this episode you will learn more about: Whether or not anger is a "bad" emotion. How to distinguish between when we're feeling frustrated and agitated, for example, versus when we're feeling angry. Physiological triggers for feeling angry such as hunger, for example. Whether or not an angry temperament is inborn or learnt. The difference between being aggressive and assertive. Some of the most typical environmental triggers that lead to anger in everyday life. Whether or not other people have the power to make you feel angry. How we can tell that our anger is managing us rather than the other way around. Some steps and strategies for managing anger. More about The Anger Managers and how they can help.

Sara Dimerman in conversation with psychiatrist and author, Dr. Joan Tucker, about finding your way back to work after a mental health break. Over the course of this episode you will learn more about: Whether there's been a change in the number of people who are taking a mental health leave from work during the pandemic When taking time away from work, what is recommended so that this time off is as productive as possible Taking time away from school due to mental health concerns Whether or not most people return to work or school after taking a mental health leave Exploring options other than a return to what one was doing before Joan's books and how they can help

Sara Dimerman in conversation with video gaming addiction expert and author, Elaine Uskoski, about how to successfully battle video gaming addiction. Over the course of this episode you will learn more about: Some of the red flags that you or someone you know may be addicted to video gaming The best approach if a parent suspects that their teen or young adult may be addicted to video gaming Factors that may contribute to someone developing a gaming addiction How to successfully battle video gaming addiction and maintain sobriety Support and information around managing technology from the time that children are very young Elaine and her son's personal journey How Elaine's books can help Supports for video gaming addicts and their families Elaine's resources: www.gamequitters.com CAMH for 8 week group: Problem Gambling and Technology Use Treatment Services Intenta

Sara Dimerman in conversation with Janyce Lastman about the impact of stopping and starting school during the pandemic. Over the course of this episode you will learn more about: The impact that this has had on parents, students and teachers. Some of the most challenging aspects of both having kids at home with their parents 24/7 in addition to online learning. What parents and teachers can do to help support kids when they are asked to stay away from school. whether there will be gaps in learning or whole years worth of learning lost as a result of how going back and forth to school has been managed. How parents can best equip themselves to help their kids prepare to go with the flow. What strategies, plans and resources can be put in place to support the current climate of education - in Ontario, Canada and around the world. Janyce recommends these additional resources: WindowSwap - New name for this now VERY popular site. Anyone can join in and broadcast their own view for free if they wish. Here's the

Sara Dimerman in conversation with sexual health educator and consultant, Carly Basian about how to promote healthy sexual development, from toddlers to teens. Over the course of this episode you will learn more about: Why it's important that teachers and parents understand how to promote healthy sexual development in children. How young is too young to begin communicating in a way that supports and promotes healthy sexual development in children and ways to do so in everyday life. Stages of development - from toddlers to teens - and how each stage requires something new or different in order to continue to promote positive and healthy sexual development. What a parent should be on the lookout for in their teenager – for reassurance that they are going in the right direction in regards to healthy sexual development. Some warning signs or red flags that there are gaps in children's sexual development and how to fill them. How parents and teachers can work together in fostering what children need to know when

Sara Dimerman in conversation with Lauren Barrett about how to live through loss. Over the course of this episode you will learn more about: The different kinds of loss that we are likely to experience in our lifetime How unexpected or sudden loss differs from loss that is anticipated Emotions experienced by most human beings after someone close to them dies Whether or not it's typical for people to expect to overcome their loss within a certain time frame The guilt that people may feel for being alive and for continuing to live and potentially feel joy after losing someone very significant in their lives and how they can work towards experiencing some happiness again The discomfort that one might feel when talking to someone who is mourning a loss and some of the best ways to comfort them

Sara Dimerman in conversation with dating coach, Damona Hoffman, on the do's and don'ts of dating. Over the course of this episode you will learn more about: The role of a dating coach Whether dating is different in your fifties or sixties compared to your twenties or thirties, for example How dating is different now compared to decades ago Whether or not men and women approach dating differently How dating is different now that we are living through a pandemic How people can continue to grow their relationship, despite Covid Whether or not soulmates are a real thing Some do's and don'ts of dating

Sara Dimerman in conversation with Brent Edwards, about helping newcomers understand Canadian business culture. Over the course of this episode you will learn more about: How Brent Edwards got to where he's at in his career today and more about how he helps people who have recently immigrated to Canada What most surprises newcomers to about Canadian business culture The value of networking and how it's done Important things for newcomers to note when adapting to Canadian business culture

Sara Dimerman in conversation with Giselle Bloch, about understanding the transgender world, from a parent's perspective. Over the course of this episode you will learn more about: Understanding words used in the LGBTQ+ community and beyond, such as transgender and cisgender, non binary and pronouns they/them. The difference between gender identity and sexuality. Giselle's personal experience as a parent of a transgender son. The stages of transition for transgender folks. Some of the uncomfortable questions people have asked Giselle along the way and advice on a sensitive way to discuss a child transitioning with their parent. How to guide a transgender adult child to advocate for themselves and how to educate family members - grandparents, for example, who might not understand or might be judgemental. Support systems that are in place for transgender youth and their parents/families. How actors such as Jeffrey Tambor who played a transgender role on Transparent, Laverne Cox on Orange is the New Black and r

Sara Dimerman in conversation with Jayni Bloch, about how to tap into your creative and intuitive self. Over the course of this episode you will learn more about: Jayni, her work and some of her creative endeavours What tapping into one's creative and intuitive self means Whether the creative and intuitive parts of one's self are connected and if so, how Whether everyone has the potential to tap into these parts of oneself and if so, how What a therapist can do to facilitate this and why it's helpful for oneself and interpersonal relationships

Sara Dimerman in conversation with Shir Azari, about how song soothes the soul. Over the course of this episode you will learn more about: Shir's journey, from a young child to where she is today How song soothes Shir's soul, why she thinks song soothes others' souls and what it is about music that inspires or evokes emotion in us Supports in Shir's life and whether being able to pursue her passion has been impacted by having them in her life Shir's mental health concerns and how this inspired her to write her recently released song, Not Alone Shir's future plans

Sara Dimerman in conversation with Jane Doucet, about finding your recipe for career satisfaction. Over the course of this episode you will learn more about: Jane's career path Her ingredients for career satisfaction Her books, why she became an author and wrote her books in particular Whether it matters where you're living or who you're living with in regards to career satisfaction Whether someone can be equally as satisfied with their career when they start out as when they're thirty years older, for example What Jane recommends to someone who is not satisfied with their career

Sara Dimerman in conversation with Allison O'Connor, about her journey towards adopting a child internationally. Over the course of this episode you will learn more about: Allison's life before adopting Cameron Whether an international adoption was what she had always planned on How old Cameron was when she adopted him and some of her experiences before and after he was born Cameron's growing up years and what he's up to now How she shared Cameron's story with him and at what age What it was like for them to meet his birth mother in 2019 What not to say to a parent of a child who may have been adopted Supports in place for parents and children who have been adopted internationally Allison's Dreams Come True Music Studio in London, Ontario

Sara Dimerman in conversation with Samantha Kemp-Jackson about parenting through pain. Over the course of this episode you will learn more about: Samantha's parenting and career journey as the mom of four An incident that led to her being physically incapacitated and how this impacted her ability to parent as she once did How Lupus has made parenting more challenging Resources that have been helpful How to tell the kids about your pain as a parent and typical ways in which they respond What impact parenting with pain has on children and family Samantha's recommendations to other parents who may be challenged by physical or mental health conditions or living with chronic pain

Sara Dimerman in conversation with Janyce Lastman about how students, parents and teachers are adjusting to the "new normal" of learning. Over the course of this episode you will learn more about: The challenges that students and teachers are facing such as eye strain, irritability and fatigue Mid-term difficulties as a result of students switching back into the classroom after being online and vice-versa Some of the social concerns students are facing, both online and in the classroom The confusion over symptoms such as a runny nose or fever that may necessitate or be considered when evaluating whether to keep kids that are going to school, home Changes to testing and homework policies How to plan ahead and adapt to the "new normal" Empowerment and how important it is for parents and teachers to let kids know that their voices are being heard during these challenging times Janyce recommends locallove.ca: Your guide to living well and doing good.

Sara Dimerman in conversation with Brittany Shields about helping post secondary students find the "right" career path. Over the course of this episode you will learn more about: How typical it is for graduating high school students not to know what they want to do when they grow up, so to speak How typical it is for undergraduate students who are considering taking further steps by applying to a Masters or post graduate program, to still not know what they want to do with the rest of their lives Whether a "gap" year is sometimes a good idea and how students can be most productive during this time off so that they are better equipped to apply to a program of choice or go into the working world at the end of the gap period How typical it is for post secondary students to leave their program part way through and some of the reasons this happens What to do when someone has few interests and a low level of motivation What to do when someone has too many interests, ideas and possibilities and how they can fine tu

Sara Dimerman in conversation with Ann Douglas about strategies to support your family's mental health this Winter. Over the course of this episode you will learn more about: Ann's personal journey and how this impacts what she writes about Ann's work as a mental health advocate Why our mental health is more affected by the Winter months Why this is especially relevant during Covid Some strategies to support your family’s mental health this Winter How to make the best of the holiday season despite not being able to partake in activities with others or do what we typically do

Sara Dimerman in conversation with Suzy Rosenstein about helping women manage midlife masterfully. Over the course of this episode you will learn more about: How Suzy came to work with women in midlife, and why What is midlife and does "crisis" always have to happen? Some of the issues that women encounter around midlife The positives to midlife and how to manage it masterfully

Sara Dimerman in conversation with Naomi Nurgitz about how to live in the moment. Over the course of this episode you will learn more about: Best approaches to slowing down and feeling more grounded in the present Why it's so important for our mental health to live in the now How long it may take to get good at learning how to live in the moment

Sara Dimerman in conversation with Amy Kung-Oliver about the human-animal bond. Over the course of this episode you will learn more about: The path that Amy walked down to where she is today as the owner and operator of an alpaca farm Her experience when children with special needs come to visit the alpacas at her farm Her bond with the other animals on her farm and the relationship she's seen between the volunteers at her farm and the animals that live there The benefits to bonding with animals