Trigger warning: This content contains information about suicide. This may not be reassuring and can be triggering to some individuals. We ask you to consider leaving this platform if you think the discussion could be traumatizing to you. For immediate…
Raising a teenager can be hard, but being a teenager can be hard, too. Youth are beginning to explore who they are as individuals and find their voices. Sometimes these voices can be loud, harsh, and full of anger. This anger makes it difficult for the…
The new school year can bring mixed emotions to caregivers and children. Some may feel excited, but many may be stressed or anxious. This is normal. In this blog post, we will answer some common back-to-school questions and give you tips to help calm…
Good habits benefit our physical, emotional, spiritual, and mental health. These are the habits that get you closer to living your best life. Good habits help you become more productive and energetic. These habits help us move forward. If you are unsure…
Relationships are complex and take work to be strong and healthy. Are you tired of experiencing the same issues over and over again in your relationships? You are not alone. Mark Frederick encounters many men experiencing relationship issues in The Family…
Do you feel seen, heard, and valued by your partner? One of the many benefits of a happy and healthy relationship is the feeling that you have someone who understands you. But everyone has areas they could improve on or put more effort in their relationship.…
Feeling anxious is uncomfortable but normal Your heart is pounding so fast it feels like it’s coming out of your chest. You’re short of breath. You have sweaty palms and feel dizzy. We’ve all felt like this – anxious. While anxiety feels uncomfortable…
Janine’s two biological children were already school-age when she and her then-partner were asked to care for their nieces and nephews. They first took in infant twins. Soon after, they started visits with the twins’ older sister, and later on,…
Do you ever bicker with your partner about something small, and it ended up being a huge argument? Perhaps you feel like you don’t know how your partner communicates or are unsure how you come across when speaking with them. Communication in a relationship…
The course of life is rarely smooth. Each of us will have various challenges and struggles to overcome on our journey. For many families, this is likely to include mental health difficulties. Indeed, as 1 in 5 Canadians experience mental illness each…
Our Annual Report 2021/2022 is now available! The Family Centre has been supporting families and all people for 80 years! That’s 80 years of overcoming challenges and improving people’s overall well-being. Here are some highlights from last year:…
Zane had experienced many traumatic events before walking into their first day of junior high. Among bouncing around from school to school, Zane had a front-row seat to addiction, dangerous behavior, and emotional abuse. Due to these experiences, Zane…
Transitioning into adulthood can be tough. Finding resources shouldn’t be! We are excited to announce the release of The Rainbow Pages Edition 6. The Rainbow Pages is a resource guide developed by The Family Centre to provide the 2SLGBTQ+ youth and…
Stress is a part of our everyday life. We can experience good stress (such as getting married or beginning a new job) or bad stress, such as losing a beloved pet. Human beings are designed to respond and react to stress as a survival strategy. Our bodies…
Do you find it hard to express your wants and opinions? Do you tend to do what others want regardless of your desires? If your answer is yes, read on to learn effective communication tips. Hopefully, these tips can improve your effective communication…
Building a life in Edmonton wasn’t easy for Wendy, a Kenyan refugee. Being isolated from friends and family and raising five children without support was overwhelming. Knowing very little English, Wendy did not have the means to advocate for herself.…
“Change begins at the end of your comfort zone.” Seeking out treatment for addictions can be scary and overwhelming. You may not be ready for change, and the idea of it can be uncomfortable. Big journeys begin with small steps, and The Family Centre’s…
Children learn many habits early on in life. Many of those habits are what form their abilities, patterns, and behaviours as adults. Mental health habits are also formed early in life, and there are things you can do to encourage healthy mental habits…
What is empathy? In a very simple way, empathy means feeling with, instead of feeling for. It means feeling the same emotion that another person feels instead of just feeling bad for them. You don’t need to experience the same thing as someone to have…
“Grief is not so much an emotion to get over, but a landscape we journey through,” says Heather, one of the Facilitators of the Grieving Through Art Therapy Group and an Expressive Art Therapist. Losing someone you love can be very heartbreaking.…
The Family Centre acknowledges that we are on Treaty 6 territory, a traditional meeting ground, gathering place, and traveling route for the Cree, Saulteaux, Blackfoot, Métis, Dene, and Nakota Sioux. We acknowledge all the many First Nations, Métis, and Inuit whose footsteps have marked these lands for centuries.