Healthy Routes

08/30/2026

𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁… 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗲 𝗴𝗼 𝗮𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻! 🎒❤️

Good luck to all the families who have already started school and to everyone heading back this week.

The first week always seems to come with a little bit of everything — excitement, nerves, new routines, early alarms, lunches to pack and parents trying to remember ALL the things. 😂

For some kids, they’ll walk through those doors without looking back. For others, the first few days might be a little harder.

Here’s to a new year of 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝘁𝗿𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 and 𝐟𝐢𝐠𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐭 𝐨𝐮𝐭 as we go.

Because really, that’s what we’re all doing — 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙨𝙚𝙣𝙨𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙚 𝙩𝙤𝙜𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧. 💛

Wishing your family a really great start to the school year!

08/28/2026

𝐀 𝐛𝐚𝐝 𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐛𝐚𝐝 𝐝𝐚𝐲. Try not to make it anything bigger than that.

Some days are just hard.

👉You’re frustrated. Tired. Disappointed. Overwhelmed. Everything feels like too much.

𝗣𝘂𝘁 𝗶𝘁 𝗱𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗼𝗻𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁. 𝗧𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗮 𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗶𝘁.𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗽𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝗶𝘁 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝘂𝗽 𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐰.

𝗪𝗵𝘆? An overwhelmed brain wants answers NOW. Give it time to settle before making a decision. You don’t owe every problem an immediate answer.

❎Today had its turn.
✅Tomorrow gets one too.💛

08/28/2026

𝗦𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝗧𝗲𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝗨𝘀 𝗦𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴
This article was published today, and the timing couldn’t be better as families head into another school year. I’ve linked the article that inspired this post in the comments below.

September has a way of showing us things summer sometimes can’t.

A young person may have seemed completely fine over the summer, and then school starts and suddenly we’re seeing 𝐚𝐧𝐱𝐢𝐞𝐭𝐲, 𝐚𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞, 𝐢𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲, 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐬, 𝐬𝐡𝐮𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐨𝐫 “𝐈 𝐜𝐚𝐧’𝐭 𝐝𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬.”

It doesn’t necessarily mean 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝘂𝗱𝗱𝗲𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝘄𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘄𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴.

Summer can take the pressure off, it also takes away a lot of the structure that keeps the teen brain in practice. Later nights, slower mornings and less structure — then September asks the brain to switch gears quickly.

👉A rough start to September is 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘁𝘁𝘆 𝗻𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗹.

👉 Here is the part I encourage parents to pay attention to.

If the struggle continues, starts interfering with everyday life, or your gut is telling you “this feels like more than just getting back into the routine,”𝙙𝙤𝙣’𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙞𝙩 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙖 𝙘𝙧𝙞𝙨𝙞𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙡𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙨𝙪𝙥𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩.

The brain learns through repetition. The more often avoiding school, shutting down or escaping something uncomfortable brings relief, the more likely the brain is to reach for that same response again.

👉That’s how 𝐚 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐠𝐠𝐥𝐞 can slowly become 𝐚 𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧.

Catching it earlier gives us a chance to understand what’s underneath it and start building a different response before the old one becomes harder to shift.

If a family comes to mind while you’re reading this, feel free to send them my way. A little support early on can go a long way for these kiddos.💛

www.healthyroutes.ca

08/28/2026

𝗦𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝗧𝗲𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝗨𝘀 𝗦𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴
This article was published today, and the timing couldn’t be better as families head into another school year.

September has a way of showing us things summer sometimes can’t.

A young person may have seemed completely fine over the summer, and then school starts and suddenly we’re seeing 𝐚𝐧𝐱𝐢𝐞𝐭𝐲, 𝐚𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞, 𝐢𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲, 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐬, 𝐬𝐡𝐮𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐨𝐫 “𝐈 𝐜𝐚𝐧’𝐭 𝐝𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬.”

It doesn’t necessarily mean 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝘂𝗱𝗱𝗲𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝘄𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘄𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴.

Summer can take the pressure off, it also takes away a lot of the structure that keeps the teen brain in practice. Later nights, slower mornings and less structure — then September asks the brain to switch gears quickly.

👉A rough start to September is 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘁𝘁𝘆 𝗻𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗹.

👉 Here is the part I encourage parents to pay attention to.
If the struggle continues, starts interfering with everyday life, or your gut is telling you “this feels like more than just getting back into the routine,”𝙙𝙤𝙣’𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙞𝙩 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙖 𝙘𝙧𝙞𝙨𝙞𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙡𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙨𝙪𝙥𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩.

The brain learns through repetition. The more often avoiding school, shutting down or escaping something uncomfortable brings relief, the more likely the brain is to reach for that same response again.

👉That’s how 𝐚 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐠𝐠𝐥𝐞 can slowly become 𝐚 𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧.

👉Catching it earlier gives us a chance to understand what’s underneath it and start building a different response before the old one becomes harder to shift.

If a family comes to mind while you’re reading this, feel free to send them my way. A little support early on can go a long way for these kiddos.💛

www.healthyroutes.ca

https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/article/overstretched-youth-mental-health-providers-in-ontario-brace-for-return-to-school/

While some students are eager to return to class after a summer of freedom, others face a torrent of anxiety.

08/28/2026

𝗦𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝗧𝗲𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝗨𝘀 𝗦𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴
This article was published today, and the timing couldn’t be better as families head into another school year.

September has a way of showing us things summer sometimes can’t.

A young person may have seemed completely fine over the summer, and then school starts and suddenly we’re seeing 𝐚𝐧𝐱𝐢𝐞𝐭𝐲, 𝐚𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞, 𝐢𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲, 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐬, 𝐬𝐡𝐮𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐨𝐫 “𝐈 𝐜𝐚𝐧’𝐭 𝐝𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬.”

It doesn’t necessarily mean 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝘂𝗱𝗱𝗲𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝘄𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘄𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴.
Summer can take the pressure off, it also takes away a lot of the structure that keeps the teen brain in practice. Later nights, slower mornings and less structure — then September asks the brain to switch gears quickly.

👉A rough start to September is 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘁𝘁𝘆 𝗻𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗹.

👉 Here is the part I encourage parents to pay attention to.

If the struggle continues, starts interfering with everyday life, or your gut is telling you “this feels like more than just getting back into the routine,”𝙙𝙤𝙣’𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙞𝙩 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙖 𝙘𝙧𝙞𝙨𝙞𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙡𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙨𝙪𝙥𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩.

The brain learns through repetition. The more often avoiding school, shutting down or escaping something uncomfortable brings relief, the more likely the brain is to reach for that same response again.

👉That’s how 𝐚 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐠𝐠𝐥𝐞 can slowly become 𝐚 𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧.

👉Catching it earlier gives us a chance to understand what’s underneath it and start building a different response before the old one becomes harder to shift.

If a family comes to mind while you’re reading this, feel free to send them my way. A little support early on can go a long way for these kiddos.💛

www.healthyroutes.ca



https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/article/overstretched-youth-mental-health-providers-in-ontario-brace-for-return-to-school/

While some students are eager to return to class after a summer of freedom, others face a torrent of anxiety.

08/28/2026

𝗦𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝗧𝗲𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝗨𝘀 𝗦𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴
This article was published today, and the timing couldn’t be better as families head into another school year.

September has a way of showing us things summer sometimes can’t.

A young person may have seemed completely fine over the summer, and then school starts and suddenly we’re seeing 𝐚𝐧𝐱𝐢𝐞𝐭𝐲, 𝐚𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞, 𝐢𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲, 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐬, 𝐬𝐡𝐮𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐨𝐫 “𝐈 𝐜𝐚𝐧’𝐭 𝐝𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬.”

It doesn’t necessarily mean 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝘂𝗱𝗱𝗲𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝘄𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘄𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴.

Summer can take the pressure off, it also takes away a lot of the structure that keeps the teen brain in practice. Later nights, slower mornings and less structure — then September asks the brain to switch gears quickly.

👉A rough start to September is 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘁𝘁𝘆 𝗻𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗹.
👉 Here is the part I encourage parents to pay attention to.

If the struggle continues, starts interfering with everyday life, or your gut is telling you “this feels like more than just getting back into the routine,”𝙙𝙤𝙣’𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙞𝙩 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙖 𝙘𝙧𝙞𝙨𝙞𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙡𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙨𝙪𝙥𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩.

The brain learns through repetition. The more often avoiding school, shutting down or escaping something uncomfortable brings relief, the more likely the brain is to reach for that same response again.

👉That’s how 𝐚 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐠𝐠𝐥𝐞 can slowly become 𝐚 𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧.

👉Catching it earlier gives us a chance to understand what’s underneath it and start building a different response before the old one becomes harder to shift.

If a family comes to mind while you’re reading this, feel free to send them my way. A little support early on can go a long way for these kiddos.💛

While some students are eager to return to class after a summer of freedom, others face a torrent of anxiety.

08/28/2026

https://bit.ly/4y9YL4X
𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀- 𝗦𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝗧𝗲𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝗨𝘀 𝗦𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴
This article was published today, and the timing couldn’t be better as families head into another school year.

September has a way of showing us things summer sometimes can’t.

A young person may have seemed completely fine over the summer, and then school starts and suddenly we’re seeing 𝐚𝐧𝐱𝐢𝐞𝐭𝐲, 𝐚𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞, 𝐢𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲, 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐬, 𝐬𝐡𝐮𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐨𝐫 “𝐈 𝐜𝐚𝐧’𝐭 𝐝𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬.”

It doesn’t necessarily mean 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝘂𝗱𝗱𝗲𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝘄𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘄𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴.
Summer can take the pressure off, it also takes away a lot of the structure that keeps the teen brain in practice. Later nights, slower mornings and less structure — then September asks the brain to switch gears quickly.

👉A rough start to September is 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘁𝘁𝘆 𝗻𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗹.

👉 Here is the part I encourage parents to pay attention to.

If the struggle continues, starts interfering with everyday life, or your gut is telling you “this feels like more than just getting back into the routine,”𝙙𝙤𝙣’𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙞𝙩 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙖 𝙘𝙧𝙞𝙨𝙞𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙡𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙨𝙪𝙥𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩.

The brain learns through repetition. The more often avoiding school, shutting down or escaping something uncomfortable brings relief, the more likely the brain is to reach for that same response again.

👉That’s how 𝐚 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐠𝐠𝐥𝐞 can slowly become 𝐚 𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧.

👉Catching it earlier gives us a chance to understand what’s underneath it and start building a different response before the old one becomes harder to shift.

If a family comes to mind while you’re reading this, feel free to send them my way. A little support early on can go a long way for these kiddos.💛

www.healthyroutes.ca

While some students are eager to return to class after a summer of freedom, others face a torrent of anxiety.

08/20/2026

𝐖𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐚 𝐩𝐞𝐞𝐤 𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐞 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐃𝐎 𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐬𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧?

👉We don't just talk about ADHD, anxiety, confidence or overthinking.

📝We put it on paper.
🤔Break it down.
🙌Make it make sense.

These are just a few of the tools I use with teens and young adults to help them understand what's happening in their brain — and more importantly, what they can DO with it.

Because understanding the WHY is a great start!

But “just stop overthinking it” isn't much of a strategy. 😉

We build the HOW.
Then we take it into real life.

Learn more: 👇
www.healthyroutes

💻 Virtual sessions available across Canada

08/19/2026

A LIFE SKILL WORTH LEARNING 💛

I came across a 𝘄𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻’𝘀 𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳-𝗱𝗲𝗳𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗰𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗴𝗲𝘀 𝟭𝟱+ being offered in the Hunt Club area of Ottawa and wanted to pass it along. I’m not affiliated with the program, simply sharing it as a resource.

Self-defence isn’t only about knowing what to do if something happens. It can also 𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞, 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬, 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐭𝐬and feeling more prepared when you’re out on your own.

For young women heading off to college or university, starting work, travelling, going out with friends or simply becoming more independent, these are valuable skills to have.

Details are on the flyer below for anyone interested. 👇

08/17/2026

This morning, I came across a concerning story from an Ottawa local parent FB group, and my first thought was: 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟.

A 12-year-old reportedly ordered food through a delivery app late one night while her parent was sleeping. A few days later, the family found candy left at their door with a note addressed to the child saying “from your secret admirer.”

When another package appeared — this time with candy, money and a phone number — the family checked their newly installed camera. The daughter reportedly recognized the person who had come to the home as the driver who had delivered her food. The family also discovered the same vehicle had driven past their home multiple times since the original delivery.

👉𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐲.

I'm sharing this 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗳𝗲𝗮𝗿. It’s a safety conversation many of us may never have thought to have with our kids.

𝗔 𝗳𝗲𝘄 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁:
✅Have younger teens check with a parent before ordering food or deliveries.
✅Avoid using your child's name on delivery orders when possible.
✅Never respond to unexpected notes, gifts or contact from an adult they don't know.
✅ If someone returns to the home or something simply feels "off," tell an adult right away.
✅ Make sure your kids know they can come to you even if they broke a household rule in the first place.

Sometimes keeping our kids safe starts with conversations we didn't realize we needed to have.

Please share with other parents to help spread awareness.