Author: michelleaziz
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I am
There are seasons in life when everything feels uncertain. Perhaps you are navigating illness, grief, career change, relationship challenges, or simply one of those periods where the future feels unclear and your sense of certainty has been shaken. During these times, it can feel as though your mind is constantly moving. One moment you’re worrying…
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Becoming
One of the most common feelings people experience after a major life disruption is the belief that they have somehow fallen behind, as though the unexpected challenges they have faced have placed them on a different path from everyone else and left them struggling to keep pace with a world that seems to be moving…
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Liminal space
There is a space that nobody talks about enough after cancer treatment ends. It’s the space between surviving and living again. The appointments become less frequent. The treatment plan that once dictated every week comes to an end. Family and friends celebrate because you’ve made it through. Everyone wants to believe the hard part is…
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Reconnecting
Over the past year, I have discovered that some of the most profound moments of healing have not come from major breakthroughs, life-changing decisions, or dramatic transformations, but from something far simpler and quieter: walking each morning and allowing myself the time and space to reconnect with nature. For a long time, I believed that…
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You matter
Gentle reminder… Healing isn’t linear. Some days you’ll feel strong, motivated, and full of hope. Other days, getting out of bed, taking a shower, or making it through the day may feel like a significant achievement. Both kinds of days count. We live in a world that celebrates productivity, achievement, and constant forward motion. But…
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Expressive writing
Writing Your Way Through Trauma For decades, psychologists have studied the healing power of writing. One of the most influential researchers in this field, Dr James Pennebaker, developed what is known as the Expressive Writing Paradigm – a simple but powerful technique that helps people process difficult experiences. His research found that when people write…
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All In
Long before counselling became a profession, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples had developed sophisticated ways of supporting emotional wellbeing, connection, and healing within their communities. For tens of thousands of years, healing was embedded in everyday life. Stories were shared around campfires. Elders passed down wisdom through generations. People gathered in circles to listen,…
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Sublimation
Sublimation is one of the most powerful psychological concepts in healing and personal growth. In psychology, sublimation is considered a mature defense mechanism – a process where painful emotions, trauma, grief, anger, or anxiety are transformed into something meaningful, creative, or productive. Rather than suppressing emotions or acting destructively, we channel them into art, writing,…
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Cumulative grief
For many women, the experience of cancer involves far more than physical treatment. It can also involve profound and cumulative grief; a series of losses that unfold over time and continue long after active treatment has ended. These losses may include changes to identity, relationships, career, confidence, physical appearance, and future plans. Women may grieve…
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Little reminder
Soon after cancer treatment, I felt this overwhelming pressure to make up for lost time. I thought I had to rush back into life; back into work, study, goals, plans, purpose. As though I needed to prove that I was “back to normal” as quickly as possible. But healing doesn’t work like that. What I’ve…
Second Life Counselling 