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The Girl Who Never Got a Note Sent Home (And the ADHD Nobody Was Looking For)
She was bright, quiet, and well behaved, so nobody asked why everything took so much effort. Here’s why ADHD in women gets missed, and what to look for.

Guest
3 days ago4 min read


You’re an Adult. So Why Does Your Parents Getting a Divorce Hurt This Much?
There is an assumption that once you’re an adult, your parents’ divorce shouldn’t affect you in quite the same way. You’re not eight years old. Nobody needs to explain where you’re going to live or which parent will pick you up from school. You may have a home of your own, a career, a partner, children, perhaps even a marriage that has already lasted for years. And yet, when your parents tell you they’re separating, you may suddenly feel remarkably young. I’ve seen adults sur
Clarinda Brandão, RP
Sep 297 min read


Toronto isn't doing so well
Toronto’s first Mental Health Report Card is out, and some of the findings are hard to ignore. We take a closer look at what’s happening across the city, what might be driving it and why supporting better mental health needs to go beyond the therapy room.

Guest
Sep 186 min read


The Friendship Breakup Nobody Talks About
A woman sitting alone in a quiet living room beside an empty chair, reflecting on the grief and loss of an ended friendship. We know what to call it when a romantic relationship ends. We call it a breakup. A separation. A divorce. We tell people. We cry about it. Friends check in. There are songs, books, movies and entire sections of the internet devoted to heartbreak. There is an understanding that when someone you have loved is suddenly no longer part of your life, you are
Clarinda Brandão, RP
Sep 158 min read


When AI Becomes the Person You Talk to About Everything
When AI becomes the place we turn for reassurance, reflection, and emotional support, where does human connection fit? There are things people tell AI that they haven’t told their partner, their best friend, or even their therapist. Sometimes it’s something relatively ordinary: an argument they keep replaying, an awkward interaction at work, or a worry they know they’ve already talked about too many times. Other times, it’s something much more vulnerable. They might ask wheth
Clarinda Brandão, RP
Sep 711 min read


Can I Tell My Therapist I’m Having Suicidal Thoughts?
There are some things people tell me they rehearse before coming to therapy. How to explain their relationship. How to talk about their anxiety. How to describe their childhood. But there is one sentence that many people never imagine they’ll say out loud: “I’ve been having suicidal thoughts.” For some, those words feel too frightening to admit, even to a therapist. They’re worried about what will happen next. Will I be judged? Will my therapist think I’m unstable? Will they
Clarinda Brandão, RP
Sep 23 min read


You Don’t Have to Parent the Same. But You Do Have to Stay on the Same Team.
Different childhoods, beliefs, and parenting styles can make co-parenting one of the biggest sources of conflict in a relationship. You don’t have to parent the same, but learning how to stay on the same team can change everything.
Clarinda Brandão, RP
Jul 317 min read


It’s Never Been Easier to Meet Someone. So Why Does Dating Feel Harder Than It Did 20 Years Ago?
Dating has never been simple, but the way we date has changed dramatically. After years of witnessing relationships from the therapist’s chair, I’ve watched technology, endless choice, and digital communication reshape how we meet, connect, and commit. So, has dating actually become harder?
Clarinda Brandão, RP
Jul 246 min read


When the Therapist Became the One Having Panic Attacks
If you’ve ever experienced a panic attack, you’ll know there is a version of yourself that exists before it…and another version that exists after. For most of my life, I had never experienced anxiety. I was the person others leaned on. As a psychotherapist, I spent my days helping people navigate panic, trauma, grief, and overwhelm. I understood the nervous system. I knew the theory. I knew what happened in the brain and body during a panic attack. Then, one day, I became the
Clarinda Brandão, RP
Jul 134 min read


International Self-Care Day | July 24
When we think of self-care, we often picture the relaxing things: a spa day, a walk, a yoga class. But sometimes the most meaningful act of self-care is the one we've been avoiding. The difficult conversation. The boundary we've been putting off. The decision we already know we need to make.

Guest
Jun 282 min read


The Relationship Skill That Makes Better Leaders
People often ask me what relationship skill matters most in leadership. Communication usually tops the list. And while communication is important, I don't think it's the skill that creates the biggest difference. After years of working with couples, families, and individuals, I've come to believe that the relationship skill that matters most is listening. Not hearing. But Listening. There's a difference. Most of us listen with the intention of responding. We listen while prep
Clarinda Brandão, RP
Jun 222 min read


Why High Achievers Often Struggle in Relationships
On paper, they seem to have it all together. They're successful in their careers. They're driven, intelligent, capable, and reliable. They solve problems for a living. People depend on them. They know how to push through challenges and get things done. Yet in my work as a psychotherapist, I've noticed something interesting: Many high achievers struggle in their relationships. Not because they don't care. Not because they're bad partners. And certainly not because they're inca
Clarinda Brandão, RP
Jun 152 min read


The Cost of Emotional Suppression in Leadership
I was thinking recently about how many leaders I’ve worked with over the years. Business owners. Executives. Managers. Team leaders. And one thing I’ve noticed is that many of them are carrying a tremendous amount of stress, pressure, and responsibility. Yet when they walk into work, they feel they need to leave their emotions at the door. As if leadership means being unaffected. For decades, many of us were taught the same lesson about leadership: Be strong. Be confident. St
Clarinda Brandão, RP
Jun 83 min read


When Father's Day Hurts
June has always been a complicated month for me. On one hand, it's a month filled with celebration. The school year winds down. Summer begins to peek around the corner. Families gather. Father's Day arrives. But June is also my father's birthday month. And for the past thirteen years, it has been a reminder of someone who should still be here. As a therapist, I spend a great deal of time talking about grief. I sit with people through losses of all kinds. Yet what grief has ta
Clarinda Brandão, RP
Jun 13 min read


Are You Dating a Narcissist? Here’s How to Tell the Difference Between Traits, Patterns, and Personality Disorder
There’s a question I hear more often than almost any other:“Do you think I’m dating a narcissist?” And usually, it doesn’t come from a place of curiosity.It comes from confusion. It sounds like: “Something feels off, but I can’t explain it.” “I keep questioning myself after we argue.” “I don’t know if I’m overreacting… or if something’s actually wrong.” Before we answer that question, we need to slow it down. Because not everything that feels painful, confusing, or even unhea
Clarinda Brandão, RP
May 214 min read


Transitions, Routines & Kids Heading Into Summer
As we move closer to summer, many parents start noticing shifts in their children before school has even officially ended. Some kids become more emotional. Others become more dysregulated, clingy, irritable, distracted, or exhausted. And often, as adults, we look at summer as something exciting and freeing for children. But transitions, even positive ones, can still feel overwhelming to a child’s nervous system. The structure they’ve relied on all year is about to change. The
Clarinda Brandão, RP
May 132 min read


The Art of Ignoring Red Flags (Because You Really Wanted It to Work)
Let’s talk about red flags. But not in the way the internet talks about them. Because if I’m honest, I don’t think most people are out here completely missing red flags. I think we’re actually really good at seeing them. We just become even better at explaining them away. And that’s a very different conversation. It usually doesn’t look like, “I didn’t notice anything.”It looks more like, “I noticed it… but it didn’t feel big enough to walk away from.” Or maybe it felt big, b
Clarinda Brandão, RP
Apr 303 min read


Mother’s Day, in All Its Forms
As we move through the month of May, we know that Mother’s Day can linger in different ways for many - sometimes gently, sometimes more heavily. We wanted to take a moment to honour all the versions of motherhood that exist, in all their complexity. When I sat down to write this Mother’s Day message, I paused. Because the truth is, how do you write about motherhood in a way that truly includes everyone? How do you honour the joy, without overlooking the grief? The fullness, w
Clarinda Brandão, RP
Apr 302 min read


The Link Between Mental Health and Hormones: How Fluctuations Impact Your Mood & What to Do About It
Many women experience mood swings, anxiety, or depressive episodes without realizing that their hormones may be playing a significant role. The relationship between mental health and hormones is complex, but understanding how fluctuations in estrogen, progesterone, and cortisol affect mood can help you take control of your emotional well-being. From the menstrual cycle to perimenopause and beyond, hormonal changes can create waves of emotional instability, but the good news i
Clarinda Brandão, RP
Jan 183 min read


Lonely Together: Understanding Loneliness Inside Relationships
Loneliness is one of the most misunderstood emotional experiences. Most people associate it with being physically alone - an empty room, a quiet weekend, a life with too much space in it. But in my work as a relational psychotherapist, I often see a different kind of loneliness. The kind that shows up inside relationships. The kind that appears even when two people share a home, a bed, a family, a life. This form of loneliness is subtle, quiet, and deeply human. And because
Clarinda Brandão, RP
Dec 18, 20254 min read
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