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Hi, I'm Serena
I'm your counsellor. Outside of this work, I’m also a dog mom, a partner, a sister, a friend (and so much more!).
Taking this next step isn't easy, and however you've arrived; anxious, exhausted, hopeful, or just unsure , I want you to know this: you don't have to have it all figured out to begin. You just have to be willing to start.
My own journey through anxiety, loss, and disconnection is part of why I do this work. If you'd like to read more about my story, you can find it on my about me page of my website.
This little guide is here to help you feel a bit more prepared and at ease as we begin working together including what to expect, how I work, and a few practical details along the way to support you along the way.
Sending Love & Light
Serena
Areas of Support:
Where mind, body, and your inner wisdom come back in to alignment.
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Depression
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Stress Management
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Chronic Illness & Pain
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Alcohol Use
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Grief & Loss
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Relationship Challenges
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Anxiety & Overwhelm
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Trauma & PTSD
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Childhood & Attachment Wounds
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Life Transitions
Understanding your window of tolerance
This timeline shows how your nervous system can move between zones over the course of a day.
You may notice that some days you can handle stress with relative ease by feeling present, capable, and able to think clearly. On other days, the smallest thing can feel like too much. You might feel completely shut down and numb, anxious, or unable to settle.
This isn't a matter of willpower. It's your nervous system speaking to you.
Your nervous system is constantly scanning for safety, often without you realizing it. When it senses too much, too fast, or too unfamiliar, it shifts you into a state of protection. These aren't choices you're making They are automatic responses that are often shaped by past experiences of stress or trauma.
Your window of tolerance is the zone where you feel most regulated. Your able to think, feel, and respond to life without becoming overwhelmed or completely disconnected.
Being in Hyper-arousel or Hypo-arousel doesn’t mean that theres anything wrong with you either. These are your protective patterns that your body has learnt over time. In order to expand your window of tolerance, we’ll explore different tools that can support this expansion when you feel out of your window.
Expanding your window of tolerance
Tools for calming & activating
1-2-3-4-5 Method
Bringing your attention to your senses. What do you see, hear, or feel? Connecting to your senses can help calm your nervous system when things feel like too much.
Pause & Breathe
Try inhaling through your nose for a count of 4, hold for 2, and exhale through your mouth for a count of 6. This helps signal safety to your nervous system.
Movement
Gentle movement such as a walk, a stretch, even shaking out your hands can help release tension your body may be holding onto.
Sensory Reset
Try holding a warm cup of tea and noticing its scent, taste, and warmth in your hands or hold a cool glass of water and notice its temperature and weight instead.
Rest
Rest builds a baseline capacity. Give yourself permission to rest, even briefly, isn't a step backward, but a part of how your nervous system recovers.
Emotion wheel
Sometimes it's hard to put a word to what we're feeling. As we begin working together, you’ll continue build this awareness by learning more about your emotions and what's really underneath them.
Use the wheel below to get more specific. Start with a broad feeling in the centre, then work outward to find a word that feels closer to what you're actually experiencing. Naming it, even quietly to yourself, can take some of its intensity away.
Coping between sessions
In the moment, it can sometimes feel too overwhelming or that the discomfort will last forever and there's no way through it. You've likely been here before or some form of it. You've faced hard moments and feelings that felt way too big AND you’ve managed to find your way through them.
Your past coping doesn't have to be perfect to count. It could have been a person you called, a walk you took, a boundary you finally set, or simply getting through the day one hour at a time. Whatever it looked like, it's proof that you are capable more than you initially may believe.
Take a few moments to reconnect with that.
If it helps, grab a pen and paper, and use these as journaling prompts. If you're more of a physical thinker, taking a walk while thinking them over is also a great strategy.
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Think if a difficult time in your life. What helped you get through it, even a little?
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Was there someone you could lean on during that time?
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What would it look like to offer yourself the same care now that helped you then?
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Is there a coping strategy from your past that still feels supportive today?
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Is there one that no longer serves you?
Important numbers & resources
If you need to reach out, you don't have to wait until our next session to get support. Reaching out to someone you trust, or to a service designed to help is a sign of strength, not a setback or weakness.
When you're feeling steady, it's a good idea to write down your personal support list so it's ready when you need it.
If you need immediate support or your life is at risk call 911 right away
For resources to connect you to crisis centers, mental health + substance information, helpful guides, and resources, go to the resources page.