I just completed three hours of thought-provoking training on artificial intelligence, (A.I.), and ethics in the field of psychotherapy. The training raised a number of questions I was not prepared for and I have since started to think very differently about a number of issues related to the use of artificial intelligence and the degree to which clients have started to use it in their daily lives and ultimately in between sessions with me. This prompted me to revisit a lot of

I am writing this on Wednesday, October 29, 2025 from Ontario, Canada. Yesterday, the worst hurricane in the history of my beloved Jamaica hit the country. A category five hurricane is incredibly rare and never in the history of our country were we ever faced with such a dangerous storm. Hurricane Melissa was the strongest hurricane in recorded history in the Atlantic to make landfall. Those of us in the diaspora, (and there are literally MILLIONS of us), likely have memories

I, like most other people on the planet, am watching in abject horror as the constant barrage of awful events unfolds before our helpless eyes. I know that this is a much darker start to my blog than usual but, this is a very weird time to be alive. Since 2020, the population of earth has been subjected to non-stop chaos and trauma inducing events. The COVID-19 pandemic, the climatically disastrous fire in the Amazon rainforest, numerous wars, geo-political instability and un

This year for International Men’s Day, I thought it would be a good idea to channel the learning I have been doing to become a sex therapist into doing a little education on male sexual function. I have previously briefly addressed a few issues related to male sexual dysfunction in a previous post (here). However, as today is a day for men, it seemed like a good opportunity to normalize talking about penises in a way that was lighthearted and educational. This one will be a s

World Mental Health Day is on October 10. Each year, those of us in mental health try to engage with the public in a manner that supports the destigmatization of mental illnesses, give information about various disorders and generally espouse the message that it’s “okay not to be okay”. However, what gets discussed far less than it should is what mental wellness means and what we can do to promote it. As far as the World Health Organization (WHO) is concerned, mental health i

It is a well-established fact that the systemic nature of patriarchy has been used to subjugate women for millennia. Articles, podcasts and many other forms of media acknowledge this fact in every space known to modern homo sapiens. Patriarchy has been used to justify the murder of women, (Salem witch trials is one example), the over-sexualization of women (painting Black women as “inherent whores” during Slavery), the dehumanization of women, (viewing women as “adult childre

Congratulations! You have decided that you are ready to make major changes to your life and your mental and emotional wellbeing. This is the first step to a truly bountiful life where you have peace of mind and self-awareness. I know that this is a strange experience and that you are likely to experience a flood of different and often conflicting emotions about sharing intimate details of your life with a stranger, so the courage you have demonstrated must be acknowledged. Ve

Recently, a friend of mine revealed that he needed some counselling support for a family member and that he wondered about my reviews of a particular psychiatrist for the person. Having had this conversation very often with random people, family and friends and of course, clients, I felt the need to clarify a few things about the key differences between the terms “Psychiatrist” and “Psychologist” in very simple terms. Those key differences in job function will better help you

I took a few months away from any creative output as I have had to manage major changes in my own life. However, in that time I have still sat with Black women as clients and in my own life and listened to the same theme arising over and over. When asked “how are you doing?” the inevitable response is “Girl, I am so tired”. I have heard this statement repeated to me so many times that I have come to expect it when I ask the question. I have even heard myself say it several ti

As I approach my 45th birthday, it is becoming more and more apparent that the phase of life I am in has started to change in dramatic ways. I am definitely starting to feel the passing of time physically as my body transitions, (rather dramatically), out of my reproductive years, develops chronic pain conditions and my skin begins to lose its youthful texture. Even though I do not feel “old”, there is an element of being firmly in adulthood that is starting to make me ponder

Dear Jamaica, Happy Independence Day. It has been sixty years since we first raised the flag of Jamaica and ended our status as a British colony. We have had many ups and downs since then but, the unbreakable spirit of the Jamaican people endured. I would like to express to you my deeply felt emotions towards you on this significant occasion as well as my genuine hopes for your future. You continue to make us proud in so many ways. No matter where I land in the world, even in

Many, many years ago, I worked in hospitality in a capacity that required me to be on call 24/7. This meant that no matter what time I was called upon to execute my duties, I was expected to do so without complaint and at the highest levels of efficiency. I have distinct memories of sitting at my desk crying at 2:00 am because although my shift ended hours earlier, reports needed to be written or I would face embarrassment and harsh consequences for “not getting it done”. I h

In June of 2022, the Supreme Court of the United States of America overturned Roe vs. Wade, the law that gave constitutional rights to all citizens at the Federal level to make decisions related to their own reproductive health in relation to having an abortion. This eliminated 50 years of progress in women’s reproductive rights and sent a shock wave of anger, terror and despair across not just the United States, but the rest of the developed world. Here in Canada, Justin Tru

Recently, I completed training in child trafficking and a workshop on trafficked persons. I was astounded to realise that there is so much about this issue that escapes our attention simply because we are unaware of what to look for. It is my hope that in opening this discussion about this despicable practice, we will all as fellow human beings start to identify those who need our protection. A few myths that surround trafficking include the idea that it always involves movem

Today, I had yet another conversation with a client about the unfair expectations of their family members of eternal financial support simply because my client is the most financially stable member of the entire family, known as the “Black Tax”. This is the fourth such conversation I have had this week with clients and friends. Trevor Noah explained the concept of the Black Tax beautifully and acknowledges that his mother, just like mine, gave him the gift of not having to ca

I recently had a scary episode with a stress induced migraine that mimicked a stroke. I share this to make the point that prolonged stress can do a number on our physical health and, during this eternally long pandemic experience, we can all agree that every single person on the planet is experiencing some degree of chronic stress. People who have worked at the front lines of this pandemic, (including therapists who are emotional frontline workers), are burnt out. Most of us

After a delay of twelve months on account of the COVID-19 pandemic, professional sporting events have finally resumed in 2021. These...

It is important as therapists that we start to examine the manner in which our practice intersects with the realities of the digital age....

A few weeks ago, my beloved partner lost his grandfather. This week, my family lost an aunt who had just turned 90. It is as if an entire generation has taken its leave as I am hearing so many of these reports. Having lost a few friends and relatives in the past 18 months, (one to COVID-19) and still coping with the grief of losing a father figure suddenly in 2019, I have not only experienced but heard of too many cases of well-intentioned people saying very insensitive thing

I was interviewed by the Vancouver Black Therapy and Advocacy Foundation, an organization that was formed by a concerned member of the Black community in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia. It is my honour to have been part of the team providing funded sessions to the community at a reduced cost as part of the work towards de-stigmatizing mental health. Check out my interview and, please consider donating https://vancouverblacktherapyfoundation.com/sanctuary Meet our Coun