ADHD | Encouragement Along

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I love offering encouragement, motivation, and tips for living life well. I started the Encouragement Along the Journey Blog with a mission to give others a taste of my thoughts and experiences, offering a little sampling of what it is like to be in my counselling office with me.

The topics I write about here are close to my heart—the kinds of things I find myself coming back to often in conversation, in my counselling office, in reflection, and in my own journey of growth.

Take some time to explore the blog and find what sparks your interest. Feel free to reach out if you would like to collaborate on a project together. Read on and enjoy!

My Approach to Counselling

Background: As Master's students in a counselling psychology program, we were encouraged to do the work ourselves that we would be asking...

Celebrating Ourselves: A Birthday Reflection

Birthdays used to be simple for me. Cupcakes, candles, and celebrations that marked who someone was and what mattered to them. Somewhere along the way, that kind of care quietly shifted outward, and I stopped offering it to myself. In this reflection, I write about the slow accumulation of mental load, the experience of feeling unseen, and what it means to begin celebrating ourselves again in small, honest ways. Not as performance or productivity, but as care. This piece expl

Staying Present (On Being & Becoming)

In last week’s reflection, I explored love and grief through questions that asked how we remain open to relationship while knowing that loss will return. This week, the focus shifts. The next part in the series turns toward the lived implications of that awareness. How does knowing grief shape the way we show up in relationship now? How do we create safety for others? And what are we teaching our children, not just through our words, but through how we live and care for ourse

Celebrating Ourselves: A Birthday Reflection

Birthdays used to be simple for me. Cupcakes, candles, and celebrations that marked who someone was and what mattered to them. Somewhere along the way, that kind of care quietly shifted outward, and I stopped offering it to myself. In this reflection, I write about the slow accumulation of mental load, the experience of feeling unseen, and what it means to begin celebrating ourselves again in small, honest ways. Not as performance or productivity, but as care. This piece expl

Haide Giesbrecht

4 days ago1 min read

At one time, I found security in rules. However, I have come to see strict rules as more shackle than gate.

Neurodivergence and the Gentle Art of Rule-Bending

At one time, I found security in rules. There were some turbulent times early on in my life, and a whole lot of unrecognized inattentive type ADHD. Rules and religious traditions may have saved me from some unhealthy self-medicating risks. Along with books. However, I have come to see strict rules as more shackle than gate. Instead, I have guiding questions, which I have carried mostly internally and unarticulated.