resources
Books I recommend
The Wisdom Of Your Body: Finding Healing, Wholeness, And Connection Through Embodied Living by Hillary McBride
Explores the broken and unhealthy ideas we have inherited about our body. Many of us feel disembodied due to colonization, racism, sexism, and patriarchy—destructive systems that rank certain bodies as less valuable, beautiful, or human than others. Embracing our embodiment can liberate us from these systems. Instead of the body being a problem to overcome, our bodies can be the very place where we feel most alive, the seat of our spirituality and our wisdom.
It's OK That You're Not OK: Meeting Grief and Loss in a Culture That Doesn't Understand by Megan Devine
An approach to both the experience of grief and the way we try to help others who have endured tragedy. Debunks the culturally prescribed goal of returning to a normal, “happy” life, replacing it with a far healthier middle path, one that invites us to build a life alongside grief rather than seeking to overcome it. How challenging the myths of grief―doing away with stages, timetables, and unrealistic ideals about how grief should unfold―allows us to accept grief as a mystery to be honoured instead of a problem to solve.
Through, Not Around: Stories of Infertility and Pregnancy Loss by Allison McDonald Ace, Ariel Ng Bourbonnais, and Caroline Starr
Collection of personal stories about what it’s like to go through the emotional and physical facets of infertility, miscarriage, and pregnancy loss.
Come As You Are by Emily Nagoski
An essential exploration of why and how women’s sexuality works—based on groundbreaking research and brain science. The most important factor for women in creating and sustaining a fulfilling sex life, is not what you do in bed or how you do it, but how you feel about it. Which means that stress, mood, trust, and body image are not peripheral factors in a woman’s sexual wellbeing; they are central to it —and that even if you don’t always feel like it, you are already sexually whole by just being yourself.
When the Body Says No: The Cost of Hidden Stress by Gabor Maté
Explores the physiological connection between life’s stresses and emotions and the body systems governing nerves, immune apparatus and hormones. Promotes learning and healing, providing transformative insights into how disease can be the body’s way of saying no to what the mind cannot or will not acknowledge.
What My Bones Know by Stephanie Foo
A beautiful memoir about her journey healing from complex trauma. A couple of chapters near the end include snippets of psychotherapy provided to help her consolidate what she had learned through this journey. This book is a brave narrative that reckons with the hold of the past over the present, the mind over the body—and examines one woman’s ability to reclaim agency from her trauma.
Mental Health Services
Here To Help
The HeretoHelp website features thousands of personal stories and self-help resources for a number of audiences including people concerned for themselves or for a loved one. Topics covered include, but are not limited to: anxiety and anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder, depression, eating disorders, grief, personality disorders, psychosis, self-harm, stress, suicide, substances like alcohol and other drugs, and co-existing mental health and substance use.
heretohelp.bc.ca
Hope for Wellness
Offers immediate mental health counselling and crisis intervention to all Indigenous peoples across Canada. Phone and chat counselling is available in English and French. On request, phone counselling is also available in Cree, Ojibway and Inuktitut.
hopeforwellness.ca
1-855-242-3310
Alexandra Neighbourhood House
A place for people of all ages, abilities and cultures, providing programs, services, community events, and day camps.
alexhouse.net
604-535-0015
QMUNITY
Offers health and wellness counselling at a reduced cost for 2SLGBTQIA+ folx.
qmunity.ca
1-800-566-1170
Looking Glass
Non profit foundation for those affected by eating disorders or disordered eating. Offers support through affordable counselling and peer support.
lookingglassbc.com
604-314-0548
Sources Women’s Place Resource Centre
Provides a variety of free resources, programs, supports that aim to improve the lives of women and families. Offer a safe and confidential environment where women can connect with one another as well as access free legal information, professional referrals, and access a variety of resources and educational opportunities. Counselling and groups are available for women impacted by interpersonal violence or historic abuse
sourcesbc.ca
604-531-6226
Pacific Post Partum Society
Pacific Post Partum Support Society is a small, non-profit charitable organization that provides mental health and emotional support to new parents across BC.
postpartum.org
604-255-7955
Kristen Neff
Self-compassion guided practices and exercises.
self-compassion.org
Queering Reproductive Access
A guide by and for QTBIPOC folks interested in growing their families with reproductive technologies.
Community Services - South Surrey White Rock, BC
Lactation Consulting: Tess Watson, RN IBCLC (Surrey, White Rock, Delta, Langley)
Perinatal Health & Wellbeing Groups: South Rock Perinatal Wellness Collective (South Surrey, White Rock)
Prenatal Massage: Prairie Rose Massage Therapy (South Surrey)
Registered Physiotherapist: Brittany Wade (South Surrey)
Birth Doula Services: Wildflower Birth Collective (Surrey)
