Barbara Higgins Counselling

Barb Higgins

Certified Wellness Counsellor

Somatic Trauma Student

Mental Health Advocate

Keynote Speaker




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When Stress Becomes Toxic

Stress is often good for us.  It makes us stronger. 

The challenge is knowing when stress becomes too much. 

When stress fills our bucket to the point of being overwhelming, there is potential for our stress to become toxic. 

There is value in knowing the signs, both as a way to take care of ourselves and as a way to recognize stress in others.  

Life happens.  To all of us.  

In addition to physical health, caring for mental and emotional health is a part of any decision to be our best. 


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Growth & Learning

We cross the bridge of growth when we experience new insights within our heart, mind, body and soul .  The deepest healing occurs when we have new understanding at all levels of our experience.   As a therapist,  I am trained in the four pillars of health; mental, emotional, physical and spiritual.

Biography

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After an award-winning career as a television news anchor, producer and writer it was a big shock to learn I had a condition called Vicarious Trauma, which then progressed into Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).   The revelation sent me for a loop because I had never considered something like that to explain the symptoms I had been experiencing.  


 As any former journalist would respond to this sort of discovery,  I became curious.  I went back to school to become a therapist and during my studies I often wondered,  "Why aren't we all taught this stuff?  Why isn't this public knowledge?"


After experiencing my own healing I am passionate about  creating new ways of thinking about mental health in three ways:  

  • Working one-on-one with clients 
  • Increasing public awareness through public speaking engagements
  • Creating a website and online presence to set a new tone about mental health





Mental Health Bucket

Link to MentalHealthBucket.ca, a website to improve mental health

Wellness Training

Certified Wellness Counsellor - Rhodes Wellness College

APPROACH INCLUDES: 


  • Cognitive Behaviour Therapy to understand thoughts and whether they support growth.  
  • Therapeutic Release to deal with built up emotions that can affect how we deal with life in the moment. 
  • Somatic Therapy to understand the language of the body as a guide to health.
  • Spiritually Focused Therapy (If spirituality is important to you) to provide further insight and guidance 

Somatic Therapy - Somatic Experience Trauma Institute

Stress and trauma affect our nervous system.  If we experience too much stress changes can get locked within our bodies.  Somatic Therapy is a natural, biological process that helps the nervous system reset itself and restore health. 

Satir Model - Level II - Satir Institute of the Pacific

The Satir method is a hopeful approach to therapy. Virginia Satir (1916-1988) was a social worker known for her compassion and belief that every person has inherent self-worth.  

Embodied Awareness Facilitator - Dr. Beth Hedva, PhD, M.A.

 There are many ways of knowing.  Most of us are familiar with the six senses, but how do we understand and work with intuition and that inner sense of knowing that we cannot explain?  This is the work of Embodied Awareness.  A common sense approach to trusting ourselves.

Additional Training includes:

Body Wisdom - Anastacia Metcalf Lundholm - techniques to release trauma held in the body.

Anger, Boundaries & Safety - Greg Gurel-healthy expression of anger and setting boundaries.

Reiki Levels I & II - Phyllis Kane, Reiki Master

Body-Mind Centring - Bonnie Bainbridge Cohen, Esalen California

Shamanic and Nature Practices - Sandra Ingerman, New Mexico; Jaki Daniels, Calgary

My Services

Individual Appointments

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Sessions are not bound by the clock.  We book the morning or afternoon together.  Each appointment becomes your own individualized workshop which run between 2-4 hours. 


 Nature heals.  You are invited to take time to integrate your experience.  You can sit quietly outside or enjoy a walk on a private property in the country.  

Public Speaking

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*TedxYYC speaker on  "Your Body's Language of Stress" (June 2019)


Speaker and Educator on stress and trauma, drawing on personal experience and the latest research.


HISTORY:

*Featured speaker, emcee and moderator for thousands of corporate, charity and community events. 


*Award-winning television news anchor and producer for CTV Calgary News at 6,  Calgary's top-rated news program  

(1989-2010).
*Award-winning documentary writer, producer, host.


Workshop

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Wise Woman is a one day workshop designed to bring women together to explore and honour the third, and most powerful phase of a woman's life, 

The Crone.


For more information on dates please email me at barb@barbhiggins.ca 

Client Testimonials

"With Barb I always felt comfortable enough to reveal the deepest parts of myself that I was too afraid to show the world.  At a time when I felt like no one could truly understand what was happening in my life, Barb did.  She was able to see and help me through some of life's toughest problems.  I now walk with my head a little higher because I know that anything I encounter in life can be compassionately worked through using the skills that I've gained when working with my own emotion."    B. 

" I consider myself lucky to have had the chance to work with Barbara as my Counsellor. Although I've had training before and did a considerable amount of work to connect with my body, Barb took me to a new level. Her respect to my previous knowledge was great. Barb worked with me in a new format without limiting me into a time frame and instead allowed my body to lead the sessions. Barb supported me during the sessions, and between.  Today, I refer back to many teachings and inspirations I learned about myself through the sessions I had with Barb, the biggest one was learning my body's language. I would confidently recommend Barbara's services and her abilities to support anyone who's looking to connect deeper with their body, soul and mind."         R.


'I have worked with Barb extensively in the past. Barb was insightful, kind, warm and accepting in her guidance and skill as a counsellor.  I was able to unravel my tangled thought patterns that were keeping me trapped in a self imposed prison of perfection. She helped me find my own answers by tapping into my inner wisdom and deep knowing; she created space for me to accept and embrace my imperfections which in turn decreased my overall anxiety and increased my self love.  If you are interested in doing your own 'deep work', I recommend Barb Higgins wholeheartedly!          S.


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Contact

Please leave a brief description of what you would like to discuss and I will get back to you within 24 hours. Please NOTE: I am not accepting new clients at this time as I focus on public speaking and trauma education.

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Confidential email and phone:

barb@barbhiggins.ca