Today has been an emotional day. A mix of so many feelings. Those “firsts” are always the hardest.
Waking up to so many thoughtful Mother’s Day messages from friends and loved ones and continuing to receive them throughout the day from people who knew this wasn’t just any ordinary Mother’s Day for me, meant more than I can put into words. I felt so seen, supported, and surrounded by love.
And then, getting to spend the day with my three reasons why (and Maggie of course), doing the things that bring me the greatest joy, made the heaviness feel a little lighter. There is something so meaningful about being with people who truly know you, who understand what your heart needs without even having to ask.
And being spoiled with the perfect gift; tickets to see “A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical” was just the icing on the cake. I truly can’t wait. Thank you, Jacob, Hannah, Rachel, and Rich, for knowing exactly what would make me smile and for making today feel a little softer, a little brighter, and filled with love.
Thank you for bringing both smiles and tears of joy today. Your love carried me more than you know.
And to anyone who may have found today difficult for any reason, I’m holding space for you too. I know that Mother’s Day can carry so many emotions. Wishing love, gentleness, and comfort to all who needed it today.
This morning during Shabbat services, I shared part of my mental health journey — and without question, it was one of the most meaningful and difficult speeches I have ever given.
Speaking openly about mental health, healing, and the importance of community left me emotional in ways I didn’t expect. I walked away with so much pride in my heart, and immense gratitude for every person who came up to me afterwards to say thank you, to share their own story, or to tell me about someone they love who is struggling.
Those conversations reminded me exactly why this matters.
Mental health conversations are not easy, but they are necessary. They create connection, compassion, understanding, and remind people they are not alone.
No one should ever have to heal alone. 🤍
I wanted to share the video of my speech with you. We can’t use our phones on Shabbat, but thanks to our incredible tech support team who livestreams our services each week, I was able to get a copy of it.
It’s raw. It’s emotional. It’s deeply personal. But if sharing my story helps even one person feel less alone, then it was worth it.
Last week, I shared a very personal blog I had written for the weekly bulletin at the synagogue where I work in honour of Mental Health Awareness Month.
This week, I wrote another piece that also felt deeply personal and wanted to share with you as well. It’s titled “Honouring Mothers: A Jewish Reflection on Mother’s Day.”
This Mother’s Day will feel very different for me. My mom has been gone for four months now, and there are still days when it simply doesn’t feel real.
BLOG:
With Mother’s Day this Sunday, we take time this weekend to honour the women who have shaped our lives in ways both visible and unseen. In Judaism, the role of a mother is deeply woven into our identity, our values, and the continuity of our people.
This year, the day feels different for me. Four months ago, I lost my mom. There is a quiet space where her presence used to be, one that is especially felt on days like this. And yet, in that space, I find myself reflecting even more deeply on what she gave me, and the values that continue to guide me.
In the Torah, we are commanded to “Honour your father and your mother”. This mitzvah is not limited to words or a single day. It is something we carry throughout our lives. Even after loss, we continue to honour our parents through the way we live, the choices we make, and the values we pass on.
Our tradition also teaches us that Jewish identity is passed on through the mother, a reminder of the profound and lasting impact mothers have, not only in raising children, but in shaping generations.
At the same time, Mother’s Day can be complex. For some, it is filled with joy and gratitude. For others, it carries grief, longing, or complicated emotions. Judaism makes space for all of it, reminding us to approach one another with compassion and understanding.
This Mother’s Day, may we honour the mothers and mother-figures in our lives, those who are with us, and those we carry in our hearts. May their love continue to guide us, and may their memory be a blessing.
One year ago today, I took this photo just before heading out the door to my brand new job. I remember how nervous and excited I felt, mixed (of course) with a heavy dose of uncertainty and self-doubt. In that moment, I was choosing me.
This past year has stretched me, challenged me, and helped me grow in ways I never expected. It hasn’t been easy, but it’s been meaningful in so many ways.
I’m really proud of that version of me for taking the leap. I am so grateful for the incredible people I get to work alongside every day, for this community that has embraced me, and for my friends and family who encouraged me, supported me, and reminded me (time and again) that I’ve got this.
I’m still learning every day, still growing, and far more grounded than I was a year ago.
This year has held both growth and loss, reminding me just how much can change in a year. I carry all of it with me as I step into year two, with gratitude and a fuller heart.
That girl in this photo truly had no idea what the year ahead would hold, but I’m so proud of her for walking out that door anyway.
This has become an annual tradition for Rich and me over the past four years. This year felt even more meaningful as friends joined us for the “Walk So Kids Can Talk” in support of Kids Help Phone.
As many of you know, in the spring of 2020, shortly after the pandemic began, I created a graduation lawn sign initiative. I was searching for a meaningful way to honour our graduates, especially my youngest daughter, Rachel, who was about to complete her final year of high school while missing out on so many of life’s milestone moments and rites of passage. A once-in-a-lifetime grad trip was cancelled just two days before her departure. A prom dress never to be worn. A graduation ceremony postponed and eventually moved online six months later.
It was a difficult time for her, and for so many young people.
What happened next was something I never could have imagined.
In just six weeks, with Rich by my side, I sold and hand-delivered over 700 lawn signs across the GTHA, placing them front and centre on lawns, but more importantly, bringing smiles (from six feet away) to faces of all ages. The response was overwhelming, in the very best way.
By the end of that June, I had raised and donated over $10,000 to Kids Help Phone, thanks to the incredible generosity of our community. I chose this organization because I knew so many young people were isolated at home, cut off from their usual supports, and in need of a safe space to talk, vent, scream, or cry. Kids Help Phone provided that space, and continues to do so every single day.
In spring 2021, it became clear that another graduating class would once again miss out on those same important milestones, this time including my middle daughter, Hannah, who had spent the year working tirelessly online to complete her undergraduate degree in Communications.
By 2022, as life slowly began to feel more normal, I had planned to step away to focus my efforts on my new initiative @agentlereminderproject. But after receiving countless messages from community members asking if I would bring the lawn signs back, I decided to give it one more year. By the end of that third year, I had raised a total of $20,000 for youth mental health.
What began as a simple gesture during the Pandemic to support graduates during an incredibly difficult time evolved into something far more purposeful than I ever imagined. It sparked meaningful conversations across communities and helped shine a light on the importance of youth mental health. For that, I am deeply grateful.
While the pandemic may be behind us, the need for support is not. Kids Help Phone continues to do extraordinary work for youth across Canada, and it remains an organization I am proud to support through my mental health advocacy, because our youth matter, always.
Today’s Kids Help Phone walkathons that took place across Canada raised another incredible $3.9 million.
Kids Help Phone is available 24/7. To connect with a confidential counsellor, call 1-800-668-6868 or text 686868.
I wrote the piece below for the synagogue’s weekly bulletin where I work, which goes out to our congregants every Friday. Today, on the first day of Mental Health Awareness Month, I shared a deeply personal part of my life with them, opening a window into a part of my life that isn’t always visible.
Over the past while, I’ve felt truly embraced by this community and I’m grateful to be part of a team that not only supports me and stands behind me, but truly values the importance for these conversations and the power of genuine connection. Something I definitely don’t take for granted.
I’m especially honoured that our Rabbi who I have come to consider a mentor and friend over the past year has asked me to speak to our congregation during Shabbat services next Saturday morning. It’s an opportunity that feels both humbling and incredibly meaningful.
BLOG:
As we enter the month of May, we recognize Mental Health Awareness Month. A time to open up conversations and bring awareness to something that touches so many lives, yet is still too often left unsaid.
For me, mental health is more than just a concept; it’s my reality. For the past 12 years, I’ve been living with an anxiety disorder, chronic depression, and some very dark and desperate moments. There are days when just getting through feels too overwhelming… even when everything looks fine on the outside.
For a long while, talking about it wasn’t easy. I kept it within a small circle while seeking help. Because there’s stigma. There’s fear. There’s shame.
But over time, I learned something really important. I learned that real strength isn’t about staying silent. It’s about being vulnerable. It’s about honesty, and having the courage to start the hard conversations. Once I embraced that truth, I found myself on a healing journey toward growth, resilience, and purpose; opening doors I never imagined possible.
When I first started sharing my story to the world back in 2016, something incredible happened. Friends and strangers alike began reaching out, with great appreciation and gratitude, sharing their own personal struggles and vulnerabilities with me. Even asking for help for their loved ones, too. I cannot put into words how this touched me, how something so personal became a bridge for others to feel seen, heard, and less alone. These connections are what led me to start my blog, youareenough712.wordpress.com in 2017, and eventually write and publish my children’s book, Where Did Mommy’s Smile Go?, in 2019. A book which aims to help families, educators and caregivers support children and talk in a way kids can understand their feelings when someone they love is struggling with depression. I originally wrote it as a labour of love for my own (now young adult) kids. A portion of the proceeds from my book go to support youth mental health initiatives. It’s become one of my greatest passions as a proud mental health advocate, sharing my journey through public speaking engagements with diverse audiences, including several Jewish organizations and our most vulnerable youth. I continue this work today to help others feel less alone and help to end the stigma.
Our tradition teaches that we are all created B’tzelem Elohim (in the image of God), and that Pikuach Nefesh, the preservation of life, is a sacred obligation. This must include caring for our mental health. And it calls on us to practice Chesed (loving kindness), showing up for one another with compassion and without judgment.
Mental health is health.
So this month, and every month, let’s keep talking. Let’s break the stigma. Let’s create a community where no one feels like they have to go through this alone.
If this resonates with you or someone you love, I’d love for you to join me during Shabbat services next weekend, Saturday, May 9th, as I continue this important conversation with our congregation.
Your story matters. There is hope. There is healing. We are not meant to carry this alone, and we don’t have to.
In Canada, you can call or text Kids Help Phone (1-800-668-6868) or the 9-8-8 Suicide Crisis Helpline for immediate, confidential support.
One year ago today, I made one of the most courageous decisions of my life for my mental, emotional, and physical well-being.
I walked away from a very toxic situation by quitting my job. It wasn’t the work itself I was leaving, it was the leadership. I truly loved what I did, and I was damn good at it, too (something I’m still reminded of regularly by many others still caught in their web).
By the time I finally stepped away, I was completely depleted. I felt traumatized, deeply anxious, severely depressed, and yes, more s*icidal than I had ever been before (which I didn’t know was even possible).
But that decision became the beginning of a new chapter, one where I chose myself, my healing, and my worth.
Tonight, I raised a glass to the strength it took to choose myself in that moment of courage, alongside some of the beautiful friendships that came out of it.
I carry deep gratitude for those connections, for where that decision has led me, and for the healing, growth, and light that followed.
Cheers to new chapters, and to never losing sight of our worth 🥂
Last night, Rich and I had the chance to go to the theatre to see & Juliet, a show I’ve been dying to see forever. It did not disappoint. It was incredible, spectacular, magical, witty, fun, and bursting with energy.
I lovvvvve musicals. I’ve seen Mamma Mia! close to ten times. It’s always been my all-time favourite. That is… until last night, when & Juliet completely knocked it out of the top spot. It far exceeded all the hype.
For those who don’t know, & Juliet is inspired by Romeo and Juliet, reimagining the story by asking: what if Juliet didn’t die? What unfolds is a brilliantly Shakespearean story with a modern day twist, set to some of the biggest hits of the last 30 years (thank goodness for my earplugs!). And the cast, an all-Canadian one, I might add, left me mesmerized and in complete awe from beginning to end.
The musical takes Juliet on a journey of self-discovery, and something about it stirred feelings in me that felt deeply and honestly personal. Grief, joy, healing all sat beside me throughout the show, and by the end, I was completely inconsolable.
Beneath the glitter, humour, and awesome music, & Juliet carries so many powerful life lessons. It’s about growth, rewriting your own story, discovering your worth, and finding your voice. It’s about having the courage to step away from roles that were once written for you. It’s about real love and self-love, about not feeling fully seen or heard, about walking away from toxic relationships that no longer serve you, and about reclaiming joy after loss.
So many of these themes mirror my own mental health journey. It stirred old wounds, bringing both empowerment and grief for what I didn’t have, or didn’t get to be, as a child.
But it also reminded me how important it is to keep choosing me in my healing, to move forward without staying rooted in the past. I know I’m not that child anymore, even when the feelings still feel just as big.
Last night allowed something long held to shift. It went far deeper than just a night out at the theatre. It was an awakening, and honestly, nothing short of f**king perfect!! @pink
And Rich… thank you for always holding space for me when my emotions take over, especially when it turns into a full-blown theatre sob-fest and you’re debating whether to comfort me or quietly slide under your seat and pretend you don’t know me ❤️🙂.
There are performances you watch… and then there are performances you feel. The kind that stays with you long after the music fades. Watching some YouTube videos over the past few days since Justin Bieber’s performance at Coachella last weekend has been one of those moments.
It was something far more intimate, more vulnerable than I could have imagined. It felt like witnessing a beautiful love story unfolding.
It was beyond brave.
Honouring that little boy who grew up in the spotlight, the one who was catapulted into fame before he had the chance to fully understand the weight of it. A child who, in many ways, wasn’t protected the way he should have been. You could feel it woven into every video clip of his younger self but Instead of leaving that younger version of himself behind, he seemed to be doing something far more powerful. Loving himself out loud. Loving his inner child.
Almost like he was asking for forgiveness.
And acceptance.
Watching him learn, in real time, how to parent himself. Meeting his pain with compassion instead of running from it.
Justin Bieber has spent so much of his life being watched, judged, and let’s be honest, misunderstood. He’s had to justify himself in ways most of us will never experience. His choices, his marriage, his growth, even who he is as a person. And yet, through all of that, he continues to show up as himself. Still healing. Still evolving.
I’ve always had a soft spot for the Biebs. Maybe it’s because he’s still so rooted in where he came from; a small town in Ontario. Maybe it’s that he’s still a die-hard Leafs fan. Or maybe, and more likely, it’s because I see pieces of myself in him. Minus the fame and fortune that is.
Watching parts of that performance stirred something deeply personal in me. As someone who wrestles with their own inner child—who feels the echoes of childhood trauma continue to resurface in unexpected ways, I recognized that same longing. That same need to go back and say, I’m sorry. Or, I’ve got your back.
I’ve written love letters to my younger self before. Words filled with apologies, compassion, and tenderness.
But watching the Biebs perform made me wonder; what would my healing look like if I tried singing a lullaby to that little girl. To help reach that part of me that is still waiting to be seen, heard, and held. Maybe one day I could get Justin to sing it for me. Or better yet, sing it to me!
Happy 15th birthday to our sweet, sassy baby girl, Maggie. Always rocking the perfect little bow like the queen that you are. Still running the house, stealing our hearts, and keeping us laughing every single day with your silly antics, emotional support, unconditional love, and your perfectly timed side-eye. Age is just a number, and Maggie has clearly decided not to participate.
You will furever be such a beautiful part of our family’s story.
We love you more than all the treats in the world 💕
YouAreEnough 
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