Self-Love and Self-Care for Moms – You Deserve it!
A Mother’s Day Reflection from Dr. Amy I recently came across a blog I wrote over ten years ago. It brought me right back—to when we were still living in Ontario, our kids were in elementary school, life was full of sports practices, school projects, and the constant motion of young family life, all while running my own practice. And truthfully, I wasn’t great at self-care back then, but life was nudging me that something had to change. I realized that I had to start choosing me, not out of selfishness, but out of necessity. Because when did, I could show up in the way I wanted to: for my family, for my practice, for the people who counted on me.So in that spirit, I want to share a few thoughts on self-care and self-love with you—especially this month, as we honour all the mamas and nurturers out there. We care for a lot of moms in our office, and they are nothing short of incredible. They are often the glue that makes their family dynamics work. But here’s what we see all too often: these strong, capable women put themselves last, and over time, it takes a toll—on their energy, their mood, their sleep, and their physical health. Maybe you tell yourself, “I’ll rest when things calm down,” or “I just need to get through this week.” Sound familiar? We hear it often in our office—moms holding the world together … all while running on empty. The truth is this: You deserve to feel resourced, nourished, and supported in your own body. Yes, it’s beautiful to receive love from others—but real, lasting love starts with the way we treat ourselves. The most powerful act of self-love? Turning that same compassion, kindness, and care inward. What I’ve learned as I’ve grown older (and maybe a little wiser), is that self-care isn’t about chasing youth—it’s about choosing peace over pressure. It’s about making space to feel good in your body, and what it is capable of doing, rather than expecting it to look a certain way. It’s about tuning into that quiet, wise voice inside and saying yes to your rhythm, your needs, and those things that bring you joy. For me, that might look like moving my body to feel strong and alive. It might mean giving myself permission to rest, to wander through used book stores or vintage shops, to go hiking with my dog in the woods, or setting aside a day with no agenda at all. I have a team that I have curated for ongoing self care which includes seeing my chiropractor, getting a a massage, having an acupuncture session, spending time at the gym, getting out into nature, or getting a pedicure. These things help my nervous system re-set, and leave me feeling revitalized, especially when my life is heavy or extra busy. I have learned that when I treat myself with love, I shine brighter. I am a better parent, wife, chiropractor, friend, sister, daughter. When I treat myself with love, I lead with more clarity and joy. I allow more of who Amy is to shine. And since I believe that the best gift we can give the world is the ability to show up as our best, most authentic versions of our selves – this piece is a non-negotiable. So here’s your gentle reminder: Self-care is not selfish. And it’s not optional, in my opinion. So if this is new to you, let’s start small and build from there with a few simple steps:Breathe deeply and let your shoulders drop. Sit with the sun on your face. Say “no” when your body says no. Say “yes” to something that lights you up. Book that appointment you’ve been putting off. Take a nap. Drink your tea while it’s still hot. And remind yourself: You’ve got this. It’s okay to slow down. You don’t have to be perfect.And if no one’s said it to you lately: Thank you for how you show up in the world. You are loved. You are needed. You are worthy of care—especially your own. With love and deep gratitude, Dr. Amy + The Lifehouse Team
Instilling Family Health Values from a Chiropractor and Mom
After many years of study and experience running a family-based chiropractic practice, I have to admit that sometimes I still take for granted all of the learning I have accumulated over the years. After an active, nature-entrenched childhood, 20 years of competitive sports, and 20+ years in the chiropractic world – I readily admit that the biggest influence in the creation of our family’s health values has been my journey as a chiropractor, as my understanding of health, healing and the human potential has grown exponentially. However, in becoming a parent, everything I believed was put to the test. The pressure was on – as I felt that if I made poor choices as a parent, I could be running the risk of regretting the consequences on an exponential level. So while I learned a lot of theory in my years of schooling, my true education came after I crossed the stage and was faced with the many realities of life as a mother. As a mom, I wanted to be a great one. I wanted to make all of the right decisions to allow this miracle of a human being, my baby, to thrive in every way possible. Would I have the guts to follow through with trusting the innate wisdom that I believed was inside of me – and inside of my babies? Quite honestly, as an unproven entity, I didn’t truly know. But at each turn in the road, as a new decision was required, I found that my resolve became greater. As a family, we based our choices on the foundational philosophies that our bodies are smart and heal themselves, that nature works best when we don’t interfere, and that our health, happiness and full expression is maximized when we give ourselves (and our bodies) what they need to thrive: Love, rest, play, nutrients, movement, nature, connection, gratitude and a healthy brain-body connection – which is my focus as a family wellness chiropractor. For us, this meant that we had the home births we had planned. We breast fed. We co-slept (although my sleep was minimal, I have to admit). We avoided all medications. We minimized chemicals in our home. We worked our schedules to have one of us home for the first few years with our kids. We made our own baby food. We had many successes and fails, but as the years went on, and we were faced with more and more of life’s general challenges, we found that we questioned our actions less and less as we watched our family thrive with great health. From the place of always starting with WHY we make the choices we do – I realized that we have ingrained in our family a deep set of beliefs that are empowering. Our children know we make our meals from scratch – avoiding processed foods, sugars, and grains – because that is what our bodies are designed for. They know the effects junk food has on their bodies. They understand how important it is to move their bodies frequently, get fresh air and have good sleep. They understand that there can be ‘junk-thinking’ – and that it is equally as bad for them as junk food. Our children know that their bodies are smart. They know that their thoughts are powerful. They know that they are competent, resourceful, unique people – and that the best gift they can give the world is for them to thrive with great health and self esteem, and ultimately to contribute to making this world a better place. This is what we mean when we say we are living our lives’ by design’. Our family follows principles that are at the core of the lifestyle approach I teach in my practice. I have seen – and personally experienced – amazing improvements in health, performance, and happiness as a result. As a mom, I have greater peace of mind as a result . And for these reasons, I sincerely wish to pass these same foundational principles on to the people I care about in my practice and in my community. I hope you will follow us along for this journey!