<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss version="2.0"><channel><title>The Journal — Gem Lee-Herder, Toronto Therapist</title><description>Reflections on therapy, growth and finding alignment from a Toronto-based Registered Social Worker (MSW, RSW).</description><link>https://deargem.ca/</link><language>en-ca</language><item><title>You don&apos;t need a clear &quot;problem&quot; to begin therapy</title><link>https://deargem.ca/blog/you-dont-need-a-clear-problem/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">https://deargem.ca/blog/you-dont-need-a-clear-problem/</guid><description>Many people arrive with a quiet sense that something isn&apos;t working the way it used to. That is reason enough. Here is what the first few sessions actually look like.</description><pubDate>Wed, 10 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate><category>Getting Started</category></item><item><title>Recognising burnout before it runs you</title><link>https://deargem.ca/blog/recognising-burnout/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">https://deargem.ca/blog/recognising-burnout/</guid><description>The early signs are quieter than we expect. A few questions to check in with yourself.</description><pubDate>Fri, 15 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate><category>Burnout</category></item><item><title>The quiet strength of boundaries</title><link>https://deargem.ca/blog/quiet-strength-of-boundaries/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">https://deargem.ca/blog/quiet-strength-of-boundaries/</guid><description>Saying no isn&apos;t a rejection of others. It&apos;s how we stay available to what matters.</description><pubDate>Sat, 02 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate><category>Relationships</category></item><item><title>Belonging, identity, and the systems around us</title><link>https://deargem.ca/blog/belonging-and-identity/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">https://deargem.ca/blog/belonging-and-identity/</guid><description>On navigating expectations and spaces that don&apos;t always reflect who you are.</description><pubDate>Mon, 20 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate><category>Identity</category></item><item><title>Moving through life transitions with intention</title><link>https://deargem.ca/blog/life-transitions-with-intention/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">https://deargem.ca/blog/life-transitions-with-intention/</guid><description>New roles, new cities, new seasons. How to stay grounded when everything shifts.</description><pubDate>Wed, 08 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate><category>Transitions</category></item><item><title>Why patterns are so hard to change</title><link>https://deargem.ca/blog/why-patterns-are-hard-to-change/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">https://deargem.ca/blog/why-patterns-are-hard-to-change/</guid><description>Understanding a habit rarely shifts it on its own. What actually moves the needle.</description><pubDate>Sun, 22 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate><category>Growth</category></item><item><title>Grief keeps its own time</title><link>https://deargem.ca/blog/grief-keeps-its-own-time/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">https://deargem.ca/blog/grief-keeps-its-own-time/</guid><description>There is no schedule for loss. A gentler way to hold what you are carrying.</description><pubDate>Tue, 10 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate><category>Grief</category></item></channel></rss>