Night Owl Counseling

Resources

a library of links

Note: Beyond any annotations made on this page, Night Owl Counseling does not promote, provide, support, or have responsibility for the resources listed here. Night Owl Counseling also receives no benefits from providing these links – other than helping fulfill the desire to connect people to whatever you need.
Follow external links at your own risk; the internet can be a wild place, so exercise your best judgment.

All links (should) open in a new window.

Please contact us if you discover any broken links, or have any other resources you’d love to see listed here! Your comments make this resource page more than simply accountable – they make it a community hub project.

Neurodiversity – Autism, ADHD, & More

Adults Hacking ADHD! – AHA! (fully online peer support for adults with ADHD, including habit-building. Be aware: I’m a member & forum moderator, and if you’re a client of mine we’ll want to talk through what good boundaries would look like)
Women with ADHD – WAM (the original group from which AHA! developed. Focused on female & non-binary -identified folks. The organizers are lovely!)
Autistics United Canada – AUC (on hiatus)
Autistics For Autistics Ontario – A4A
Queer Squared (Facebook group for queer/LGBTQ+ autistics)
How To ADHD (YouTube channel – fantastic resources & discussions by someone with ADHD)
Neurodivergent, But Make It Community (Facebook group for neurodivergence of many kinds)
Canadian Neurodiversity-Affirming Therapists (Facebook group)
Centre for ADHD Awareness, Canada – CADDAC

Disability, Chronic Illness, & Taking Care of Ourselves

Mesothelioma & Emotional Support Resources – Mesothelioma Hope (organization promoting the wellness & legal rights of individuals living with the effects of long-term asbestos exposure)
Hidden Disabilities UK

Social Safety Net

Justice for Children and Youth – organization providing legal advice & resources for youth in Ontario
ODSP Health and Disability Benefits – an official list including lesser-known coverages like ambulance costs

LGBTQ2SIA+ / Queer Topics

Intersex Human Rights Australia (promotes human rights, health, & bodily autonomy for intersex individuals & communities)
Understanding Intersex Communities – Human Rights Campaign
What Does ‘Two-Spirit’ Mean? – InQueery (video, 6 min)
Trans & Queer BIPOC Youth Wellness Resources – GSA Network
Cyberbullying & Social Media (Note: Contribution sent in by Cutter Law in hopes of supporting the mental health of queer youth – thank you! Please be aware that any legal advice included in the article is specific to the state of California & is not applicable to residents of Ontario/Canada.)
SteroidBeyonce (well-stocked & multi-faceted library of links for Black/trans wellness & excellence – even includes a makeup guide for folks with beards!)
Syrus Marcus Ware’s Blog (BIPOC queer & trans activism & art local to Toronto, Ontario)
Chella Man’s Blog (public Instagram. “artist. director. philosopher. deaf. trans. jewish. chinese.”)
Queer Squared (Facebook group for queer/LGBTQ+ autistics)
LGBTQ2S+ Terminology Guide – SPECTRUM Waterloo Region
Peppermint (links to queer Black music, merch & more)
AfroBrujx (“Black Indigenous Two-Spirit Change Maker” – includes links to the ‘Abuela Taught Me’ project)

Non-Monogamy/Polyamory

https://www.nonmonogamyhelp.com/thirteen-things-i-wish-id-learned-before-choosing-non-monogamy/

Trans & Non-Binary Resources & Information

Trans 101 – Smarter In Seconds (video)
Changing Your Sex Designation on Ontario Birth Certificates – official Ontario provincial website
What To Do When You Get Someone’s Pronouns Wrong (one-page .pdf)
What Is Deadnaming? – Smarter In Seconds (video)
Understanding Pronouns (.pdf)
What To Do When Someone Uses Multiple Pronouns – Smarter In Seconds (video)
At-Home Physiotherapy Exercises After Mastectomy Surgeries (NOTE: This resource is targeted towards cis women & may trigger dysphoria and/or be a trigger due to mentions of cancer. Please be gentle with yourself! If you are aware of material of similar quality that is free of gender assumptions, I would be grateful for the resource to share.)
12 Trans Folks Whose Transformative Work You Should Know About (as noted by the article, let’s get in the habit of celebrating the work of trans folks – especially trans femmes of colour – right away, not just in memoriam!)
Trans Day of Resilience (full of excellent resources, the TDOR website no longer focuses solely on its memorial functions.)
Successful Trans Men – Images & Links & Successful Trans Women – Images & Links (old website with some slightly outdated terminology, but still a lovely resource for validation. Knowing that there are so many trans folks out there, living good lives, can be a huge source of hope)
A Beginner’s Guide to Microdosing Testosterone (for those interested in hormone treatments but unsure about taking a ‘full dose’, non-binary or otherwise. NOTE: not provided as medical advice – use at your own risk)
Canadian Trans Network
ALOK (BIPOC non-binary blog with tons of book recommendations & more)
The Rainbow Owl (lists of children’s books & other resources for embracing & supporting gender independence)
Combatting Myths About Trans Rights – Human Rights Campaign
Trans & Non-Binary People FAQ – Human Rights Campaign
Understanding Trans & Gender-Non-Conforming Communities – SPECTRUM Waterloo Region
A Guide to Being an Ally to Trans & Gender-Non-Conforming Young People – The Trevor Project (American)
Trans Women & Intimate Partner Violence – Fundamentals for Service Providers

POC Resources

Queer Asian artists in Ontario:

https://www.ragingasianwomxn.ca/
https://www.cutsleeveband.com/bio
https://www.instagram.com/janjolee/
https://www.instagram.com/santotricks/?hl=en
https://www.instagram.com/britchida/?hl=en

Queer Asian community spaces in Ontario:

https://yesworld.org/event/asianjam2023/
https://www.instagram.com/friendsofchinatownto/?hl=en
https://www.instagram.com/queensofdimsum/?hl=en
https://www.instagram.com/newhoqueen/?hl=en
https://www.instagram.com/queerasianyouth/?hl=en

Social Justice

What Is Intersectionality? – Smarter In Seconds (video)

Crisis Support & Suicidal Feelings – For Yourself Or Others

Important Note: Some crisis lines have policies in place where their staff and/or volunteers must report to the police.  Police are generally not prepared to work with people in crisis, this has led to incidents of harm and death.  While the police pose a danger to us all, if you are part of a community that is specifically targeted by police please ask the crisis line their policies before disclosing any information and reach out to community members (a neighbour, family member, or friend) to be present before calling 911 yourself.

YouthLine – Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual/Trans Helpline (peer support distress line based in Toronto, Ontario. Can accept phone calls, texts, & direct messages via the website)
‘I Think Someone I Know Is At Risk’ – Waterloo Region Suicide Prevention Council (Ontario)
‘I’m Worried About Someone Else’ – Talk Suicide Canada
Here 24/7 (Crisis line for residents of Waterloo Region, Ontario; able to connect with other local services when that’s helpful)
HealthLine – Crisis Services and Support Lines in Waterloo/Wellington (A larger list of helplines & supports)
Crisis Line – Ottawa & Area (Ontario)
Good2Talk (Free, confidential support services for post-secondary students in Ontario and Nova Scotia)
Trans LifeLine (Trans peer support run by and for trans people; will not call emergency services. Available internationally)
THRIVE LifeLine (crisis line based in the US; focuses on any & all marginalized individuals)
Suicide Prevention Resources for Friends of Trans People [things allies can do to help] – SPECTRUM Waterloo Region

Substance Use

Overview of Substance Use Trends Among LGBTQ+ Populations in the USA – Boca Recovery Centre, Florida, USA (Note: Contribution sent in by Boca Recovery Centre in hopes of empowering LGBTQ+ individuals facing challenges with substance use – thank you! Please be aware that all statistics and organizations cited are specific to the United States & may not be applicable to residents of Ontario/Canada. Additional caveat: Boca Recovery Centre promotes an abstinence model for addictions recovery, which runs counter to Night Owl Counseling’s firm support of radical harm reduction approaches.)
Timeline of Withdrawal Symptoms & Recovery Milestones – Methamphetamines (San Antonio Recovery Center) (Forewarned is forearmed, as the saying goes. If you or someone you care about is trying to cease or reduce consumption of methamphetamines or any other known addictive substance – even caffeine! – knowing what to realistically expect, and how long the symptoms will last, can make the experience of withdrawal more tolerable and worthwhile.)

Employment Opportunities & Small Business Resources

Starting Your Own Small Business (including a private counseling practice)

RISE (Small business resources for Canadians)
Futurpreneur (Small business resources for Canadians 18-39 years old)
Digital Main Street (Resources for leveraging the internet & software for small businesses)
Waterloo Region Small Business Centre (Almost every region will have its own local version of this – if you’re outside Waterloo Region, try checking out your own region’s services!)
Ontario Business Registry (Vital website for registering a business name in Ontario. Requires making a free account. Note: Registering a business name in Ontario is only $60/5 years.)
Business Expenses – Canadian Revenue Agency (Explains details like how to claim small business expenses as write-offs & what counts as an acceptable business expense for federal taxes)
Self-Promo That Actually Works (Opinion piece/how-to guide. Starting and running a small business involves a lot of putting yourself out there, and knowing what to say & how to say it is key!)
Quietly Influential Summit (Annual online conference sharing business promotion ideas designed by & for introverts)
CIRA – .CA Internet Registration Authority (If you want a .ca website, this is the place to claim & register it)
Free Vs Paid SSL Certificates (If you want an https: website – increasingly expected – you’ll need to set up that small but important layer of security. This page helps explain your choices.)
Unsplash (Free source of high-quality images generally copyright-safe to use for commercial purposes.)
Build Your Private Practice (Both free and paid resources available – specific to starting a private counseling/therapy business)

Sources for Therapeutic Professional Development

Somatic Experiencing Ottawa
PESI (Non-profit organization agglomerating many different streams of therapeutic skill-building information, including but not limited to paid courses for obtaining specific accreditations. Many of its resources and workshops are free, and many others go on sale regularly.)

Human Rights

Consent, Abuse Prevention, & Supports for Survivors

Trans Survivors – Resources
FORGE – Anti-Violence Resources
Male Survivors (generally trans-inclusive)
Survivors Project (not to be confused with Survivor Project, a movement to educate about the Holocaust and other genocides)
Domestic Violence – A Resource For Trans People (developed by the National Health System in the United Kingdom)
Trauma Queen (fiction novel by Esha Patel – trans woman of colour)
From One Survivor To Another (autobiography about surviving human trafficking, by Jasmine Conway – woman of colour)

Waterloo Region
SASC (Sexual Assault Support Centre) – #raisethebar
CJI
ACCKWA
SWAN
Coalition of Muslim Women
Healing of the Seven Generations
SART (Sexual Assault Response Team)
KW Multicultural Centre
Kind Minds Family Wellness (workplace training about gender & sexual violence – culturally & racially inclusive)
OCRCC (Ontario Coalition of Rape Crisis Centres)
Wisdom To Action
The Ripple Effect
Rainbow Health Ontario
Divonify
Indigenous Corporate Training
The AntiRacism Course
Pride Certified

Niagara Region
Niagara Sexual Assault Centre

Safer Sex & STI Prevention

CATIE – Resources

Continuing Education

Mental Health

The “You Feel Like Shit” interactive self-care guide
The “Everything Is Awful And I’m Not Okay” self-care guide list (non-interactive, but easier to print)
‘Distract with ACCEPTS’ (a way to remember 7 different approaches to giving your body enough time to reset after an upset)
Tips for staying in the ‘window of tolerance’ & getting back to it if you get dysregulated (works whether it’s a trauma-related upsetting experience or not)
What Is DBT? (from DBTSelfHelp.com)
Interpersonal Effectiveness – DBT Skills (from DBTSelfHelp.com)
What is Acceptance and Commitment Therapy? (from Psychology Today)

Dissociative Identity Disorders/Multiplicity/Internal Systems

Coming Out As Plural – editorial
You Did Not Shatter – blog post (from Beauty After Bruises)
The ‘Good Enough’ Host – blog post (from DIS-SOS)
The Rings System – YouTube vlog about multiplicity & dissociation from an OSDD-1b autistic queer perspective
Multiplicity & Me – YouTube vlog about multiplicity & dissociation from a DID perspective
CTAD Clinic – Educational channel about multiplicity & dissociation by a UK specialist in complex trauma & dissociation
Resources (from Beauty After Bruises)
Multidimensional Inventory of Dissociation – professional use only
United Front: System Safety Plan Course (from PluralityResource.org)
What If You Don’t Like Being Multiple? (from DiscussingDissociation.com)
What is Polyfragmentation in Dissociative Identity Disorder? (from Quora)
List of Dissociative Disorders – DSM 5 & ICD 10 (note: this list is only of ways that the professional psychological community understands and categorizes these experiences; I do not consider it to be a comprehensive listing of human experiences of multiplicity)
PluralKit – Discord bot allowing the easy setup and use of custom tags for personalized names & avatars for system members
Octocon – 2024-released Discord bot allowing the easy setup and use of custom tags for personalized names & avatars for system members. Also a sync-able app with features such as journal space per headmate
Antar – App that provides an easy UI & framework for putting different internal perspectives into conversation with each other through text
Simply Plural – App & web resource with many features useful for , designed by & for plural systems
Multiplied By One – non-profit peer support group for those living with trauma & dissociative disorders

Games Prompting Insight

Life Hacks & Organizational Tools

COZI – app for family/household organization/time management

Colonization, Decolonization, Indigenous Resources