Oh, hi there! It has been a while since I introduced myself to you all. So glad you are here today. Welcome! I am delighted to have you land here on my website. Pull up a chair, grab a nice hot cup of something delicious and stay awhile. There are a few new readers these days, drawn in perhaps because of my book Reg Goes Swimming. Because of that, I want to re-introduce myself and let you all know a few things about myself: let’s start with who I am and what I have been up to these days.
I am Lori Gard: writer, teacher, counsellor, mom, sister, daughter, wife, friend. I love walks, reading, playing piano, eating out, attending plays, water-skiing, kayaking, camping, skiing, visiting friends and playing games and cozy nights watching the stars. That’s me in a nutshell. Cole’s Notes version. But if you are looking for the unabridged edition, let’s keep chatting!
I have been writing and maintaining this blog as a space for readers for over 10 years now. The blog began as a pursuit for me, quite honestly, a pursuit of joy. I was in a dark place at the time, struggling with life and choices and decisions that felt fixed. So, I wrote to find a way through—a way through the darkness and the struggle toward the light. The writing process was therapeutic for me. Quite honestly, it saved my life, in some ways. I still have a few original readers who stayed with me from those early days. You are amazing! Thank you for bearing with me. I am honestly honoured that you have stayed the course, as there were quite a few years in there where I did not write as much, nor keep a steady on-line presence going. That you are still here is a testament to loyalty, and I am deeply grateful.
Back in 2013, I wrote a blog article that grabbed some interest. It was called What Students Remember Most About Teachers and it got picked up by a number of online news forums, including Huffington Post. I was blown away by the response to that blog article; spurred on by people’s interest in this one particular blog, I began to write in earnest. What followed was a year of writing. I wrote for many publications over the course of that year. But then, over time, I got busy with other pursuits.
Those pursuits included motherhood. I have four amazing children whom I am very proud of and who are my world. Sam, Maggie, Sarah and MaryAnne: the best four children a mom and dad could ever ask for. Brian and I are so very proud of them and love them more than they will ever know. I used to write about them a lot, as life revolved around family in those early days of blogging. My kids have since searched the archived stories, and I think they realize how few marbles I had to work with in those early days. They like to remind me of my failings, which are not hard to find. Most of my writing was about coping and managing and trying to find joy amidst exhaustion. It was a challenge! But I am still standing and here to tell the tale. Our four children are now all nearly grown and half are gone out into the world to do amazing things. So, I have switched gears a bit, both in my writing as well as in my pursuits. They still mean the world to me. I love them to infinity and beyond.
While I have always been a teacher, I am now a school counsellor and counselling therapist. In 2018, I received my Master of Science in School Guidance and Counselling at the University of West Alabama. This degree was on the heels of obtaining a Master in Education in Leadership, Literacy and Inclusion at the University of Prince Edward Island (2016). Then in 2019, I decided to undertake a certificate from OISE at the University of Toronto in Solution Focused Brief Therapy, which I completed in 2021. Then, in 2022, I started another certificate in Advanced Couples and Family Therapy from the University of Guelph (2022-2023). Today, I have my own business called Solution Talk Counselling, for which I have clients that I see therapeutically on a regular basis. As well, I work with Your Life Design, Inc. as a counselling therapist. This work is rewarding and fulfilling. I love my work with clients to help them set goals for what they want in life. I am passionate about people living out “what’s wanted”.
In 2021, along with studying and working full time, I decided to return to my deepest-held passion: writing. In March of 2021, I wrote a children’s book that I thought might also benefit my counselling practice. The book was a counselling tool as well as a sweet, whimsical story. Composing the story Reg Goes Swimming happened quite quickly that winter evening. I sat down and wrote the story in one sitting, revising and editing it over the days to come. I remember calling my mom immediately, a feeling of excitement about this particular story. From the start, I felt this might be one I could finally publish.
And publish it, I did indeed. In December of 2022, I reached out to Pownal Street Press. In a few short days, they had connected with me, set up a meeting and here we are today. My beautiful book is now a reality, thanks to my partnership with this amazing company and the publishing duo, Gen and Mo. I was very grateful to have them take part in my two book launches in early August of this year.
This leads me to the present. Now. Where I am at is… that I am returning in a few short days to my work with the Public Schools Branch of PEI as a school counsellor. I am eager to see my little friends again who I know will enjoy meeting a bear called Reg (rhymes with EGG). Along with this daytime work, I run my counselling practice in the evenings. And of course, I will still be writing! Stay tuned as Reg Takes a Trip and Reg Catches a Salmon (book # 2 and book #3) are coming to book stores near you (2024). The adventures of Reg are not over yet! Keep in touch and I will provide updates as I am able.
That’s it for now. Thanks for reading along to catch up to speed with my life and updates. If you could be so kind as to leave a comment so I can get to know you, I would be grateful for the connection. Please keep connected, and check back here from time to time to see what I am up to, as well as to share what is happening in your life, too. My best!
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