Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Shay of Vancouver really about?

It is a reflective space for the kind of experiences that change us from within. The changes we did not see coming, the moments of coincidence that feel like more than chance, the grief that arrives and stays, the relationships that alter the course of a life. The things that remain with us long after they have passed and slowly transform the way we see ourselves and the world.

It is also a space for honest communication, self-awareness, confidence, and finding the courage to use your voice more fully and authentically in everyday life.

I think many people move through life carrying inner experiences they rarely feel safe enough to express openly. This space exists for the thoughts, feelings, and questions that often remain unspoken.

Why do you write about emotional undercurrents?

Because so much of life is communicated without words. A pause in someone’s voice. A shift in energy. The tension beneath a conversation. The feeling that something important is being felt but never fully said aloud.

I am deeply interested in the emotional layers people carry beneath their words, reactions, and everyday interactions, and how those unseen experiences shape the way we communicate, protect ourselves, connect with others, and understand who we are becoming.

What experiences have most shaped the way you relate to others?

Grief changed the way I understand time, love, presence, and absence. The loss of my mother opened a deeper relationship with the invisible threads that remain after someone is gone. Much of what I explore comes from that place where love continues, even when life has changed forever.

Why are symbolism and archetypes important to you?

Because some parts of life cannot be fully understood through reason alone. Most people have experienced moments that feel deeply meaningful before they can explain why. A dream that lingers for years. Meeting someone through a series of coincidences that feel too meaningful to dismiss. Finding yourself in the same kind of relationship again and again until you finally recognize what you have been trying to heal.

Symbols and archetypes offer a way of reflecting more deeply on those experiences rather than ignoring them or explaining them away too quickly. Astrology, mythology, and Jungian thought encourage deeper self-awareness and reflection. They can reveal recurring emotional patterns, hidden fears, desires, and unconscious ways of relating to ourselves and others. They are not about escaping reality, but understanding it more deeply.

Why do you speak so much about sensitivity?

Because sensitivity is often treated as something to overcome, when it may actually be a form of intelligence. To feel deeply, notice subtlety, sense emotional shifts, and respond to beauty or pain is not weakness. It can become wisdom when it is grounded, protected, and honoured.

What do you hope people feel here?

Less alone in their depth. Permission to be sensitive without apology, reflective without shame, spiritual without needing certainty, and creative without having everything figured out. Most of all, I hope they remember that softness can still be strong.

What led you toward this path?

For as long as I can remember, I have been drawn toward questions that could not be answered through logic alone. I became fascinated by the inner world people carry behind appearances, the emotional residue left by life experiences, and the strange moments that seem to hold meaning beyond coincidence.

Do you think modern life disconnects people from themselves?

I think there is a deep yearning for meaning, aliveness, and genuine human connection. Many people can feel themselves becoming disconnected from what truly matters, yet still remain tethered to the distractions, material possessions, and screens that keep them emotionally disconnected from themselves.

What inspires you?

People who are unapologetically themselves. Quiet places that hold stories beneath their surface. Moments that arrive unexpectedly and ask you to pay attention. I try to stay open to inspiration rather than chase it. It tends to arrive more honestly that way.

Why did you start an online journal?

To make sense of my own experience. It began as a way to gather my thoughts, sit with my grief, and find my voice. Although it is shared openly, it is first and foremost for myself. A way of bearing witness to my own life honestly and with care.

How many cats do you have?

We share our home with five whiskered companions: Roger, Charlie, Lady Lupercalia, Victoria James, and Hades. Each entirely their own being, with distinct personalities, sensitivities, and ways of moving through the world.

My husband and I share a deep love for cats rooted in a genuine respect for their sentience and vulnerability. Like all beings capable of feeling and suffering, they deserve kindness, safety, and comfort.

If your heart leans toward helping animals in need, the BC SPCA is an organization where compassion can make a meaningful difference. Or perhaps there is a cat somewhere waiting for the warmth and love only you can offer.

Donate to the BC SPCA


The reflections and conversations offered here are intended to support self-awareness, clarity, and personal growth. They are not therapy and should not be taken as medical or psychological advice. If you are navigating concerns that feel beyond the scope of this work, I encourage you to seek support from a qualified healthcare or mental health professional.