The Village Blog

IOP Helped Joshua Learn It's OK to Not Be Perfect
Joshua Grondahl has had many losses in his life. Even at a young age he suffered from depression. He attempted suicide in sixth grade. The years 2015 to 2017 came many hardships. He lost his dad. His house burned down. He divorced. He felt the ultimate low and knew he had to do something before [...]
Structure, Preparation, and Attitude Can Make Meetings More Effective
You’re moving along, getting work done, feeling productive, and then you have to stop for a meeting. Normally this wouldn’t bother you, but you’re not sure why you were invited to this meeting, or even what the purpose of the meeting is. So you break your concentration and hope you can get back into [...]
How to Begin Letting Go and Have a Healthier Relationship
When a family member is in serious trouble, many families will go to any length to help the one they love. It’s like their battle cry, whether spoken or unspoken, is, “All for one, and one for all.” Unfortunately, with the diseases of alcoholism and drug addiction (substance use disorders), this [...]
And Why Starting a Daily Writing Practice Can Change Yours
For many people the act of reflectively writing about life’s daily lessons is strangely close to that of having a root canal. Suddenly, all coherent thought evaporates as the memories of lessons learned become lost in the vacuum of space. It’s probably what professionals call “writer’s block.” [...]
You Are What You Eat, And So Is Your Brain
We’ve all heard the old adages “an apple a day keeps the doctor away” and “breakfast is the most important meal of the day,” but can what we eat influence our emotional and mental well-being? There is a growing trend looking at the role diet plays in mental health. While a balanced diet and good [...]
A Story of a Big and Little Who Made The Perfect Match
It was close to Mother’s Day when Ruth Weber and Britany Williams headed out for their first get-together as Big Sister and Little Sister. They decided to drop by the Humane Society garage sale and let 6-year-old Britany choose a gift for her mom. After passing over a variety of Mother’s Day gift [...]
The Story of Scott Finding Joy in Life Again
Scott struggled with PTSD, but didn't know what was wrong. He found help at The Village. Scott Geiselhart should have died. The gun should have fired. Instead, when he aimed his revolver at himself and pulled the trigger, it just clicked. Nothing more. Scott slammed the gun on the desk at his [...]
A Big Brothers Big Sisters Mentoring Story of Growing Together
Ervin didn’t like reading. So every week, his Big Brothers Big Sisters mentor, Karl would come to his school, sit with him, and help him with the words. That’s what a Big Brother does. He shows up. Every time. Six years later, Karl still shows up for Ervin. “He’s helped me get through the hard times [...]
Start Having More Fun with Your Kids
Parenting is serious business, and it can be overwhelming at times. It can also be a whole lot of fun if you find ways to sneak some play into your day. You don’t have to shirk grown-up responsibilities or make a fool of yourself (not that there’s anything wrong with that) to become a more playful [...]