Mental Health

In his short life, Xavier* experienced so much trauma. His parents battled substance use disorders, which caused him and his siblings to be neglected. Child Protective Services became involved, and Xavier lived in several foster homes before moving in with his adoptive family at age 5. As a result of his early childhood experiences, Xavier was diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). His body and mind were in constant fight, flight, or freeze mode. He thought adults could not be trusted to meet his needs. He had difficulty sleeping and would hide food to make sure he wouldn’t go [...]

You know the old saying "laughter is contagious." Laughter, happiness, joy; a lot of things fall into the category of being easy to spread. Unfortunately, bad things are contagious, too. Colds, illnesses, and even a bad mood. Your stress, frustrations, and anxiety can spread to those around you. Protect them by protecting yourself. How Anxiety Affects Us When we are stressed or anxious, it’s difficult for our brains to absorb any facts, much less decipher fact from fiction, and we go into survival mode. Intellectual information doesn’t register because we are running away from danger. When our [...]

After a long, harsh winter, we warmly welcome the summer months! This season provides us several opportunities to practice good mental health. Here are some tips to improve your mental health and make the most of the summer: Get outdoors Exposure to the sun is the most natural form of vitamin D. If we get too little of it, it can lead to symptoms of depression. Being outdoors decreases anxiety and increases the production of serotonin levels in our body, a neurotransmitter linked to the experience of pleasure. That means sunshine is good for our mental health! What are some activities you [...]

At some point, we all "get by with a little help from our friends." And at other times, we're the one supporting a friend in need. Having a strong social support system improves our mental health outcomes and our resiliency, or the ability to bounce back from stressful events. "While 1 in 5 people will experience a diagnosable mental health condition in their lives, 5 out of 5 people will go through a challenging time that affects their mental health," says Mental Health America. "There are simple things that every person can say or do to help the people in their life who are struggling to get [...]

Fear. Worry. Anger or irritation. Insomnia. Anxiety can have many faces. Sometimes, it’s the face of your child. Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health issue of childhood and adolescence, the Child Mind Institute reports. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 9.4% of kids ages 3 to 17 have been diagnosed with anxiety, and reports show it’s on the rise. To answer some of the questions you might have about kids and anxiety, we've compiled answers to common questions about children experiencing symptoms of anxiety and how parents can help. FAQ: Kids and Anxiety [...]

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 going down another dangerous path. Joshua participated in The Village’s Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP), a program in which clients receive education and support, develop coping skills, and problem-solve life’s ongoing stress and challenges in a group setting. Joshua says The Village taught him that [...]

The body has an amazing ability to heal itself from trauma. This fairly new type of therapy uses a client's visual field to uncover unprocessed trauma, negative emotions, and pain. Identifying and utilizing “brainspots” can allow us to access deeper emotions and traumatic memories that we maybe didn’t even know we were hiding from ourselves. Digging those experiences out of our body’s memory can help us face them head on and process them the right way. To put it more simply, your brain can tell you how you’re feeling based on where you look. What is Brainspotting? Brainspotting, which was [...]

When something bad happens to us, the whole body remembers it. Negative thoughts can get stuck in places where talk therapy just can’t reach. Kids might not be able to express traumatic or disturbing memories – “icky” or “mixed up” thoughts and feelings, as Grand Forks Village therapist Janet Amundson describes them. That’s one reason Janet loves a type of therapy called Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, or EMDR. EMDR is an evidence-based tool that helps clients replace negative beliefs with positive ones by alternately stimulating the two sides of the brain through sight, sound [...]

EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing. It is a type of therapy used to treat a variety of mental health issues. EMDR involves reprocessing memories that have essentially become stuck in the brain. Sessions involve stimulating the hemispheres of the brain through visual, auditory, or tactile means until the memory is less disturbing. More positive thoughts and beliefs replace the prior negative thoughts and belief. Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR) is a therapy technique that has been used for years with adults and children to treat a variety of psychological [...]

As spring comes into bloom, it often brings a sense of renewed energy. The season brings to mind spring cleaning and becoming more active and involved. It means the end of school for the year is near, and we begin thinking about summer plans – what activities, events, games, and vacations we will participate in. With so much forward focus – and potential for stress to arise – this is a great time to talk about mindfulness: what it is, how to do it, and how to use it. What is mindfulness? Mindfulness is the basic human ability to be fully present, aware of where we are and what we’re doing, and [...]