The Village Blog

How Plants Can Be Used in Therapy to Promote Healing
What is plant therapy? Plant therapy, or horticulture therapy, is the inclusion of plants into counseling sessions to aid in mental and physical healing. Humans have an ancient connection to plants, and many studies have suggested that they have a calming effect on us. What are the benefits of plant [...]
The Perfect Combination for Supporting Youth
Josh Luhman jokes that he bowls for a living. His day job is actually at Hornbacher’s Village West store in Fargo, where he bags groceries, wrangles carts, and loads cars in the drive-up lane. Josh has been working at Hornbacher’s for about a decade, after a placement through Connections, a [...]
Symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder and Seasonal Depression
The change in seasons can do more than alter the weather, it can also affect our mood. Starting in the fall and into the winter season, the days are shorter and usually less sunny. For some people, the change in season can be accompanied by a change in mood, known as seasonal depression or Seasonal [...]
Tips for Staying Sober Past the First Month of the Year
So, you took the plunge into Dry January, and you're reaping all the benefits: you have more energy, you're sleeping well, and your overall mood has increased. Continuing Dry January can keep that healthy feeling going. Here are a few tips for staying sober after the beginning of the year. Bask in [...]
How Having a Mentor Improves School and Home Life
January is National Mentoring Month! It's the perfect time to explore the impact that mentoring youth makes on their lives. You can change the lives of kids in your community by becoming a Big. Here are just a few examples of what mentorship offers to kids: Better in school Grades Attendance [...]
A Licensed Addiction Counselor Explains the Process
Substance use is something that impacts people from all walks of life, regardless of age, gender, or socioeconomic status. According to a National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), 10.2 percent of Americans battled a substance use disorder in 2020. That's 28.3 million people. Has a family [...]
Same Amazing You
January feels like the perfect time to practice mindfulness and find new ways of healing. At the beginning of every new year, millions of people reflect on their accomplishments, difficulties, and things they didn’t get quite right in the past 365 days. Traditionally people come up with resolutions [...]
8 Tips to Help You Stay on the Path of Recovery
Recovering from addiction and substance abuse can feel like a big challenge, especially during the holidays. People often spend the holidays drinking with family and friends, but for many, the celebration is more about their successful journey to recovery. And we're here to help you stay on that [...]
Tips to Help Avoid and Navigate Conflict During the Holidays
Holidays are synonymous with family gatherings. Whether that excites you or causes a knot to form in your stomach, there are always family members you might not want to deal with. Help alleviate some of your holiday stress with these tips on dealing with difficult situations during family holidays [...]