You Can Still Have a Social Life When you’re in recovery, every season (and month and week and day) poses its own challenges. Staying on a sober path can be difficult, especially when going out with friends, getting together with family, or going to almost any event. You shouldn’t have to give up your social life to stay sober, and you should definitely not have to compromise your sobriety for your social life. Prepare, Prepare, Prepare All you need is a little preparation and thought. Taking proactive steps and being conscious about your decisions can help maintain your sobriety and keep you [...]

Alcohol or drug use affects everyone around the person who is using the substance. Some research shows there are at least 12 people affected for every 1 person with a substance use disorder (SUD). Families are typically most affected, because of their day-to-day interactions with the person who has the SUD. Often family members are terrified this person will die. This fear paralyzes families, but you do not need to be held hostage by this fear. There are changes you can make that just might change the course. If what you are doing isn't working, what do you have to lose by trying something [...]

As though she were on autopilot, Jenn Wright drove to her favorite park, trying to find solace in nature. That day, the struggles were too great. Dark thoughts started to seep in. “I was so sad and lonely and felt like there was nobody who cared,” she says. Jenn called her mom, who told her she should see someone. Then Jenn called The Village Family Service Center. “When I first called The Village, I was a crying mess,” Jenn says. “I didn’t have any tools to cope with my anxiety and depression.” Jenn started therapy sessions with Kelsi, a Licensed Professional Counselor at The Village’s [...]

It’s easy to fall into negative thinking patterns and spend time bullying yourself, dwelling on the past, or worrying about the future. It’s part of how we’re wired – the human brain reacts more intensely to negative events than to positive ones and is more likely to remember insults than praise. During tough times, negative thoughts are especially likely to spiral out of control. One study found that 85% of what we worry about never happens at all, and in the 15% of times where worries came true, 79% of people handled the difficulty better than expected or learned a valuable lesson. When [...]

There are always a handful of roles that each of us are juggling. If you are a parent, a student, an employee, a caretaker, someone struggling with a mental health concern, or are just feeling overwhelmed with the responsibilities of day-to-day life, the idea of taking time for yourself may seem unimaginable. Sometimes it can be di­fficult to even take basic care of ourselves – but there are small things that can be done to make self-care and taking time for ourselves a little bit easier. On average, people only spend 15 minutes a day on health-related self-care. Self-care is proven to reduce [...]

The answer to this question depends on so many variables, so it's not possible to determine an overall age for when a child should be allowed to play outside alone. Consider the following factors as a guideline when you are deciding when it’s safe to let your child play outside alone. 4 Factors to Consider Environment Is your yard fenced in? If your yard is fenced in, then 5 to 6 years old is an appropriate age to allow your child to play outside alone for a few minutes at a time. If your yard is not fenced in, consider waiting until your child is around 8 years old before you allow them to be [...]

In today's world, when we see violent events unfold in both metropolitan and rural communities, it reminds us that they can happen at any place and any time. Parents can help their children cope with traumatic events when they occur, whether close to home or far. 5 Suggestions to Help Kids Cope 1. Talk to your children Try to explain what has happened in order to help ease their fears. Reassure them that, although these are horrible events, many people are working to keep them safe. Encourage your children to ask questions. Explain that emergencies can happen at any time in any place, but [...]

Valentine’s Day tends to be a time for people to focus on their relationship with their significant other. Perhaps you feel out of touch with your partner, and want to take steps to improve that relationship. A necessary component to any satisfying relationship is building a culture of appreciation where you and your partner feel loved and appreciated. Gary Chapman, author of “The 5 Love Languages,” gives us a guide on how to enhance our relationship with our partner. According to Chapman, there are five different love languages. All five are important, and we all express love through all five [...]