Mental Health

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 [...]

For Danielle Klapper, a blank canvas and plastic cups filled with thin paint could be the makings of an art therapy session for a client who struggles to let go of control. Danielle would give a directive – pour the paint on the canvas – and then help the client process what they experienced. What was it like to not have control as the paint flowed around the canvas? What could be controlled in this situation? Danielle is an art therapist with The Village Family Service Center. Her office at The Village’s Moorhead, Minn., location features the traditional couch and chairs of any counseling [...]

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 [...]