We often hear people say, “If you need help, just reach out.” But how can we possibly ask for help when we feel we’re at our worst? Reaching out is a skill we are expected to know, but is often not modeled for us. When you’re in a negative mental space, you might have thoughts of loneliness [...]
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Nikki's Tells Her Story of Healing and Change
Nikki was a prisoner in her own bedroom. Her entire life she’d been abused. As a girl, she tucked herself into closets to hide from her mother’s cruel words. She couldn’t escape the sexual abuse she later faced by two people she should have been able to trust. Her 30-year marriage was filled with [...]
A Family Story Highlighting the Adoption Process in ND
Aubrey is a sweet and contented toddler. She erupts in giggles when her dad, Bernie, flips up the footrest of her pint-sized, pink recliner, or when her mom, Kristin, covers her cheeks with kisses. She is the perfect example of the miracle of adoption. She was what Bernie and Kristin were waiting [...]
A Testimonial from Sara About Learning New Tools and Setting Boundaries
No man is an island, Thomas Merton wrote. Much of the satisfaction and enjoyment in our lives stems from our relationships. Family. Friends. Colleagues. Romantic partners. They are central to our physical and emotional wellbeing. Relationships are also incredibly challenging, problematic, and, at [...]
Learn About Financial Struggles Impacting Mental Health Issues and Tips for Self-Care
Mental health and money can have a big impact on each other. Anxiety surrounding money is hard on a person's mental health, and having mental health hardships can be tough on your wallet, as well. According to moneyandmentalhealth.org, nearly half (46%) of people with problematic debt live with a [...]
Culture in The Workplace is About Feeling Valued and Heard
What is the most valuable aspect of your organization? Often people respond with their building, technology, the service they provide, or the proprietary secrets that set them apart. Some may even say the people. All these things are good – and in many respects are keys to success – but they are not [...]
Understanding Common Fears and How to Calm Them
You’re pregnant. Now what? Finding out you are pregnant unexpectedly can be so overwhelming. Every woman who is pregnant is scared at times. Feeling scared is normal, and there can be a variety of reasons for feeling this way. Common fears during an unexpected pregnancy Telling people about your [...]
A Thankful Letter From a Client of First Step Recovery
During Recovery Month, observed nationally every September, we remember the lives lost to the disease of addiction and celebrate with those who found the treatment they needed to get well. Here is one of those stories, as told by an alumnus of First Step Recovery of The Village: It was May 2015, and [...]
An Inspiring Story of Overcoming Drinking, Digging Deeper, and Giving Back
In 2018, Thad Stafford was arrested for driving while intoxicated in his hometown, the city where he’d served on the police force for more than two decades. He entered treatment as a means to save his career, to ensure he could continue to provide for his wife and four kids. But shortly into his [...]