TW: Mentions of death and suicide  Ever since I was little, my mom has been my best friend. She had this spectacular way of walking the line between being parent and friend. She was so humble, so smart, so kind. My mom is the one who taught me to love music and the arts. She […]

The “college care package Moms group” was inspired by an article I read from Grown & Flown. We all have college freshman away from home for the first time, living in the dorms. I wanted to connect other local moms who are in the same phase and together, support our “babies”.

The other day I was having a conversation with a friend and we were talking about life’s trials and the struggles we were facing at the time, and she said something that took me back a bit.

Continued from: Notice. Stop. Reframe. As your thoughts change, you walk out this gift into changing your habits. Below are some tips to practically step into knowing that this GIFT of the present moment, to thrive today instead of just getting through.  We are not guaranteed tomorrow.  It is time to ask yourself “What do […]

“I feel like I am on a Roller Coaster and I can’t seem to get off of it or breathe!”  I have heard this statement (or a version of it) from at least a hundred people this past year as a Mental Health Counselor and when I tell them they are not alone on that […]

In 2019, Americans averaged 3 hours and 30 minutes on their phones per day, increasing 30 minutes from 2018. Also, in 2019, reported loneliness rose 13% from the year before, making an average 3 out of 5 lonely adults. Phone activity increased, but so did loneliness.

Tis the Holiday season! Many people are putting their lights and decorations up early this year, looking for a sign of hope and for something to look forward to during this crazy year.  Some people dread this time of year as they are trying to cope with hardships in their life. Many try to escape. […]

Loneliness. Isolation. Depression. PTSD. Anxiety. Suicide. Mental Health. These are all words that we are all too acquainted with. More than likely it has directly or indirectly affected your life. These issues are quickly becoming an epidemic. They are words that we would rather not talk about and yet we need to make an effort […]

As the youngest of seven, Mario Gonzales was 11 years old when his parents left he and his siblings and went to California for work. Mario recalls that that season was filled with new experiences–both good and bad. He began experimenting with drugs and alcohol yet tried to form relationships and find community with peers at the local teen center. “I would do whatever it took to get to Chelan and go to the teen center. I’d sleep at Don Morse Park to be somewhere else or be with friends. But no one knew I was sleeping at parks alone.”

Welcome to our blog!  We are living in crazy times, aren’t we? And yet, it is more important than ever before that we take care of our mental health, think about those around us and do what we can to spread hope. We are so excited to have a space on the web to share […]