By Dana Groom, CRTS and Ashley Dixon, MSW, CAPSW at Southwest Behavioral Services September is Suicide Awareness month. We all have a role to play in preventing suicide. Have you ever had someone make comments of wanting to take their own life or talk about suicide? When someone talks about suicide, it can be very [read more]
One in five adults nationwide – or about 14,000 adults right here in southwest Wisconsin – experiences mental illness in any given year. In addition, one in 10 children lives with a serious mental or emotional disorder. Even before COVID 19 according to Mental Health America, the prevalence of mental illness and suicide were on [read more]
By Jaime Collins A recent survey ranks Wisconsin among the angriest of the 50 states. A leading provider of addiction treatment resources, alcohol.org, surveyed more than 3,000 Americans and found Delawarians to be the angriest. Residents there admitted to getting angry 12 times a week. Hawaiians, on the other hand, were found to be the [read more]
by Noelle Hebgen, APNP Being from Southwest Wisconsin, most of us are all too familiar with the phrase “the winter blues.” It is common for many of us to feel “blah” during the winter months and to be completely over winter by the time February rolls around each year. The winter solstice brings shorter days [read more]
By Dana Groom, Recreational Therapist & Ashley Dixon, Social Worker Your family member, Margaret, has started showing symptoms of depression. She hasn’t been sleeping or eating well. She has had significant weight loss. She no longer enjoys going to family activities and will often state, “I don’t feel like going anymore.” She has stopped doing [read more]
By Dana Groom, Recreational Therapist Imagine a therapy that would treat your mind, body, and soul. One that would not only help you improve your cognitive, physical, emotional, and social well-being but also cater to your own leisure interests and goals. Recreation therapy can do all of these things as well as provide you with [read more]
By Jaime Collins “My thoughts are private. What if someone sees my writing?” “My hand writing is awful.” “Ugh… sounds like work. I don’t need more work.” Not everything about journaling is perfect. On the other hand, my experience and the experiences of people who’ve attended my Journaling classes find the payback well worth it. [read more]
By: Jennifer Miller Kass, MSW, LCSW Suicide is a serious public health crisis. Suicide is a complex behavior involving the intentional termination of one’s own life. According to Mental Health American four percent of adults have suicidal thoughts. More locally, per year: Grant County has 15.8-19.8 suicides per 100,000 people, Iowa County has 19.9-38.1 suicides [read more]
By Ashley Dixon, Social Worker Everyone is likely to experience a traumatic event at some point in their life. Unfortunately, it is almost unavoidable. The year 2020 has certainly provided its share of unique challenges and obstacles for many of us, to say the least. How we experience these traumas, and more importantly how we [read more]
By Lacy Taylor, Mental Health Therapist There are many reasons why people seek therapy. Depression, anxiety, loss, and trauma are common reasons. But what if you don’t feel depressed or anxious? Could you still benefit from therapy? The answer is: absolutely yes. I have been a psychotherapist since 2015 and have counseled people for a [read more]
