Dear Foster Parents, Give Them a Chance
It was Christmas Eve, 2016. The snow was coming down outside the Social Services office where my foster kiddo and I sat. A big storm was on its way, and I was nervously sitting in a dim meeting room, waiting for this sweet angel’s birth mother to join us for the first time. My foster youth was snuggled in a warm blanket with me, snoozing away. Mom was already 25 minutes late. The air hung nervously as my mind raced with negative thoughts and emotions, asking myself how was I going to get home in this snow?Read More
Child Abuse Books Reading List
April is Child Abuse Prevention Month. Here at Nexus Family Healing, our employees, therapists, and foster parents continuously work with youth who have experienced different types of trauma, which often include abuse or neglect. We’ve compiled a list of books that speak about child abuse and trauma that may be fitting for children of different ages.Read More
Understanding Childhood Trauma
You may have heard phrases such as “childhood trauma” or “traumatic experience”. But what really is trauma? And how does it affect us? Unfortunately, childhood trauma is incredibly common as one in four children in our community will experience a traumatic event before the age of 16.Read More
Childhood Trauma Is Not Just a Mental Health Problem
Exposure to continuous trauma causes the body’s alarm system to be easily triggered, releasing stress hormones that interfere with reasoning and activate that flight, fight, or freeze response. Children cannot learn or get along with friends or family members when living in a constant state of fight, flight or freeze. Rather, their goal is to survive.Read More
It’s Spring – So Why Aren’t You Happy?
Over the past several years humanity has learned how to become resilient in isolation. Many of our face-to-face interactions and relationships were severed during COVID and as a result, we have developed long-term habitual loneliness. So how do we recover? To state it simply, a first step is "do then feel".Read More
Emergency and Disaster Preparedness for Your Family’s Mental and Physical Health
Natural and man-made disasters in recent news can cause stress, especially for children. As a parent, it’s important to remember that your reactions to these disasters can impact the way your child views the world around them. Remain calm, give yourself time to process and create a plan that works for your family.Read More
Spring Cleaning? Don't Forget Your Brain.
I love the idea of waves of fluid pulsing through my brain as I sleep, restoring and refreshing it. This image has led me to think of other things that can also refresh, restore, and clean out my brain—wondering about ways to “spring clean” my outlook and to release my grip on unneeded waste.Read More
Building Self-Esteem and Self-Love
In this month of love and romance, we often forget one of the most important kinds of love – loving yourself. We share some tips and tricks on how to help build your self-esteem and learn to love yourself.Read More
Making Friends as an Adult Can Be Tough: Here Are Some Tips to Help
Making new friends is hard, especially as an adult with the added layer of living in a new city. But finding those connections are so important for our mental health and well-being, as friendships help us find a sense of belonging, boost our happiness, and can help build our self-esteem. Here are a few tips on how to create new relationships in a new community.Read More
Mental Health Books for Children
February is National Library Lover’s month, so we asked our staff members at our different agencies what mental health books are their favorite for children. See their recommendations below and learn a little bit about how reading can positively impact your child’s mental health and overall development!Read More
