The Village Blog

In any relationship, there will be conflict. The trick isn't to avoid it; it's learning to deal with those disagreements in a healthy, respectful way. It's a matter of fighting fair. Kelly Olson of The Village, says couples shouldn't be afraid to talk about issues. Each person in a relationship [...]

Stress is an unavoidable part of life, but it doesn’t have to be a disabling one. The term stress refers to our emotional and physical reaction to events that we find challenging. These events can be negative, such as the loss of a job, or positive, such as buying a home. Stress also can be short [...]

Unconscious Bias “Humans are allergic to change. They love to say, ‘We’ve always done it this way.’ I try to fight that. That’s why I have a clock on my wall that runs counter-clockwise.” – Rear Admiral Grace Hopper Hopper’s words are true for how we have recruited, screened, interviewed, and [...]

At some point, we all "get by with a little help from our friends." And at other times, we're the one supporting a friend in need. Having a strong social support system improves our mental health outcomes and our resiliency, or the ability to bounce back from stressful events. "While 1 in 5 people [...]

In his short life, Xavier* experienced so much trauma. His parents battled substance use disorders, which caused him and his siblings to be neglected. Child Protective Services became involved, and Xavier lived in several foster homes before moving in with his adoptive family at age 5. As a result [...]

At some point in our lives we all experience loss. It may be the end of a relationship, being let go from a job, losing a home, or the death of a loved one. You may have experienced a lot of loss in the past few years – upheavals to our routine, cancelled events, milestones we've missed. It's [...]

As our communities and workplaces continue to evolve and become more diverse, we need to pay attention to what professional practices may need to change along the way. We need to examine our unconscious bias. What Is Unconscious Bias? Unconscious bias includes the social stereotypes about certain [...]

Some people make us feel bad about ourselves. When we spend time with them, we might engage in destructive behaviors. They don't bring out the best in us. These people are toxic influences. According to Mental Health America, 84% of women and 75% of men report having had a toxic friend at some point [...]

Sometimes in life, we hear just the right piece of advice at just the right moment. In honor of Mental Health Month, celebrated every May, therapists, counselors, and mental health practitioners from The Village Family Service Center shared their favorite mental health tips, mantras, and bits of [...]