HOPE HOUSE NEWSLETTER UPCOMING EVENTS. Support Hope House Watercolor Artists

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1 HOPE HOUSE NEWSLETTER Where We Go From Surviving to Thriving May & June 2016 UPCOMING EVENTS Support Hope House Watercolor Artists Where: Bemidji Public Library When: Friday, May 6 th, 3-5 pm for the Open House, or anytime during May Why: To see Hope House members framed paintings, talk with the artists, and have refreshments! Who: This event is open to the public, including family members and friends, Hope House members, assistant Hope House watercolor teachers, and other Hope House artists. It is possible that the media will be there. Watercolor painting with Judith Selby has added two more sessions! The sessions will be May 12 and June 9 from 1-3 p.m. We will discuss the year s painting and what members want to do next at the June 9 th meeting. Come early to give your opinions! Mark your calendars. Members meeting is May 13th, 2016 from 1:30-3:00 Change: Doug Lewendowski will meet with writers on May 19 th at 1 pm., not May 5th. The Northwest Technical College will present on Monday, May 23 rd from 1-3 pm at Hope House. The presentation will be on how to apply for school and how the disabilities office can help you. May is Garden Month! Members who want to be involved should be here on Tuesdays in May to help plan, prep the garden, and plant. Members will take the lead on this project and staff will be available as needed. We are calling on you to use your strengths this month to help while we are short-staffed. The Garden Project is one. In addition, for the first three Wednesdays in May, please invite another Hope House member (or more than one) to do the activity with you (or invite them to go to some other activity together with you). Staff will not be present. Report back and tell us how it went! Equine Therapy Equine Therapy has restarted once a month. You must sign up ahead for this activity. This program is for members who want to use the sensitivity of horses to help them learn how to be part of new human social groups.

2 Geocaching- what is it? You can find prizes all over Bemidji just by using the GPS on your phone. Come to How To Use Your Phone Features training on 5/21 and then use what you learn here to geocache on 5/22! Staff and Members Only Picnic This picnic will be held on Monday, June 13, from This suggestion from members came because of recent staff shortages. This picnic will take the place of one day of Coffee, and will be a time for members and staff to spend time together. There will be food and games. A family picnic will be held later in the summer; this month s picnic is for members only and staff. Sit Down Comedy! A new twist on stand-up comedy All you have to do is prepare some jokes or funny stories that are clean and not mean! You can present one joke, or string them together to do 5-7 minutes. Come and have a laugh together with us! A big thank you to our loyal and dedicated long-term staff and contractors! Years of Service with Hope House Long-Term Staff: Jody Yerbich, Secretary/Receptionist-3 years Kath Molitor, CMHP-7 years Barbara Fisher, Part-time Admin/CMHP-16 years Tim Fellman, CMHP-18 years Robin Wold, Director-29 years Long-Term Direct Service Contractors: Karen Sollom- RN- 9 years Sharon Collins, RN- 15 years Mark Wildgen, M.D. 34 years Welcome to Hope House: Katie Sorenson-LICSW-Katie will be doing Hope House members annual Diagnostic Assessments. Kendra Hirsch-Activity Coordinator/Rehab Worker Vicki Frisch-Rehab Worker The Bemidji State University Recreation/ Fitness is available through the summer. To use it, sign your name and HH at the front desk. The track, weight machines, bicycles, courts, and pool are available to you. Ruttger s is also being used by members. Just sign your name and HH at the front desk.

3 Good-Bye & Good Luck to Mandy Samuelson Mandy says...working at Hope House on and off for the past year has taught me more than I would have ever thought. The members here and the people I worked with are some of the funniest, hardworking individuals I ve met. I have enjoyed my time here and the experiences I ve had. Leaving Hope House was not an easy decision, but I am going to be a childcare provider and a full-time mom. Keep working toward your dreams and shoot for the moon. Goals Report Recently, more than one member in the Hope House program: -Cut down on smoking -Got their kids back -Changed a conversation style to increase contact with people -Planned their week to reduce boredom -Called Hope House for help before stress became a crisis -Stepped out of their comfort zone to try speaking to people they didn t know -Used positive humor to feel better about themselves and connect with others -Signed up with IPS (Individual Placement and Support) to find a job -Made a new friend -Signed up for school -Took a walk for their health -Attended a group where they didn t know anyone at the start -Had an anniversary for staying sober -No longer needed Hope House services because they are taking care of their own needs Vicki says.my internship journey at Hope House began in January This experience has taught me more than I would have ever imagined and given me the opportunity to work one on one with individuals, assisting with ARMHS groups, and participating/assisting with fun activities. I have so many fond memories from listening to each member s stories and the many moments of continuous laughter. Working on creating a quick guide and presentations for staff and members regarding the Minnesota Olmstead Plan was an immense task that I took on while interning at Hope House. Teaching individuals and groups about issues that are affecting them is a passion of mine and I think it is important to share information that is affecting the individuals first hand. Kendra says.it has been such a great opportunity working with members and staff at Hope House. Every member has made my internship experience positive, and I m so grateful to have met all of you, and I am excited to return after graduation tn continue this experience!

4 Coping with Anxiety What is anxiety? Not all of what we call anxiety is the same. Anxiety can be a general term for not feeling confident. Anxiety can be a feeling we have about past difficult events. And anxiety can also be a diagnosable disorder. Let s look at these three ways of speaking about anxiety. Feeling anxious or nervous about something is the most common use of this term. Most people feel nervous if they have to give a speech, have a job interview, join a new group, or try a new hobby or sport. In these cases, the feeling is a healthy sign that you are expanding your world into something fairly new to you. This nervous feeling is not diagnosed as anxiety. It is what anyone experiences in new situations when they feel unsure of themselves. You can cope with this nervousness by getting past the new stage as quickly as possible through more practice. In other cases, you may be in the situation rarely enough that you will feel nervous every time. Then you can cope by focusing on the positives: Giving a speech? I had courage and I did it. or At least, now I know the questions they ask at job interviews. or I showed up and I can be proud of that. You may also remind yourself of situations where you used to be nervous and now are not. Practice and experience can make a difference. Remember that most people have the same reactions you do in new situations; they breathe slowly, feel nervous anyway, get through it, and feel better for getting through it. You can, too. People may also use the term anxiety to refer to a feeling about past difficult events. Remembering childhood trauma, getting into a vehicle after a serious past accident, or losing a loved one to cancer can affect you when you think about those things. Thinking about the situation can make you sad, angry, worried, alert, lonely, restless, and so on. It can make it difficult to focus on the present. Those feelings tell you that something is not yet solved for you. Sometimes time helps to fade these emotions., but your emotions seem to get worse rather than lessen, a therapist may help you cope. Anxiety can also be a diagnosable disorder. Eighteen out of 100 adults in the U.S. have a diagnosed anxiety disorder. If this is you, then you may have more than what is described earlier in this article. Yes, you will have times where you feel nervous in new situations just like anyone else, and yes, you may have times where you have strong feelings about past difficult events. But if you have an anxiety diagnosis, you may also have times where you feel panic without a clear reason, or intense fear that isolates you, or worrying that takes up a major part of your day. To cope, you may need therapy to help you change how you think, or medications, or relaxation techniques, or a combination of these. Whether you are feeling nervous about trying something new, feeling strong emotions about something in your past, or have a diagnosed anxiety disorder, the good news is that there is hope for feeling better. See where you are on the continuum of anxiety, and take a step to feeling better by trying one of the coping techniques noted in this article. ----Robin Wold, MSW, LSW, CPRP Stop Sign Reminder Remember that there is a stop sign at the end of the Hope House driveway. There is also a bike path crossing in front of the stop sign. The bike path is being used more and more. Please STOP for safety before turning onto Lake Ave. Easy Raw Veggie Salad 2 Cups Cauliflower, cut into small pieces 2 Cups Broccoli florets 2 Carrots, thinly sliced 1 small Zucchini, halved and slices 1 small Red Onion, sliced and chopped Mix all together and stir in 1 to 1 1/2 Cups Italian Salad Dressing. Best if made the day before to marinate flavors. Recipe works well with any of your favorite raw vegetables.

5 May Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Mother s Day card making BSU Rec Center Members Day to invite another member to go. No Staff Present Members teach computer Mural Painting in Garage with Susan Kedzie 3-5 Open House for Members Watercolor Projects at Public Library Members Plan for Garden 11 Members invite each other for a walk. Staff will not be there Plan for members meeting 1-3 Watercolor Painting with Judith Selby 13 12:30-1:30 LAC Meeting in garage 1:30-3 Member s Meeting Prep Garden BSU Rec Center Members invite each other. No staff will be there Writing HH with Doug L Mural Painting in Garage with Susan Kedzie 7-8:30 REACH for friends & family of someone with mental illness NTC Presentation with Sarah Plahn at Hope House Members Plant Garden 25 12:30-3 Equine (Horse) Eagle Vista Ranch (Sign up for ride) Staff will be present Planting Flowers Bingo 30 CLOSED. MEMORIAL DAY Group Story

6 June 2016 Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri 6 ENJOY THE OUTDOORS! Crafts/Bocce Ball 1 12:30-3 Equine (Horse) Eagle Vista Ranch (Sign up for ride) BSU Rec Center (Sign up for ride or meet there) QPR and Suicide Prevention with Stephanie Downey 1-3 Writing HH with Doug L Focus Group and 1-3 Watercolor Painting with Judith Selby 3 12:30-3 Garage Sales (Sign-up for rides) 10 12:30-1:30 LAC Meeting in garage 1:30-3 Safety Day Picnic for members & staff No Coffee How to use cell phone features Geocaching Meet at Paul & Babe Crafts Mural Painting in Garage with Susan Kedzie Crochet/Croquet 7-8:30 REACH for friends & family of someone with mental illness Nice Ride Biking (Meet at Harmony Foods) Sit Down Comedy (or Stand-Up) BSU Rec Center (Sign up for ride or meet there) 1-3 Crafts 1-3 Spa Day

7 Make Walking a Healthy Habit! Walking is one of the best things you can do for your health and all you need is a good pair of shoes! Walking makes you healthier, gives you more energy, and makes you feel younger. Following are more reasons to make walking a healthy habit! 1. Walking will help improve your mood, lower stress, and give you more energy, which in turn will help you to sleep better and have more energy all day long. 2. Regular walkers have fewer heart attacks and strokes, have lower blood pressure, and have higher levels of healthy HDL cholesterol than those who do not exercise. Walking also lowers your risk of developing diabetes or eliminating diabetes if you already have it. 3. Walking helps to slim you down. Burn more calories than you eat and you ll soon be wearing a smaller size! Plus, walking can help reduce the stress and anxiety that often lead to overeating. 4. Walking boosts your immune system and can lower your risk of arthritis, macular degeneration, and even cancer by 50%, compared to people who don t exercise. 5. Want to kick the smoking habit? Even a 5-minute walk can cut down on cigarette cravings by engaging your brain s emotion centers, releasing mood-enhancing hormones that decrease cravings. Not only that, but developing a walking habit proves to you that you have the discipline to stick with a plan to stop smoking, or whatever else you are trying to accomplish...and that always feels good! So what are you waiting for? Start a healthy habit of walking...and bring a friend!

8 th Street SE PO Box 1097 Bemidji, MN Staff: Joe Anderson,, ext. 106 Tim Fellman, ext. 103 Barbara Fisher, ext. 107 Vicki Frisch, ext. 105 Kendra Hirsch, ext 111 Kath Molitor, ext. 108 Samuelson,,Mandy, ext. 113 Robin Wold Director, ext. 109 Jody Yerbich, ext. 101 Phone: Phones are not answered between Noon & 1 PM. (Please leave a message during those times.) Crisis Line: United Way Helps Here