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When living with a mental health condition or facing a mental health concern, it’s common to feel like no one understands what you’re going through. But many people overcome the mental health challenges they face. You aren’t alone – help is out there and recovery is possible. As outlined by Mental Health America below, mental health conditions can be hard and confusing. It’s becoming more and more common to talk about mental health in the open, but there’s still a lot of stigma or judgment that people have about mental health conditions. If you’ve seen or heard negativity about the same challenges you deal with, you might internalize those attitudes and feel shame about your experiences. This shame, or self-stigma, [...]

At Oaks Integrated Care, we believe that everyone has the potential to thrive with the right support. That’s why serving individuals of all ages and backgrounds has always been our priority. This year, more than ever, our services were required to keep our community together, when they were met by so many obstacles that could have torn them apart. “Since the time I started Oaks Integrated Care’s Detox Program, I’ve had a constant stream of support and resources given to me, even when I was looking for outside resources for extra help with my mental health. Because they are a duel diagnosis facility, part of my recovery and my history is making sure I’m handling why I use. I [...]

Creating and rebuilding a healthy, nurturing environment is essential for families after a child has been placed outside of the home. Supervised visitation services give families a chance to develop positive parent-child interactions. From therapeutic to intensive, Oaks Integrated Care offers families supervised visitation services with the ultimate goal of reunification. Services include case management, weekly supervised visits and parenting groups based on the Nurturing Parenting Program curriculum. The evidence-based curriculum takes a trauma-informed approach designed to build nurturing parenting skills and stop the cycle of abuse and neglect. The family-centered program helps families like Jerry’s work together toward reunification. Jerry’s Story As a veteran and single father of three children, Jerry struggled with many challenges due to unaddressed [...]

Accepting help from others can sometimes feel like a daunting task. Many individuals experience levels of discomfort and personal difficulties depending on others for assistance in everyday life. Additionally, many who struggle with mental health may not feel a need for help. Listening to those offering help can be the first step toward growth and progress. According to Psychology Today, challenges accepting help stem from irregularities in attachment history. “Our early attachments help shape how we relate to others and how we expect others to relate to us,” shares clinical psychologist Lisa Firestone, Ph.D. “If we weren’t used to receiving consistent, quality care from our parents or attachment figures, it can feel confusing to accept this from others throughout [...]

The history of the LGBTQIA+ community revolves around supporting and championing all individuals. Recognized annually on October 11, National Coming Out Day reinforces the belief that accepting differences makes us stronger and knowledge drives out the dangers of hate. In celebration of National Coming Out Day, Oaks’ Development & Communication Assistant Orlando Salas shares insight into his experience coming out and how it can help impact others. Words of Resilience and Acceptance, by Orlando Salas Walking through this world as a member of the LGBTQIA+ community comes with its own set of unique challenges. You may feel like you have to constantly keep your guard up because other people want to hurt you just for existing. But whenever I [...]

LGBTQ+ youth deserve support, affirmation and safety. However, from home, to school to healthcare spaces, many LGBTQ+ youth feel unsafe or unwelcome, causing a lack of comfortable conversation. To better meet the needs of all young people, it is essential to integrate safe spaces for an open dialogue with LGBTQ+ youth. Research notes LGBTQ+ youth are more likely than their peers to experience stigma in an environment. Additionally, LGBTQ+ youth of color are at disproportionate risk for negative sexual health outcomes and face stigma related to race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, and expression. This stigma and discrimination places LGBTQ+ youth at higher risk of mental health issues and poverty. Creating safe and welcome spaces for LGBTQ+ youth is [...]

Smiles can be deceiving. Behind a calm exterior, exciting social media feed, and the seemingly have-it-all-going-for-them exterior, these individuals might be grappling with high-functioning anxiety. It's often a silent struggle that goes unnoticed, as those affected navigate their daily lives with ease. In this blog, we delve into the world of high-functioning anxiety, shedding light on the challenges faced by those who bear this hidden burden. The Mask of High-Functioning Anxiety General anxiety disorder (GAD) is a mental health condition in adults or children that causes fear and a constant feeling of being overwhelmed. High-functioning anxiety is a term used to describe individuals who manage to meet the demands of daily life, often excelling in their endeavors, all while [...]

Engaging in hobbies can have a profoundly positive impact on your mental health. Hobbies are known to reduce stress, enhance your mood, increase creativity, improve focus and concentration levels, bring a sense of accomplishment and enhance social connections. They also give you a sense of identity, promote self-expression and help build resilience. Here are some hobby ideas that you can explore and find one that gets your creative juices flowing. 1. Creative Hobbies Sensory hobbies like painting, crafts, cooking/baking, pottery, and sculpting can open the doorway to creativity by bringing out your best creative expression. Find your calling and the world is your oyster! 2. Physical and Outdoor Hobbies Research proves that interacting with nature has cognitive benefits that [...]