Deeply Rooted in the Benefits of Animal-Assisted Therapy

By: Odessa M. Stevens, ACMHC, CAAP, CCLS II Since my childhood, pets have been such an integral part of my life. My earliest memory is of my little mouse, Mickey, clinging to dear life on the handle bars of my tricycle as we rode around the neighborhood. I cannot count the number of times that…

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Deeply Rooted in Knowing You Are Not Alone

By: Sonya Perkins, CSW Sometimes we never feel more alone than when we are surrounded by people. We walk around wearing a mask of what we think we should be or what we think they want us to be and inside we are saying, “If they only knew the real me. No one could ever…

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Deeply Rooted in Healing From Grief

Grief Work; Healing | The Green House Center

By Teren Christensen, CSW On November 13, 2013, my father passed away. He had been suffering from a liver malady called Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis (PSC). He was 57. He passed away during the liver transplant procedure because his body couldn’t handle the stress. It was a surreal event for my family and I. Even now…

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Deeply Rooted in Managing Life With Disability

By Teren Christensen, CSW              I was born with Spina Bifida, which is a birth defect caused by an opening in my back at birth, exposing my spinal chord. The defect affects the nerves and the muscle growth in my lower body, making it difficult to walk. Since I was in the sixth grade, I…

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