Fifteen years ago, River Counseling Services accepted an invitation from a group of area churches to provide integrated mental health care services to Platte and surrounding communities. Working alongside community partners to meet the needs of the community has been an honor. Today, we celebrate the fact that mental health care is readily available.

May is Mental Health Awareness month, and it seems fitting to share some of the symptoms and common signs that someone may be struggling with their mental health.  We want to encourage you to take care of yourself and have the courage to reach out to someone you think may be struggling.  Many resources are available, but it can be difficult to ask for help.

There is a children’s book entitled “The Missing Piece Meets the Big O” written by Shel Silverstein.  The book depicts a triangle piece who is desperately trying to find the pac-man-looking circle to complete him.  Throughout the story, the missing piece encounters several incomplete circles that don’t seem to fit.  The missing piece gets discouraged and tries to change himself or draw more attention to himself in order to find someone. Ultimately the wedge realizes the importance of personal development and not looking to others to “complete” him.

I don’t know about you, but I am getting pretty tired of being teased by the weather. So far this year we have had several accounts of clear skies and warm sunshine followed by an abrupt downpour of rain or drifts of snow. Washing my car on a really nice day only to have it covered in mud a day later or taking my lawn and garden supplies out only to have to tuck them back away. On the days that we are forced back inside by the elements, it is easy to get sucked back into a slump of thinking “is this ever going to get better?”