Dec 31, 2015
"I oversee and support one of the best direct care teams out there"
Mike has been nominated as an Everyday Hero as a part of the very first Everyday Hero series honoring the Riverside Weekday Evening Primary team. Mike is their supervisor and makes working at Passage extra special.
What does mental health mean to you?
“The ability to handle stressful events in the midst of a flurry of emotions.”
If you could have any career you wanted (talent, education not required), what would it be and why?
“I would like to own and operate and bar and grill.”
What is your favorite thing to do this time of year?
“Spend time in the woods hiking or hunting.”
What is the best compliment you’ve ever received?
“I received a compliment from the owner of a company when I was handing in my two week notice and it has always stuck with me. He said he knew that the day would come when I would be leaving the job because he knew that I was not challenge enough there and that I would be successful at what ever I wanted to do.”
Name three people in history (dead or alive) with whom you would want to sit down to dinner.
- Apostle Paul, I need some clarification of a few things he wrote.
- Martin Luther, I would like to know what gave him the courage to confront the Church of his time knowing, it would change everything.
- Anyone of the founding fathers It would be interesting to know what they had in mind when they started this nation.
Tell us a fun fact that you're proud of.
“I think I am the most proud of the fact that I left everything at the age of 37 to start over and go back to school and have earned two degrees since then.”
What is the earliest memory you have of life in Northwestern Wisconsin?
“Deer camp with friends in Minong.”
What would the title of your autobiography be?
“I Have No Idea What I am Doing; Confessions of a Jack of All Trades”
If you could send one message to someone struggling with their mental health out in the world, what would it be?
“Hang in there, you are not alone.”
Finally, do you have a favorite quote or saying you'd like to share?
“It is better to be hated for what you are, than loved for something you are not.”
Andre Gide
Dec 31, 2015
"Evokes change through role modeling, accountability, passion, teaching, active listening."
Mick has been nominated as an Everyday Hero as a part of the very first Everyday Hero series honoring the Riverside Weekday Evening Primary team.
What does mental health mean to you?
“A state of mind weather its positive or negative.”
If you could have any career you wanted (talent, education not required), what would it be and why?
“Professional Golfer – I love the game. i.e. the smell of the cut grass, the feeling after sinking an eagle putt or finishing a great round, recognizing game improvement, every shot counts, mental toughness ect.”
What is your favorite thing to do this time of year?
Outdoor activities such as:
- Bonfires
- Golfing
- Yard work
- Boating
- Fishing
What is the best compliment you’ve ever received?
“Someone once said that I have a great singing voice.”
Name three people in history (dead or alive) with whom you would want to sit down to dinner.
- Chris Farley
- Bill Murray
- Steve Carrell
Tell us a fun fact that you're proud of.
“I saved my Mothers life by performing the Heimlich on her.”
What is the earliest memory you have of life in Northwestern Wisconsin?
“Arriving at our families lake front property in Luck, Wisconsin.”
What would the title of your autobiography be?
If you could send one message to someone struggling with their mental health out in the world, what would it be?
“Live in the moment and take one step at a time.”
Finally, do you have a favorite quote or saying you'd like to share?
“In my walks, every man I meet is my superior in some way, and in that I learn from him.”
– Ralph Waldo Emerson
Dec 31, 2015
"Youth Counselor for young adults with mental health issues."
Sean has been nominated as an Everyday Hero as a part of the very first Everyday Hero series honoring the Riverside Weekday Evening Primary team.
What does mental health mean to you?
“Helping individuals understand the state in which they feel, think, and behave and developing skills which they can use to address their personal issues.”
If you could have any career you wanted (talent, education not required), what would it be and why?
“A professional hockey player.”
What is your favorite thing to do this time of year?
“Play hockey, cross country ski, and spend time outdoors.”
What is the best compliment you’ve ever received?
“I have been thanked multiple times for my work with residents and young adults. Any appreciation I receive from themselves or their families is what makes my job so rewarding.”
Name three people in history (dead or alive) with whom you would want to sit down to dinner.
- Wayne Gretzky
- Lebron James
- Nick Saban.
Tell us a fun fact that you're proud of.
What is the earliest memory you have of life in Northwestern Wisconsin?
“Playing in a holiday hockey tournament against Baldwin Wisconsin.”
What would the title of your autobiography be?
“The Law of the Harvest: You Reap What You Sew”
If you could send one message to someone struggling with their mental health out in the world, what would it be?
“There is no way to fix an individual nor are any of us broken, what we can do is develop tools to make ourselves make better decisions and be more positive.”
Finally, do you have a favorite quote or saying you'd like to share?
” I’m a dream chaser, that means I chase my dreams, no one else’s.”
Nov 5, 2015
The Northwest Passage Riverside boys ended their summer with some cardboard and water fun! The kids spent time in school learning about different boats and how things float. To bring the lesson to a close, the boys created their own life-size cardboard boats to take out on the open water.
Nov 1, 2015
On Friday October 20, the Prairieview ladies ran the 5K Monster Dash in Cumberland, WI. The ladies have been training hard, getting up early to run during the week. They have demonstrated such dedication, it seems, due to having something to look forward to (mastery), while running also helps to regulate emotions and improve mood. The group decided on being super heroines, to celebrate empowerment and self-acceptance.
Lisa Courchaine, CAPSW, Mental Health Clinician
At Northwest Passage, our mental health clinician’s go beyond just typical office therapy in working with our youth. They like to incorporate all of the many things that help to keep people mentally healthy, including physical activity. The mind and body are connected, so when one is healthy the other is healthier too. It is much easier to deal with life’s problems and challenges when your body is active because it lifts your mood. Physical activity can also act an antidepressant.
Oct 27, 2015
The residents of Northwest Passage Riverside were given an awesome opportunity to volunteer their time to the St. Croix National Scenic River way. Through the “Citizen Science” project, the Algae Alert Network, select residents of NWP Riverside traveled to Norway Point Landing, located on the St. Croix River, from July and September, to study the presence of Algal blooms on the river way.
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Oct 8, 2015
Our talented intern, Jae Mawby, just wrapped up the development of Riverside’s pottery programming. As a special opportunity for the young men she worked with in this endeavor, she arrange for four of her students to visit her college, St. Olaf.
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Oct 6, 2015
Dear Boys,
Hey you, yeah you, I’m talking to you. It’s okay if you roll your eyes, sigh and cast your head down, I know you’re listening. I have got a few things I’d like to tell you…
Yes, you are tough. You are tough not because of your battle scars, your stoic emotional expression or the beginnings of your man beard. YOU ARE TOUGH because no matter how many unfortunate and unfair situations come your way, you keep moving forward and somehow in that moving forward you allow a little light of hope into your world. And no matter how terrifying that little light of hope may be, you allow it to grow, little by little and day by day until it becomes a small flame inside your soul.
I see you. I see who you are as a person, as a soul. Not your diagnosis, your behavioral history, your daily charting or even “your potential.” I see you now, in this moment. I see that you have developed strengths and uniqueness that no one else in this universe possesses. I see that the way you have developed has been in response to all sorts of adversity in a society that does not fully understand your needs. This way of developing has been in an attempt to survive, not in a manner to be hostile, manipulative or scary.
You are not bad. You are not “born bad.” You are not born broken. You are as whole and pure as me or any other human being. It’s just that your life experience hasn’t let you see or feel that. You carry a shame that is not yours to carry and I thank you for the moments you take that shame out of your heavy backpack and place it on the floor in front of us.
You make me laugh. You bring a joy into my heart that cannot be explained or experienced in any other way. You remind me to play and be silly, in a way that allows my stress to flow away from me and invites a sense of fun and curiosity that only you can bring.
You teach me. Yes, I learn from you. I learn how to trust. I learn from you how to be vulnerable. I learn from you how to believe in change, even when believing in that change shakes you to your core.
You always have a choice, young man. Yes, I am likely lecturing this to you each day, but only because it’s true. You have a personal power so great, it can change your world and the world around you.
You. Are. Loved.
Hillary Giller, MA, Mental Health Therapist
Oct 5, 2015
This week Northwest Passage’s Child and Adolescent Center’s older group of residents completed a boat-building lesson. They started this project by researching how to make model boats. They were then given 150 Popsicle sticks to use in building a structure that could float. They were also able to use other available materials if they chose to. After finishing their floating structures the kids went to the river for a friendly race. The boats were placed behind a stick and the stick was lifted to let them all go at the same time. They floated down the river in order to find the winner. After the race, the students gathered together and discussed which structure went the fastest and why. This project-based teaching allowed the students to see how things work firsthand.
Caleb Melton, Child & Adolescent Center Teacher
Each Northwest Passage program has a classroom and teachers. These teachers strive to educate the residents in many different ways. They value teaching residents outside of the traditional classroom. Getting the kids out of chairs and into the world helps to make the learning concepts real and relevant to the world. It allows them to learn through play and experimentation. It exposes them to new opportunities and helps develop an interest in the environment.
Oct 1, 2015
The month of September was National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month and Thursday, September 10 was World Suicide Prevention Day. To help raise awareness of the fact that all over the world, kids, teens, and adults suffer from depression, which if untreated can lead to suicide, one of the Northwest Passage Prairieview residents, Lexie age 15, organized some activities. The girls and staff released balloons with personal messages on them. They also wore orange and green, tied orange and green ribbons to a fence, participated in a flash mob dance, and held a cookout.
What Lexie had to say about the day’s events:
“As many people know September 10 is National Depression Awareness and Suicide Prevention Day. This is something that is very close and important to me for various reasons. Not only was I intrigued to create a special day here for us Prairieview girls because of personal struggles but also because of research I sort of stumbled upon. For example, a suicide occurs every 40 seconds. Suicide is currently the third leading cause of death among teens worldwide and, lastly, according to the Department of Veteran Affairs, our armed forces face an epidemic of suicide; a service member committing suicide every 25 hours and a veteran committing suicide every 65 minutes. Suicide and depression are not a game and depression is a serious mental health condition and should ALWAYS be taken seriously because it can be fatal. Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary situation. To help raise awareness I organized, with the help of staff, a cookout, balloon releasing, orange and green color wear, a flash mob dance and ribbon tying. Depression doesn’t have to be the end, rather a start to something great.
Some signs of depression are: Dropping grades, Lack of interest in once enjoyed activities, Withdrawing socially, Throwing and/or giving away treasured items, Dramatic change in appearance, Marked change in personality, Excessive or unusual lethargy, Suicidal thoughts and/or actions.”
If you know someone who is struggling with depression or you see signs that someone may be currently experiencing depression, encourage them to seek help. There are many resources that can be helpful to them, including several organizations:
Burnett County Crisis Services, http://www.burnettcounty.com/index.aspx?NID=176
Mental Health Task Force of Burnett County, http://www.healthyburnett.org/?page_id=179
Mental Health Task Force of Polk County, http://mentalhealthpolk.org/
And other web sites:
http://www.helpguide.org/articles/suicide-prevention/suicide-help-dealing-with-your-suicidal-thoughts-and-feelings.htm
http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/suicide-prevention/index.shtml
http://www.sprc.org/
If you or someone you know is ever in a suicide crisis, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or National Hopeline Network at 1-800-SUICIDE (784-2433) for help.
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