“It’s not the pretending, but the pretending that we are not pretending that hurts us.” — Sheldon Kopp, psychoanalyst and author Most of us at least intellectually understand that real love is different from exploitive caring. Caring for someone because of what they do for us is not the same as caring for someone because …

Imagine living in a world where no one is capable of understanding anybody else’s feelings. In such a world, someone could grasp how you feel only if he or she had exactly the same experiences you’ve had. If they hadn’t had those experiences they would have no idea what you are talking about. Consequently, you’d …

Over the thirty or so years that I have been in recovery, I have learned many valuable lessons, for which I am grateful.  Some of these are: isolation and disconnections fuel addictive thinking and behaving, while communities where we belong support recovery; triggers to act out – no matter how long we have been sober – …

When Frank Schmidt met Evan Jandl at The Retreat Recovery Center (Wayzata, MN) in the spring of 2024, neither had any idea about the journey that they would begin together. A casual conversation about the difficulty in finding someone to care for their dogs while pursuing recovery treatment led to the founding of a project …

So many of us are afraid that this national election will not turn out right and that we will be stuck electing a leader who both promotes hate and decries democracy. With good reason, we endlessly obsess about national polls and the latest news regarding the election. We lose a lot of sleep over this …

Minnesota is facing several complex issues that affect Minnesotans’ ability to get timely, quality, and culturally relevant behavioral health services. Addressing those issues with compassion is the top priority of the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS). Now, for the first time in department history, there is an entire administration dedicated solely to behavioral health. …

Every holiday season, you’ll find articles like this—designed to set you up for mental health success during the festivities. As you navigate this year’s celebrations, remember that one of the most important mental health relationships to maintain is the one between a medical professional and a client. This is why this holiday mental health guide …

Project CHILD (Community Health, Intervention, Linkage and Development) has been helping Hennepin County residents make a healthier start with their babies since 1990. We asked Hennepin County behavioral health manager, Alexandra (Ali) Kraak to share more about the program. Can you tell us a bit about Project CHILD? Project CHILD is a voluntary, multidisciplinary case …

“Autumn demands that I release what I think is important to do and returns me to the only thing which matters that I remember—to love and to allow love to sculpt me, even as it breaks my heart.” Christine Valters Paintner Autumn. The closing of a year. The last burst of color and abundance as …

Hidden shame is a powerful emotional and physiological reaction. It fills our being in covert ways. It can cause us to become violent or withdrawn from life and it can prompt us to bring out the better parts of ourselves in ways we never expected. It is both a curse and a blessing. Typically we …