Helping school counselors, social workers, psychologists, and educators recognize when additional behavioral healthcare may help students thrive.

As another school year begins, educators, school counselors, psychologists, and student support teams prepare for far more than new schedules and classroom routines. They prepare to meet students carrying anxiety, depression, family stress, trauma, social pressures, grief, substance use concerns, and the emotional weight of growing up in an increasingly complex world.

For many students, a caring conversation with a trusted school counselor is exactly what they need. Schools play a vital role in supporting emotional wellness, building resilience, and connecting students with resources. Yet there are times when even the strongest school-based interventions may not be enough.

Knowing when to involve an outpatient behavioral health provider is one of the most important—and sometimes most difficult—clinical decisions a school professional makes.

The goal isn’t simply referring students to treatment. It’s ensuring that each student receives the right level of support at the right time so they can succeed both academically and emotionally.

Students Are Carrying More Than Backpacks

Today’s students face challenges that extend well beyond the classroom.

Many are balancing demanding academic expectations while navigating social media, changing family dynamics, financial stressors, identity development, peer relationships, and uncertainty about the future. For some, these stressors contribute to temporary periods of emotional distress. For others, they may reveal underlying mental health conditions requiring more comprehensive intervention.

School professionals often become the first adults to notice subtle changes before parents or caregivers do.¹

A student who once participated enthusiastically may become withdrawn. A consistently high-performing student may suddenly begin missing assignments. A previously social teenager may begin avoiding friends or refusing to attend school altogether.

These changes rarely occur in isolation.

Recognizing patterns—and knowing when those patterns suggest the need for additional behavioral healthcare—can significantly influence a student’s long-term well-being.

Five Signs a Student May Benefit from More Than School-Based Support

Every student experiences difficult days. What often warrants closer attention is the persistence, intensity, or progression of emotional and behavioral changes over time.

1. Persistent Emotional Distress

It is normal for students to experience disappointment, stress before exams, or occasional anxiety.

However, when sadness, excessive worry, panic, irritability, hopelessness, or emotional dysregulation persist for several weeks and begin interfering with daily functioning, additional clinical evaluation may be appropriate.²

School counselors frequently provide valuable short-term support, but ongoing symptoms that continue despite intervention may indicate a need for specialized outpatient care.

2. School Refusal or Chronic Absenteeism

School avoidance is rarely about simply not wanting to attend class.

Students experiencing significant anxiety, depression, trauma, bullying, or emotional distress may begin avoiding school because the environment itself feels overwhelming.

Repeated absences, frequent visits to the nurse, unexplained physical complaints, or increasing tardiness may all represent attempts to avoid situations causing emotional distress.³

Early intervention often helps prevent these patterns from becoming deeply established.

3. Noticeable Changes in Mood or Behavior

Behavioral changes often communicate what students cannot verbalize.

Professionals may observe:

• increased isolation
• declining participation
• heightened emotional reactions
• changes in peer relationships
• loss of interest in previously enjoyed activities
• increased conflict with teachers or classmates
• sudden impulsivity or risk-taking behaviors

Rather than viewing these behaviors simply as discipline issues, they should be considered within the broader context of the student’s emotional functioning.⁴

4. Declining Academic Performance Without an Obvious Explanation

Grades rarely tell the whole story.

A significant decline in concentration, motivation, organization, or classroom engagement may reflect underlying emotional challenges rather than academic ability.

When academic performance changes alongside emotional or behavioral concerns, collaboration between families, schools, and behavioral health professionals can help identify the underlying causes and develop appropriate support strategies.⁵

5. Safety Concerns or Escalating Risk

Expressions of hopelessness, self-harm, suicidal ideation, substance use, significant emotional instability, or behaviors suggesting risk to self or others always require immediate attention and appropriate intervention.

School crisis protocols provide essential initial support, but many students also benefit from ongoing outpatient behavioral healthcare following stabilization.

Early access to evidence-based treatment may reduce the likelihood of future crises while helping students build healthy coping skills and emotional resilience.

Call out: 

The question often isn’t, “Does this student need therapy?”
A more helpful question is:
“Is this student functioning differently than they were three to six months ago?”

Sustained changes in attendance, relationships, emotional regulation, or academic performance frequently signal the need for a more comprehensive behavioral health assessment.

What Happens After a Referral?

One of the greatest concerns school professionals express is uncertainty about what happens once a family is referred for behavioral healthcare.

At River’s Bend, we believe the referral process should feel collaborative, transparent, and supportive, not overwhelming. Which is why our Business Development Director, Leah Bogdansky, works hand-in-hand with professional partners to determine the appropriate level of care.. 

And, guess what, Leah is a real person, not an AI chat bot! 

Every student begins with a comprehensive clinical assessment designed to better understand their symptoms, strengths, family environment, and level of functioning. From there, our clinical team works with families to determine the most appropriate level of care.

For some students, traditional outpatient therapy may be the best fit.

Others may benefit from more structured support through our unique Adolescent Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP), where evidence-based group therapy, family involvement, and individualized treatment plans help adolescents build healthy coping skills while continuing to live at home and attend school whenever appropriate.

The objective is never to provide more treatment than necessary.

It is to recommend the level of care that gives each student the greatest opportunity for long-term success.

You Don’t Have to Make the Decision Alone

School counselors are often asked to make difficult referral decisions with limited information and limited time.

Sometimes the question isn’t whether a student needs help.

It’s determining what kind of help is most appropriate.

That’s exactly why River’s Bend created the Start with Leah initiative.

Rather than expecting school professionals to navigate behavioral health resources on their own, Leah serves as a knowledgeable community partner who can help discuss available treatment options, answer questions about levels of care, explain referral pathways, and connect professionals with appropriate behavioral health resources.

Sometimes River’s Bend is the right fit.

Sometimes another community resource better meets the student’s needs.

Leah can help school counselors, teachers, and family members determine where to go be it River’s Bend or our many community partners.

Either way, our goal is the same: helping schools and families make informed decisions that place students on the best possible path toward healing.

Strong Community Partnerships Create Better Student Outcomes

Supporting student mental health has never been the responsibility of one professional or one organization.

Meaningful outcomes occur when schools, families, pediatricians, behavioral health providers, and community partners work together.

By creating strong referral relationships, maintaining open communication, and focusing on continuity of care, we can reduce barriers to treatment, encourage earlier intervention, and help students receive the support they need before challenges become crises.

At River’s Bend, we view ourselves not simply as a treatment provider, but as an extension of the community support network already surrounding each student.

When schools and behavioral health professionals collaborate, students benefit from consistent messaging, coordinated care, and a shared commitment to their long-term success.

Continue Exploring Resources for School Professionals

Looking for additional guidance? Continue exploring evidence-based resources on the River’s Bend website:

• Back-to-School Anxiety: What’s Normal—and When to Seek Help
• Why Routine Is One of the Most Powerful Mental Health Tools We Have
• Understanding Adolescent Intensive Outpatient Programs (IOP): What Families Should Know
• Helping Parents Support Teen Mental Health During Times of Transition

Together, these resources provide practical tools for educators, families, and healthcare professionals working to support student mental wellness throughout the school year.

Not Every Student Needs Intensive Treatment. Every Student Deserves the Right Level of Support.

If you’re concerned about a student but aren’t sure what level of behavioral healthcare may be appropriate, start with Leah.

Whether you need help understanding treatment options, discussing levels of care, or identifying community resources for a student and family, River’s Bend is here to support you.

Visit our Professional Partners page to learn more about collaborating with River’s Bend, or connect with Leah for a confidential conversation about available behavioral health resources. Together, we can help students receive the right care at the right time—so they can return to what matters most: learning, growing, and thriving.

References

1. Jensen, M., Dufur, M. J., Jarvis, J. A., & Pribesh, S. L. (2025). Bridging the gap: The Role of Parent–Teacher Perception in child Developmental Outcomes. Children, 12(9), 1260. https://doi.org/10.3390/children12091260  ↩︎
2. Mishra, A. K., & Varma, A. R. (2023). A comprehensive review of the generalized anxiety disorder. Cureus, 15(9), e46115. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.46115 ↩︎
3. Rankine, J., Goldberg, L., Miller, E., Kelley, L., & Ray, K. N. (2021). School nurse perspectives on addressing chronic absenteeism. The Journal of School Nursing, 39(6), 496–505. https://doi.org/10.1177/10598405211043872  ↩︎
4. De Laia Almeida, I. L., Rego, J. F., Teixeira, A. C. G., & Moreira, M. R. (2021). Social isolation and its impact on child and adolescent development: a systematic review. Revista Paulista De Pediatria, 40, e2020385. https://doi.org/10.1590/1984-0462/2022/40/2020385 ↩︎
5. Deng, Y., Cherian, J., Khan, N. U. N., Kumari, K., Sial, M. S., Comite, U., Gavurova, B., & Popp, J. (2022). Family and academic stress and their impact on students’ depression level and academic performance. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 13, 869337. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.869337  ↩︎

The post When School Support Isn’t Enough: Knowing When to Refer a Student for Outpatient Mental Health Care appeared first on River's Bend, P.C..

How HR leaders, managers, and Employee Assistance Programs can recognize burnout, strengthen workplace well-being, and support employees before stress becomes a crisis.

As summer winds down, many organizations look ahead with renewed energy. Strategic planning accelerates, budgets are finalized, projects resume, and teams begin preparing for the final quarter of the year.

For employees, however, the transition often feels far more complicated.

Returning from vacation, or simply navigating the shift into a busier season, doesn’t automatically restore energy or eliminate stress. In fact, many employees return to work carrying the same emotional exhaustion they hoped time away would relieve, now compounded by overflowing inboxes, back-to-school responsibilities, caregiving demands, and the pressure to “catch up.”

For HR professionals, business leaders, managers, and Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs), the end of summer presents an important opportunity—not simply to improve productivity, but to strengthen workplace well-being before burnout escalates.

Organizations that recognize these seasonal transitions as critical moments for mental wellness are better positioned to retain employees, improve engagement, and foster healthier workplace cultures throughout the remainder of the year.¹

Why Returning to Work Can Feel Harder Than Leaving

Many people assume vacations “reset” stress.

Behavioral health professionals know recovery isn’t always that simple.

While time away from work can provide meaningful rest, employees often return to environments that haven’t fundamentally changed. The same workload, competing priorities, difficult conversations, organizational uncertainty, or interpersonal dynamics remain waiting for them.

At the same time, life outside the workplace often becomes more demanding in late summer.

• Parents are preparing children to return to school.
• College students are leaving home.
• Family schedules become increasingly structured.
• Caregivers begin balancing appointments, extracurricular activities, and changing routines.
• Financial pressures may increase as household expenses rise.

These overlapping transitions create additional cognitive and emotional demands that employees bring with them into the workplace.²

Rather than asking, “Why aren’t employees fully recharged?” leaders may benefit from asking a different question:

“What additional pressures are our employees carrying as they return to work?”

This shift in perspective creates space for empathy, flexibility, and proactive support.

Burnout Doesn’t Always Look Like Exhaustion

Burnout rarely begins with dramatic emotional collapse.

More often, it develops gradually through chronic workplace stress that goes unaddressed.

Employees experiencing burnout may continue meeting deadlines, attending meetings, and appearing productive while quietly struggling beneath the surface.

Common warning signs include:

Increased disengagement

Employees who were once collaborative may become noticeably quieter, less engaged, or emotionally detached from their work.

Irritability or emotional reactivity

Minor frustrations may trigger disproportionate responses, signaling emotional resources are becoming depleted.

Reduced productivity

Difficulty concentrating, decreased creativity, slower decision-making, or declining work quality may reflect more than simple fatigue.

Presenteeism

Employees may continue showing up physically while being emotionally overwhelmed, distracted, or unable to fully perform.

Withdrawal from colleagues

Avoiding meetings, social interaction, or team collaboration may indicate emotional exhaustion rather than a lack of commitment.

Recognizing these patterns early allows organizations to intervene before stress develops into more significant mental health concerns.³

What HR Leaders Can Do Before Burnout Escalates

Creating mentally healthy workplaces isn’t about eliminating stress.

Stress is an unavoidable part of meaningful work.

Instead, healthy organizations build systems that help employees recover, communicate openly, and access support before challenges become crises.

Several practical strategies can make a meaningful difference.

Normalize the use of paid time off

Employees are more likely to use vacation time when leaders model healthy boundaries themselves.

Train managers to recognize early warning signs

Supervisors are often the first to notice changes in behavior, engagement, attendance, or performance.

Equipping managers with practical guidance helps create earlier, more supportive conversations.

Promote available mental health resources

Many employees remain unaware of Employee Assistance Programs, counseling benefits, or behavioral health resources already available through their employer.

Regular communication reduces stigma while increasing utilization.

Encourage flexibility when possible

Simple adjustments during transitional periods, such as flexible scheduling or temporary workload modifications, may reduce unnecessary stress while maintaining productivity.

Create opportunities for meaningful connection

Employees who feel connected to their teams often demonstrate greater resilience during periods of organizational change.

Workplace culture remains one of the strongest protective factors against isolation and disengagement.

Psychological Safety Is More Than a Buzzword

Organizations frequently discuss psychological safety.

Far fewer intentionally build it.

Psychological safety exists when employees believe they can ask questions, admit mistakes, express concerns, or seek help without fear of embarrassment, punishment, or judgment.

It doesn’t eliminate accountability.

It strengthens trust.

When employees feel psychologically safe, organizations benefit from:

• earlier problem identification
• improved collaboration
• greater innovation
• healthier communication
• increased employee engagement
• reduced turnover

Mental wellness doesn’t begin when someone enters therapy.

It begins in environments where people feel safe enough to acknowledge when they’re struggling.⁴

Mid-Year Mental Health Matters

Supporting workplace wellness also means encouraging employees to reflect on their own mental well-being.

If your organization is looking for practical, evidence-based resources to share with employees, explore our blog:

The article includes River’s Bend’s Free Mid-Year Mental Wellness Reset Workbook, providing practical exercises that help individuals reconnect with healthy routines, reduce stress, and build emotional resilience.

Resources like these can complement Employee Assistance Programs and internal wellness initiatives while encouraging employees to seek support early rather than waiting until stress becomes overwhelming.

When Workplace Support Isn’t Enough

Even in the healthiest organizations, some employees require support beyond what the workplace can reasonably provide.

Mental health concerns such as anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, substance use disorders, or significant life transitions may require professional behavioral healthcare.

Knowing where to turn can be challenging for employers, managers, and EAP professionals.

Understanding the continuum of behavioral healthcare in Michigan to help organizations connect employees with the level of care most appropriate for their needs is the first start and can includes: 

• Outpatient One-on-One Therapy
• Family & Group Therapy
• Mental Health Intensive Outpatient Programs (IOP)
• Partial Hospitalization Programs (PHP)

Early intervention often supports better outcomes while helping employees return to work with greater stability, healthier coping strategies, and renewed confidence.⁵

Start with Leah: Your Behavioral Healthcare Partner

Finding behavioral healthcare resources shouldn’t feel overwhelming.

Whether you’re supporting one employee or developing long-term workplace wellness strategies, River’s Bend believes collaboration leads to better outcomes.

That’s why we encourage employers, Employee Assistance Programs, healthcare providers, and community organizations to Start with Leah.

Leah Bogdanski, Director of Business Development, serves as River’s Bend’s dedicated professional partner, helping organizations navigate behavioral healthcare resources, understand levels of care, coordinate referrals, and connect employees with appropriate clinical services.

Sometimes River’s Bend is the right fit.

Sometimes another community resource better serves an individual’s needs.

Either way, our commitment remains the same:

Helping organizations connect people with the right care at the right time.

Visit our Professional Partners page to learn more about collaborating with River’s Bend or connect directly with Leah to discuss your organization’s behavioral healthcare needs.

Building Workplaces Where People Can Thrive

Healthy organizations aren’t built because employees never experience stress.

They’re built because leaders recognize stress early, respond with compassion, and create cultures where asking for help is viewed as a strength.

At River’s Bend, we believe the healthiest workplaces are those where support begins long before someone reaches a crisis.

And we’re proud to partner with organizations across Michigan to help make that vision a reality.

References

1. Bianchi, R., & Schonfeld, I. S. (2023). Examining the evidence base for burnout. Bulletin of the World Health Organization, 101(11), 743–745. https://doi.org/10.2471/blt.23.289996  ↩︎
2. Al-Adawi, S., Alameddine, M., Al-Saadoon, M., Balushi, A. a. A., Chan, M. F., Bou-Karroum, K., Al-Kindy, H., & Al-Harthi, S. M. (2022). The magnitude and effect of work-life imbalance on cognition and affective range among the non-western population: A study from Muscat. PLoS ONE, 17(2), e0263608. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0263608  ↩︎
3. Edú-Valsania, S., Laguía, A., & Moriano, J. A. (2022). Burnout: A Review of Theory and Measurement. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(3), 1780. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19031780  ↩︎
4. Edmondson, A. (1999). Psychological safety and learning behavior in work teams. In Administrative Science Quarterly (Vol. 44, Issue 2, pp. 350–383). Johnson Graduate School of Management, Cornell University. https://web.mit.edu/curhan/www/docs/Articles/15341_Readings/Group_Performance/Edmondson%20Psychological%20safety.pdf  ↩︎
5. Bondar, J., Morrow, C. B., Gueorguieva, R., Brown, M., Hawrilenko, M., Krystal, J. H., Corlett, P. R., & Chekroud, A. M. (2022). Clinical and financial outcomes associated with a workplace mental health program before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. JAMA Network Open, 5(6), e2216349. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.16349  ↩︎

The post When Employees Return Burned Out: Supporting Mental Health After Summer and Before Q4 appeared first on River's Bend, P.C..

How small, consistent daily habits can strengthen emotional well-being, reduce stress, and help you navigate life’s inevitable challenges.

When people think about improving their mental health, they often picture major life changes such as starting therapy, changing careers, moving to a new city, or making dramatic lifestyle adjustments.

While those moments can certainly be important, lasting emotional wellness is often built in much quieter ways.

It develops through the small, repeated choices we make every day.

• Going to bed at a consistent time.
• Taking a short walk after work.
• Sharing a meal with family.
• Stepping outside for a few minutes of fresh air.
• Checking in with a friend.
• Pausing to take a few deep breaths before responding to a stressful situation.

These routines may seem simple, but behavioral health professionals understand something many people don’t:

“Routine isn’t just about staying organized. It’s one of the most powerful tools we have for supporting mental health” – Stephanie Howey, LMSW & Owner at River’s Bend

Whether you’re preparing for a new school year, returning to work after summer, adjusting to a major life change, or simply trying to feel more grounded, healthy routines can provide the stability our minds and bodies need to navigate life’s ups and downs.¹

Why Your Brain Loves Routine

Our brains are constantly working to make sense of the world around us.

Every decision, what to eat, when to exercise, which email to answer first, whether to stay up later or go to bed, requires mental energy.

When every part of the day feels unpredictable, that mental workload increases.

Healthy routines reduce that burden.

Think of your brain like a well-traveled hiking trail. The first time you walk the path, you have to watch every step. But after traveling it again and again, the trail becomes familiar, easier to follow, and requires much less effort. Our daily routines work in much the same way. Repeated healthy habits create reliable patterns that allow the brain to spend less energy on everyday decisions and more energy responding to new experiences, solving problems, and managing stress. 

Instead of making dozens of small decisions throughout the day, many healthy behaviors become automatic. Your brain no longer has to decide whether to brush your teeth, buckle your seatbelt, or make your morning coffee. These actions become habits, allowing your mind to conserve energy for the situations that truly require your attention.²

The same principle applies to mental wellness.

Consistent routines help create a sense of predictability, and predictability helps our nervous system feel safer.

Routine Doesn’t Eliminate Stress, It Helps You Recover From It

Stress is a normal part of life.

• Busy workdays.
• Parenting.
• School schedules.
• Caring for aging parents.
• Financial responsibilities.
• Unexpected illness.
• Major life transitions.

None of these challenges disappear because we develop healthier routines.

What changes is our ability to recover from them.

Imagine dropping an anchor during rough water.

The waves don’t stop.

But the anchor keeps the boat from drifting too far off course.

Healthy routines often serve that same purpose.

A consistent bedtime can help your body recover after an emotionally exhausting day.

A daily walk provides space to process difficult thoughts.

Sharing dinner with family creates opportunities for connection during stressful seasons.

Routine becomes something you can return to, even when everything else feels uncertain.

As behavioral health professionals often remind clients, we cannot always control what happens around us.

But we can often influence what helps bring us back to center.³

Five Daily Habits That Support Better Mental Health

Building a healthy routine doesn’t require completely changing your life.

In fact, the most effective routines are often surprisingly simple.

1. Prioritize Consistent Sleep

Sleep affects nearly every aspect of emotional well-being.

When we’re consistently sleep deprived, managing stress becomes more difficult, emotions may feel more intense, and concentration often suffers.

Going to bed and waking up at approximately the same time each day supports your body’s natural rhythms and promotes emotional regulation.⁴

2. Move Your Body Every Day

Movement doesn’t have to mean running a marathon or spending hours in the gym.

• Walking the dog.
• Stretching between meetings.
• Gardening.
• Taking the stairs.
• Dancing in your kitchen.

Regular movement supports both physical and emotional health by reducing stress, improving mood, and increasing energy.⁵

The goal isn’t perfection.

It’s consistency.

3. Nourish Your Mind by Nourishing Your Body

What we eat and drink influences how we feel.

Regular meals, adequate hydration, and balanced nutrition help support stable energy levels, concentration, and overall brain function.

When life becomes busy, skipping meals or relying on convenience foods may seem harmless, but these habits can contribute to fatigue, irritability, and difficulty coping with stress.⁵

4. Stay Connected

Humans are wired for connection.

Meaningful conversations with family members, friends, coworkers, neighbors, or support groups remind us we don’t have to navigate life’s challenges alone.

Connection doesn’t always require lengthy conversations.

Sometimes it’s as simple as sending a text, sharing a meal, or checking in with someone you trust.

Small moments of connection often make a meaningful difference.⁷

5. Create Moments of Stillness

In today’s fast-paced world, many of us move from one responsibility to the next without giving ourselves time to pause.

Even a few intentional minutes of stillness can help reset the nervous system.

This might include:

• Deep breathing
• Prayer
• Meditation
• Journaling
• Mindfulness
• Quiet reflection

These practices don’t eliminate stress.

They help us respond to stress more intentionally.⁸

River’s Bend Clinical Insight

Routine isn’t about perfection.

It’s about reducing the number of decisions you have to make when life becomes difficult. The smaller the habit, the more likely it becomes sustainable.

The River’s Bend S.T.E.A.D.Y. Framework

At River’s Bend, our therapists encourage people to think of healthy routines as a collection of small, consistent habits rather than dramatic life changes.

Our S.T.E.A.D.Y. Framework offers a simple way to remember the daily practices that support emotional well-being.

S — Sleep
Protect your body’s natural rhythm with consistent sleep habits.

T — Time Outdoors & Movement
Move your body and spend time outside whenever possible.

E — Engagement
Stay connected with people who encourage and support you.

A — Awareness
Pause, notice your emotions, and respond with intention rather than reacting automatically.

D — Daily Rhythm
Create consistency through regular meals, work, movement, and rest.

Y — Your Needs Matter
Practice self-compassion, establish healthy boundaries, and seek support when life becomes overwhelming.

These habits aren’t about achieving perfection.

They’re about creating stability, one day at a time.

Start Small, Not Perfect

One of the biggest mistakes people make is believing they need to change everything at once.

In reality, meaningful change usually begins with one small step.

Instead of saying,

“I need a completely different lifestyle,”

try asking,

“What’s one healthy habit I can repeat this week?”

Maybe it’s drinking a glass of water every morning.

Walking for ten minutes after dinner.

Putting your phone away thirty minutes before bed.

Or simply waking up at the same time three mornings this week.

Small habits build confidence.

Confidence builds consistency.

Consistency builds resilience.⁸

When Routine Isn’t Enough

Healthy routines are incredibly valuable.

But they are not a cure for every mental health challenge.

Sometimes anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, substance use disorders, or major life transitions make it difficult to maintain even basic daily routines.

If you’re finding it hard to get out of bed, care for yourself, stay connected with others, or manage everyday responsibilities, it may be time to seek additional support.

That isn’t a sign of failure.

It’s a sign that you deserve help.

Professional behavioral healthcare can help identify the underlying challenges affecting your daily life while providing evidence-based strategies to rebuild healthy routines and strengthen long-term emotional wellness. (Footnote 8)

Our experienced therapists work alongside individuals and families to develop personalized treatment plans that meet people where they are, whether that means outpatient individual therapy, an Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP), or a higher level of outpatient support.

Continue Your Mental Wellness Journey

Looking for additional ways to strengthen your emotional well-being?

Free Download: The River’s Bend Routine Builder

Continue exploring River’s Bend resources:

• Mid-Year Mental Health Check: Signs It’s Time to Recenter
• Download the Free Mid-Year Mental Wellness Reset Workbook
• Back-to-School Anxiety: What’s Normal, and When to Seek Help
• 10 Habits That Create Emotional Stability
• Learn more about our Mental Health Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) and other evidence-based behavioral health services.

Small Routines Can Lead to Big Changes

A healthy routine won’t eliminate every difficult day.

It won’t prevent unexpected challenges or remove every source of stress.

What it can do is provide something incredibly valuable:

A place to return.

If you’re ready to take the next step in supporting your mental health, explore River’s Bend’s free educational resources, download our Routine Builder, or connect with our team to learn more about the personalized behavioral healthcare services available to help you build a healthier future.

References

1. Palamarchuk, I. S., & Vaillancourt, T. (2021). Mental Resilience and Coping with Stress: a comprehensive, multi-level model of cognitive processing, decision making, and behavior. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, 15, 719674. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnbeh.2021.719674  ↩︎
2. Gardner, B., Lally, P., & Wardle, J. (2012b). Making health habitual: the psychology of ‘habit-formation’ and general practice. British Journal of General Practice, 62(605), 664–666. https://doi.org/10.3399/bjgp12x659466  ↩︎
3. Diehl, M., & Hay, E. L. (2010). Risk and resilience factors in coping with daily stress in adulthood: The role of age, self-concept incoherence, and personal control. Developmental Psychology, 46(5), 1132–1146. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0019937  ↩︎
4. Mahindru, A., Patil, P., & Agrawal, V. (2023). Role of Physical Activity on Mental Health and Well-Being: A review. Cureus, 15(1), e33475. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.33475 ↩︎
5. Firth, J., Gangwisch, J. E., Borsini, A., Wootton, R. E., & Mayer, E. A. (2020). Food and mood: how do diet and nutrition affect mental wellbeing? BMJ, 369, m2382. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.m2382  ↩︎
6. Firth, J., Gangwisch, J. E., Borsini, A., Wootton, R. E., & Mayer, E. A. (2020). Food and mood: how do diet and nutrition affect mental wellbeing? BMJ, 369, m2382. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.m2382  ↩︎
7. Bruss KV, Seth P, Zhao G. Loneliness, Lack of Social and Emotional Support, and Mental Health Issues — United States, 2022. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2024;73:539–545. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm7324a1.  ↩︎
8. Singh, B., Murphy, A., Maher, C., & Smith, A. E. (2024). Time to Form a Habit: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Health Behaviour Habit Formation and Its Determinants. Healthcare, 12(23), 2488. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare12232488  ↩︎
9. Singh, B., Murphy, A., Maher, C., & Smith, A. E. (2024). Time to Form a Habit: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Health Behaviour Habit Formation and Its Determinants. Healthcare, 12(23), 2488. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare12232488  ↩︎

The post Why Routine Is One of the Most Powerful Tools for Better Mental Health appeared first on River's Bend, P.C..

12 Small Habits That Protect Your Mental Health When Life Won’t Slow Down

Sometimes the healthiest thing you can do isn’t adding more to your to-do list, it’s taking better care of yourself while you carry it.

• You answered every email.
• You made the meeting.
• You packed the lunches.
• You paid the bills.
• You remembered soccer practice.
• You picked up groceries on the way home.
• You smiled when someone asked how you were doing.

And somehow…

You still folded the laundry before going to bed.

From the outside, everything looks fine.

But inside? You’re exhausted.

Not because you’re doing anything wrong.

Because you’ve been carrying so much for so long.

If that sounds familiar, you’re far from alone.

At River’s Bend, our therapists meet many people who don’t describe themselves as anxious, depressed, or overwhelmed.

They simply say,

“I’ve just been really busy.”

Sometimes “busy” is another word for emotionally running on empty.

The good news?

Protecting your mental health doesn’t always require a complete life overhaul.

One healthy habit. One intentional pause.

Emotional Stability Isn’t Built in Big Moments

Social media often convinces us that wellness requires elaborate morning routines, expensive gym memberships, or endless free time. However, real life rarely looks like that—especially here in Southeast Michigan, where many families are balancing demanding careers, long commutes, school activities, and caring for aging parents.

The truth is that emotional stability isn’t built by doing everything perfectly. On the contrary, it’s built through small choices repeated consistently over time. In fact, behavioral health research continues to show that our daily habits directly influence our stress levels, emotional regulation, and overall resilience.

Therefore, the goal isn’t perfection. Rather, it’s about creating enough healthy moments throughout your day so that your mind and body have real opportunities to recover.

Behavioral health research continues to show that our daily habits influence stress levels, emotional regulation, resilience, and overall well-being.¹

It’s creating enough healthy moments throughout your day that your mind and body have opportunities to recover.

12 Small Habits That Protect Your Mental Health

You don’t have to do all twelve. Start with one.

1. Drink a glass of water before your first cup of coffee.

Small acts of self-care remind your body that your needs matter, too.

2. Step outside—even if it’s only for five minutes.

Fresh air, sunlight, and a brief change of scenery can help interrupt the constant “go, go, go” feeling that many of us experience.

3. Take three slow, intentional breaths before opening your email.

Beginning your day with calm instead of urgency helps set the tone for everything that follows.

4. Eat one meal away from your computer or phone.

Your brain deserves a real break.

Even fifteen uninterrupted minutes can make a difference.

5. Text someone you care about.

Connection doesn’t have to be complicated.

A simple “Thinking about you” strengthens relationships—and reminds you that you’re not carrying life alone.

6. Stretch while your coffee is brewing.

Movement doesn’t have to happen in a gym.

Small moments of movement throughout the day help release physical tension that often accompanies emotional stress.

7. Notice one good thing.

One beautiful sunset.

A funny conversation.

A kind coworker.

A quiet moment.

Training your brain to notice what’s going well doesn’t ignore life’s challenges—it simply creates balance.

8. Put your phone away for fifteen minutes.

Your nervous system needs moments without notifications.

Silence is restorative.

9. Leave work at work whenever possible.

Not every email needs an immediate response.

Healthy boundaries protect long-term well-being.

10. Go to bed fifteen minutes earlier.

Rest isn’t something you earn.

It’s something your mind and body require.

11. Give yourself permission to say no.

Every “yes” costs something.

Protect your energy for what matters most.

12. Ask yourself one simple question:

“What do I need today?”

Not tomorrow.

Not next month.

Today.

• Sometimes the answer is rest.
• Sometimes it’s movement.
• Sometimes it’s connection.
• Sometimes it’s asking for help.

The Healthiest Habit Might Be Asking for Support

Here’s something our therapists tell clients often at River’s Bend.

For instance, the healthiest habit isn’t always taking another walk.

Likewise, it isn’t simply drinking more water.

Sometimes the healthiest habit is scheduling the therapy appointment you’ve been thinking about for months.

If stress, anxiety, depression, grief, trauma, or substance use are making it difficult to function, maintain relationships, enjoy life, or care for yourself, you don’t have to keep carrying everything alone. ²

Seeking support isn’t giving up.

Progress Doesn’t Have to Be Dramatic

One of the biggest misconceptions about emotional wellness is that change has to be dramatic before it counts.

That’s rarely true.

Healing often looks much quieter.

• Going to bed a little earlier.
• Taking a walk after dinner.
• Setting one healthy boundary.
• Having one honest conversation.
• Returning to therapy after missing a few weeks.
• Showing yourself the same compassion you would offer someone you love.

Small choices matter.

They always have.

Continue Building Your Mental Wellness Toolkit

If this article resonated with you, continue exploring River’s Bend’s free resources:

• Why Routine Is One of the Most Powerful Tools for Better Mental Health
• Mid-Year Mental Health Check: Signs It’s Time to Recenter
• Download the Free Mid-Year Mental Wellness Reset Workbook
• Learn more about River’s Bend’s evidence-based outpatient mental health services if you’re ready for additional support.

At River’s Bend, we believe mental wellness isn’t built through perfection.

It’s built through compassion, consistency, and taking one small step at a time.

References

1. Gardner, B., Lally, P., & Wardle, J. (2012). Making health habitual: the psychology of ‘habit-formation’ and general practice. British Journal of General Practice, 62(605), 664–666. https://doi.org/10.3399/bjgp12x659466  ↩︎
2. McGorry, P. D., & Mei, C. (2018). Early intervention in youth mental health: progress and future directions. Evidence-Based Mental Health, 21(4), 182–184. https://doi.org/10.1136/ebmental-2018-300060  ↩︎

The post You’re Holding It Together But At What Cost? appeared first on River's Bend, P.C..

“I knew I had a problem. I just didn’t know how to get help. And I didn’t know if I deserved help.”

When Steven shared those words during his River’s Bend alumni interview, they captured something many people struggling with mental health challenges or substance use disorders feel but rarely say out loud.

Not everyone believes they deserve care.

Some people don’t seek treatment because they are afraid.

Others don’t seek treatment because they are overwhelmed.

And many don’t seek treatment because they are carrying something even heavier: shame.

While guilt and shame are often used interchangeably, research shows they are profoundly different emotions—and understanding the difference can be life-changing.

The Difference Between Guilt and Shame

Dr. Brené Brown, one of the world’s leading researchers on vulnerability, courage, and shame, often summarizes the distinction this way:

Guilt says, “I did something bad.”

Shame says, “I am bad.”

At first glance, the difference may seem subtle.

In reality, it can shape how we view ourselves, our relationships, and our ability to heal.

Guilt focuses on behavior.

It acknowledges that we made a mistake, hurt someone, or acted in a way that doesn’t align with our values.

While uncomfortable, guilt can actually serve a healthy purpose. It can motivate us to take responsibility, make amends, and choose a different path moving forward.

Shame is different.

Shame attacks identity.

Instead of focusing on what we did, shame convinces us that our mistakes define who we are.

Rather than saying, “I made a poor decision,” shame whispers, “I am a poor person.”

And that’s where healing becomes difficult.

Why Shame Is So Dangerous in Recovery

Research by psychologists Dr. June Tangney and Dr. Ronda Dearing, whose work has extensively explored guilt and shame, found that guilt is often associated with positive behavioral change, while shame is more likely to be connected to avoidance, withdrawal, anger, and self-destructive behaviors.

In other words, guilt can encourage growth.

Shame often encourages hiding.

This is particularly important for individuals struggling with mental health concerns or substance use disorders.

When someone feels guilty, they may be more likely to reach out for help.

When someone feels ashamed, they often believe they don’t deserve help in the first place.

They isolate.

They keep secrets.

They avoid difficult conversations.

They convince themselves that nobody would understand.

For many people, shame becomes the very thing that keeps them stuck.

Steven’s Story: When Shame Becomes a Barrier

For Steven, shame played a significant role in his addiction.

As his drinking escalated, so did his feelings of self-worthlessness.

He knew he was struggling.

He knew he needed support.

Yet he questioned whether he deserved it.

That internal battle is one many people know all too well.

They tell themselves:

“I’ve made too many mistakes.”

“I’ve hurt too many people.”

“I should be able to fix this on my own.”

“I’m not worthy of recovery.”

These beliefs don’t just create emotional pain.

They create distance—from treatment, from connection, and from the possibility of healing.

One of the most powerful moments in Steven’s recovery occurred during treatment when he participated in a discussion about the difference between guilt and shame.

“I just lumped everything together,” he said. “I didn’t realize there was a difference.”

That realization changed how he viewed himself.

For the first time, he began separating his actions from his identity.

He could acknowledge mistakes without defining himself by them.

He could recognize that he had done harmful things while still believing he was capable of becoming something more.

The Antidote to Shame Is Connection

According to Brené Brown’s research, shame thrives in secrecy, silence, and judgment.

It loses power when exposed to empathy, understanding, and connection.

This is why community plays such a critical role in recovery.

Whether through therapy, support groups, recovery meetings, family support, or trusted friendships, healing often begins when someone realizes they are not alone.

At River’s Bend, we frequently see this transformation happen in both individual and group settings.

A person enters treatment believing their struggles are unique.

They believe nobody could possibly understand what they’ve done or what they’ve experienced.

Then they hear someone else tell a similar story.

And suddenly, they realize they are not broken.

They are human.

That shift can be profound.

Because the opposite of shame isn’t perfection.

It’s connection.

You Are More Than Your Worst Day

One of the most damaging lies shame tells us is that our worst moments define us.

That our mistakes are the sum total of who we are.

That if people knew the whole story, they would walk away.

Yet every day, recovery proves otherwise.

People heal.

People rebuild relationships.

People make amends.

People learn healthier ways to cope.

People discover strengths they never knew they possessed.

Most importantly, people learn that they are worthy of care long before they feel worthy of it.

This doesn’t mean ignoring mistakes or avoiding accountability.

Recovery requires honesty.

Growth requires responsibility.

But responsibility and self-condemnation are not the same thing.

You can acknowledge harm without believing you are beyond help.

You can regret your choices without surrendering your worth.

If You’re Struggling, Give Yourself Grace

If you are carrying guilt, ask yourself what lesson it may be trying to teach you.

If you are carrying shame, ask yourself whether you’ve confused something you did with who you are.

The answer may be the beginning of healing.

As Steven discovered, recovery isn’t about becoming a perfect person.

It’s about becoming an honest one.

It’s about learning that setbacks do not define you.

Mistakes do not define you.

A diagnosis does not define you.

And neither does your past.

If you’re struggling with mental health challenges, substance use, or feelings of worthlessness, remember this:

You do not have to earn the right to receive help.

You do not have to prove that you are worthy of care.

You do not have to wait until you feel “bad enough” or “deserving enough.”

You are worthy now.

Not because of what you’ve done.

Not because of what you’ve achieved.

But simply because you are human.

And every human being deserves the opportunity to heal.

The post Guilt vs. Shame: The Difference That Can Change a Recovery Journey appeared first on River's Bend, P.C..

From Friday night football to college move-in day, here’s why mixed emotions are completely normal, and when it may be time to ask for help.

Across Southeast Michigan, the signs of a new school year are everywhere.

Parents are filling shopping carts with notebooks, backpacks, and calculators. High school parking lots are coming back to life with marching band rehearsals, football practices, cross-country meets, and student orientations. College campuses like Michigan State University, the University of Michigan, Oakland University, Wayne State University, Central Michigan University, and Grand Valley State University are preparing to welcome thousands of students moving into residence halls for another exciting year.

For many Michigan families, August doesn’t simply mark the end of summer.

It marks the beginning of a brand-new season.

One filled with excitement…

…and often, a little anxiety.

Whether your child is starting kindergarten, entering middle school, preparing for senior year, or heading off to college for the very first time, it’s completely normal to experience a mix of emotions during this transition.¹

The good news?

Feeling nervous doesn’t necessarily mean something is wrong.

In many cases, it means you’re human.

Big Changes Bring Big Feelings

Back-to-school season is filled with change.

• A new teacher.
• A different classroom.
• A tougher academic schedule.
• New teammates.
• New friends.
• More homework.
• Less free time.

For college students, it may mean leaving home, meeting a roommate for the first time, navigating a new campus, or learning how to balance classes, work, and independence.

Parents experience changes, too.

Watching your child board the kindergarten bus, start high school, or move into a college dorm can bring feelings of pride, excitement, sadness, and worry all at the same time.

Transitions affect the entire family.

And that’s okay.

Those Back-to-School Butterflies? They’re Usually Normal.

Most students experience some level of nervousness before school begins.

You may notice:

• Trouble falling asleep the night before school
• Worry about making friends
• Concerns about teachers or classes
• Nervousness before sports tryouts or performances
• Stomach aches before the first day
• Questions like, “What if nobody talks to me?”

These reactions are incredibly common.

In fact, they often fade as routines develop and students begin feeling more comfortable in their new environment.

One of the best things parents can do is acknowledge those feelings without immediately trying to “fix” them.²

Sometimes children simply need to hear: “It’s okay to feel nervous. New experiences can feel exciting and scary at the same time.”

Michigan Traditions We Love…Can Also Bring Pressure

Back-to-school season is full of traditions that make living in Michigan special.

• Friday night football games.
• Marching band performances.
• Homecoming week.
• Spirit days.
• The first school dance.
• Senior sunrise.
• College move-in weekend.
• Tailgates.
• Welcome Week activities.
• Greek recruitment.
• The first rivalry game.

These moments create memories that last a lifetime.

But they can also create pressure.

Social media often makes it seem like everyone is making friends instantly, succeeding academically, and enjoying every moment.

The reality is much different.

Many students quietly wonder:

“Will I fit in?”

“Will I make friends?”

“Am I good enough?”

“What if I don’t belong?”

These thoughts are more common than many people realize.

Helping students understand they are not alone can reduce feelings of isolation during times of transition.³

When Anxiety May Be Something More

While temporary nervousness is a normal part of growing up, anxiety that persists or begins interfering with everyday life deserves additional attention.

Parents may want to seek additional support if their child:

• Frequently refuses to attend school
• Experiences panic attacks or intense physical symptoms
• Withdraws from family or friends
• Shows significant changes in mood or behavior
• Has difficulty sleeping for several weeks
• Experiences noticeable changes in eating habits
• Loses interest in activities they once enjoyed
• Shows a significant decline in academic performance
• Talks about feeling hopeless or overwhelmed

The earlier concerns are recognized, the sooner families can access the support they need.⁴

Five Ways Parents Can Help Ease the Transition

You don’t have to have all the answers.

Sometimes the smallest actions make the biggest difference.

1. Create predictable routines.

Consistent bedtimes, meals, and morning routines help children feel more secure.

2. Listen more than you talk.

Give children space to express worries without immediately trying to solve every problem.

3. Focus on progress—not perfection.

Remind students that adjusting takes time.

Nobody has everything figured out during the first week of school.

4. Stay connected.

Simple conversations during dinner or on the drive home can reveal how children are really feeling.

5. Know when to ask for help.

If concerns continue or begin affecting everyday life, reaching out for professional support is a sign of strength as a parent or caregiver.

Continue Your Back-to-School Mental Wellness Journey

Looking for more ways to help your family start the school year feeling confident?

Continue exploring River’s Bend resources:

• Why Routine Is One of the Most Powerful Tools for Better Mental Health
• Download the Back-to-Routine Routine Builder
• Download the Free Mid-Year Mental Wellness Reset Workbook
• When School Support Isn’t Enough: Knowing When to Refer a Student for Outpatient Mental Health Care
• Recognize Teen Substance Use Early and Intervene with Compassion

Helping Michigan Families Thrive One School Year at a Time

Whether your child is starting kindergarten, entering high school, or moving into a college dorm, every new school year brings opportunities for growth, connection, and resilience.

If your child’s worries don’t improve, or seem to be getting worse, know that support is available.

At River’s Bend, we’ve been helping children, adolescents, adults, and families throughout Southeast Michigan build healthier futures for more than 30 years through compassionate, evidence-based behavioral healthcare.

Sometimes all a student needs is time to adjust. Sometimes they need a little more support.

Either way, you don’t have to navigate the journey alone.

References 

1. Richburg, A. (2021). Depression, Anxiety, and Pubertal timing: current research and future directions. University of Michigan Undergraduate Research Journal, 15(0). https://doi.org/10.3998/umurj.1383  ↩︎
2. Ogle, R. (2024). Executive Function, Self-Efficacy, and school Engagement among youth in Clinical Treatment for Anxiety and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. In Michigan State University Libraries. https://doi.org/10.25335/g4hd-f404  ↩︎
3. Sundqvist, A. J. E., Nyman-Kurkiala, P., Ness, O., & Hemberg, J. (2024). The influence of educational transitions on loneliness and mental health from emerging adults’ perspectives. International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and Well-Being, 19(1), 2422142. https://doi.org/10.1080/17482631.2024.2422142  ↩︎
4. National Scientific Council on the Developing Child (2010). Persistent Fear and Anxiety Can Affect Young Children’s Learning and Development: Working Paper No. 9. http://www.developingchild.net  ↩︎

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As summer routines shift and schedules become less predictable, behavioral health professionals often notice a familiar pattern emerging among their patients: increased emotional exhaustion, worsening anxiety symptoms, family conflict, disrupted sleep, and higher vulnerability to substance use. While these concerns may initially present as “summer stress,” they can also signal something more significant, emotional fatigue or burnout.

Understanding the distinction between the two is critical for healthcare providers seeking to identify risk early, intervene appropriately, and connect individuals to the right level of care.

Emotional Fatigue: An Early Warning Sign

Emotional fatigue refers to a state of mental and emotional depletion resulting from prolonged exposure to stress. Unlike burnout, emotional fatigue may be temporary and responsive to restoration strategies when recognized early.

Patients experiencing emotional fatigue often report:

• Feeling overwhelmed by daily responsibilities
• Increased irritability or frustration
• Difficulty concentrating
• Reduced motivation
• Sleep disturbances
• Feeling emotionally “drained” by situations they previously managed well
• Decreased patience with family members, colleagues, or caregivers

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), warning signs of emotional distress can include changes in sleeping or eating patterns, pulling away from relationships, lack of energy, persistent sadness, difficulty concentrating, and increased use of alcohol or other substances. These symptoms often emerge gradually and may be dismissed as normal reactions to seasonal transitions or life demands.

For providers, emotional fatigue represents an important clinical opportunity: intervention during this phase may prevent progression to more severe impairment.

When Emotional Fatigue Becomes Burnout

Burnout is more than stress. The World Health Organization recognizes burnout as an occupational phenomenon resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed.

Clinically, burnout is characterized by three primary dimensions:

• Emotional exhaustion
• Depersonalization or cynicism
• Reduced sense of personal accomplishment

Although traditionally associated with helping professions, burnout increasingly affects parents, caregivers, students, executives, and individuals managing chronic health conditions.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notes that workers experiencing burnout often feel exhausted and cynical and may struggle to respond effectively to normal life demands both inside and outside of work. Burnout has also been associated with increased rates of anxiety, depression, reduced productivity, and diminished quality of life.

Emerging research further supports the relationship between emotional exhaustion and environmental stressors. A recent CDC-supported study identified emotional exhaustion as the earliest stage of burnout, influenced by organizational demands and inadequate support systems.

Why Summer Can Amplify Risk

Summer is often portrayed as restorative, yet it can disrupt the protective structures that support emotional wellness.

Patients may experience:

• Loss of routine and predictability
• Increased caregiving demands
• Childcare and supervision challenges
• Financial pressures related to summer activities
• Reduced access to school-based supports
• Social isolation
• Greater opportunities for substance experimentation among adolescents
• Difficulty maintaining established coping strategies

For individuals already managing depression, anxiety disorders, trauma histories, or substance use disorders, these stressors may contribute to symptom exacerbation.

Professionals should remain particularly attentive to adolescents and young adults, whose decreased structure and increased autonomy can heighten both mental health concerns and substance use risk during the summer months.

Integrating Whole-Person Care Into Practice

Recognizing emotional fatigue and burnout is only the first step. Equally important is helping patients develop insight, identify coping strategies, and access appropriate levels of support before symptoms escalate.

River’s Bend developed the free Mid-Year Mental Wellness Reset Workbook as a practical resource that professionals can incorporate into clinical practice.

The workbook includes:

• A burnout self-assessment
• Guided reflection exercises
• Values clarification activities
• Goal-reset worksheets
• Self-care planning tools
• Guidance on recognizing when professional intervention may be warranted

Behavioral health clinicians, primary care providers, school counselors, discharge planners, and employee assistance professionals can use these tools to facilitate conversations about emotional wellness, normalize help-seeking behaviors, and encourage proactive engagement in care.

Rather than waiting for patients to reach crisis points, these structured exercises promote self-awareness and collaborative treatment planning.

Leveraging the Continuum of Care

Whole-person care requires recognizing that individuals move through different levels of need over time.

River’s Bend’s continuum of outpatient behavioral health services allows referral partners to connect patients with evidence-based interventions tailored to their current level of functioning, including:

• Mental Health Intensive Outpatient Programming (IOP)
• Substance Use Disorder Intensive Outpatient Programming (IOP)
• Adolescent Intensive Outpatient Programming (IOP)
• Partial Hospitalization Programming (PHP)
• Flexible in-person and virtual treatment options

For patients experiencing worsening symptoms, impaired functioning, relapse risk, or insufficient response to traditional outpatient therapy, these programs offer structured support while allowing individuals to remain connected to their communities and daily lives.

This coordinated approach reinforces continuity of care and strengthens outcomes across healthcare systems.

Supporting Patients Before Crisis Occurs

Summer can serve as both a stressor and an opportunity.

By distinguishing emotional fatigue from burnout, screening thoughtfully, and utilizing practical tools that encourage reflection and early intervention, providers can help patients build resilience before symptoms become crises.

At River’s Bend, we believe meaningful recovery begins with awareness, compassionate support, and access to the right level of care at the right time.

Download the free Mid-Year Mental Wellness Reset Workbook to begin these conversations with the individuals and families you serve—and discover how River’s Bend can partner with you in delivering comprehensive, whole-person behavioral healthcare.

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For many individuals and families, the decision to seek treatment for substance use doesn’t happen all at once, it builds over time. What often starts as concern gradually becomes urgency. And when that moment comes, one of the hardest questions can be: Where do we go from here?

That’s where strong partnerships matter.

For years, River’s Bend and Henry Ford Maplegrove Center have worked closely together to support individuals at different stages of recovery. While Maplegrove provides medically supported detoxification, residential treatment, and addiction stabilization, River’s Bend helps many patients continue their recovery journey through structured outpatient care after discharge.

Together, the two organizations help create something that is critically important in behavioral healthcare: continuity.

A long-standing leader in addiction treatment

Henry Ford Maplegrove Center has been a recognized name in addiction treatment in Michigan for more than 40 years. The facility offers a full continuum of substance use treatment services, including:

• Detoxification
• Residential treatment
• Medication-assisted treatment
• Individual and group therapy
• Family support programming

Their clinical approach is rooted in evidence-based care while also recognizing that recovery is deeply personal.

Christine V. Reeves, LMSW, who works closely with patients and referral partners at Maplegrove, explained that patient-centered care has always been central to the organization’s mission.

“We don’t have a set requirement for how many days someone needs to be in treatment. Length of stay is patient-centered and based on individual needs.”

That flexibility allows treatment teams to focus less on timelines and more on helping people stabilize physically, emotionally, and psychologically.

What addiction treatment actually looks like

For many people unfamiliar with residential addiction treatment, the process can feel intimidating or uncertain. Christine emphasized that one of Maplegrove’s priorities is helping patients feel safe and welcomed from the very first phone call.

“People are so afraid to call,” she said. “Our intake team does an incredible job relieving anxieties as much as they can and helping patients feel supported before they even arrive.”

Once admitted, patients move through medical and clinical assessments before beginning treatment programming. Care often includes:

• Medical detox and stabilization
• Individual therapy
• Group therapy
• Psychiatric support
• Peer recovery support
• Recovery community meetings

Maplegrove also offers exposure to multiple recovery pathways, including AA, SMART Recovery, Dharma Recovery, Gamblers Anonymous, and peer recovery coaching.

Importantly, treatment is not limited to group work alone.

“There are things people are not going to talk about in front of everybody,” Christine explained. “We have a high concentration on individual therapy, even while patients are inpatient, and I feel proud that we can provide that.”

Treating mental health and substance use together

Substance use disorders rarely exist in isolation. Many individuals entering treatment are also navigating anxiety, depression, trauma, or other mental health conditions.

Maplegrove’s treatment model is designed with that reality in mind.

The program incorporates DBT-informed treatment, psychiatric support, individualized care planning, and therapy approaches that address both addiction and mental health simultaneously.

This integrated approach reflects what research continues to show: treating co-occurring disorders together leads to stronger long-term outcomes than treating each issue separately.

Recovery does not end at discharge

One of the biggest misconceptions about addiction treatment is that recovery is complete once someone leaves residential care.

In reality, discharge is often the beginning of the next phase.

At Maplegrove, aftercare planning starts immediately.

“Aftercare planning starts on day one,” Christine said. “We already have it in the background from the start, and then we narrow down what’s going to be the best fit for that client.”

That next step frequently includes outpatient treatment programs like those offered at River’s Bend.

Why the partnership with River’s Bend matters

The relationship between Maplegrove and River’s Bend is built on direct communication, shared trust, and a mutual commitment to patient care.

When a patient is preparing for discharge, the teams coordinate closely to ensure the transition feels as seamless as possible.

“If there’s anything River’s Bend needs to know—or anything we need from them—we contact Leah, Bruce, Jessica, Amy, or the team directly,” Christine explained. “We have clear communication and direct access to each other because we want the transition to go as smoothly as possible for the patient.”

That level of coordination matters more than many people realize.

Transitions between levels of care are often vulnerable moments in recovery. Without structure and follow-up support, the risk of relapse increases significantly. Research from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) consistently shows that continuity of care improves treatment engagement and long-term recovery outcomes.¹

River’s Bend helps bridge that gap by providing Intensive Outpatient Programs (IOP) and Partial Hospitalization Programs (PHP) that allow individuals to continue structured treatment while returning gradually to everyday life.

Christine noted that River’s Bend is often able to get patients connected quickly after discharge.

“River’s Bend does a great job getting our clients in within five to seven days—usually even sooner than that,” she said.

Trust matters in referral relationships

For patients entering recovery, trust is everything.

Christine described how referral partnerships help reduce uncertainty for individuals who may already feel overwhelmed by the treatment system.

“Patients want to know who you trust for them to go to next,” she explained. “If Maplegrove says they can trust River’s Bend, the hope is that patients feel more comfortable and open to receiving care there too.”

She also emphasized that strong partnerships are built through real relationships, not just referral lists.

“I only feel comfortable referring people to places and providers I actually know,” she said. “I want to know what kind of care they provide and whether they truly care about the patient.”

That shared philosophy is one of the reasons the partnership between River’s Bend and Maplegrove has remained strong.

A connected approach to recovery

Recovery is rarely linear. Many individuals move through different levels of care over time, depending on their needs, progress, and life circumstances.

What matters most is having providers who work together instead of in isolation.

The partnership between Henry Ford Maplegrove Center and River’s Bend helps create a more connected experience for patients—one where treatment does not feel fragmented or impersonal, but coordinated and supportive from one stage to the next.

For individuals and families facing addiction, that continuity can make all the difference.

References

1. McKay, J. R. (2021). Impact of continuing care on recovery from substance use disorder. Alcohol Research, 41(1), 01. https://doi.org/10.35946/arcr.v41.1.01  ↩︎

The post Understanding Addiction Treatment: How Henry Ford Maplegrove and River’s Bend Work Together in Recovery appeared first on River's Bend, P.C..

How One Man’s Recovery Journey Is Helping Break the Stigma Around Alcohol Use Disorder

By the time Lowell walked through the doors of River’s Bend, he had spent nearly a year searching for help.

Not because he didn’t want treatment.

Not because he didn’t know he needed it.

Because asking for help felt harder than living with the pain.

For decades, Lowell built the kind of life many people would admire. He spent 33 years developing his career, eventually rising into leadership roles in operations, sales, and customer service. He built a successful career. Raised a family. Retired early. Became a grandfather.

From the outside, everything looked fine.

Inside, however, alcohol had quietly become a battle he was losing.

And like many men of his generation, he carried that burden alone.

The Hidden Face of Addiction

When people think about addiction, they often picture someone who has lost everything.

Lowell’s story challenges that stereotype.

He wasn’t unemployed, nor was he facing legal trouble or sleeping on the streets. Instead, Lowell was a successful executive, a husband, a father, and a proud grandfather.

Yet he was suffering from the same disease that affects millions of Americans every year.

“My story doesn’t look like what people think addiction looks like,” Lowell says. “But it was destroying my life all the same.”

His relationship with alcohol stretched back to college. Like many people, drinking started socially. Over time, it became routine. Then dependence quietly took hold.

The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated everything.

Retired and spending more time at home, Lowell found himself drinking more frequently. What once seemed manageable slowly became overwhelming.

The alcohol stopped providing relief.

“It got to the point where drinking didn’t make me feel better anymore,” he recalls. “Not drinking didn’t make me feel better either. I was trapped.”

For many individuals living with alcohol use disorder, this is a familiar experience. The substance that once seemed to relieve stress eventually becomes the source of it.

Yet stigma often prevents people from reaching out.

Especially men.¹

Especially men who have spent their entire lives being the provider, the problem solver, and the person others depend on.

A Moment of Hope

One afternoon, while desperately searching online for treatment options, Lowell drove to River’s Bend’s Troy office.

He wasn’t sure why, especially since he didn’t have an appointment or feel completely ready to start treatment. Deep down, he simply knew he needed something to change.

Sitting nervously in the lobby, he met a special staff member- Amy Buchanan, River’s Bend’s beloved Practice Manager. She saw a person in need and stepped in to help.

The conversation lasted only a few minutes.

But those few minutes changed everything.

“She came out and talked with me,” Lowell says. “She told me there was hope.”

His voice still catches when he talks about that moment.

“I walked out of there believing for the first time that maybe I could get better.”

For someone drowning in shame and uncertainty, hope can be the most powerful intervention of all.

That brief interaction would stay with him for nearly a year.

And when he was finally ready to seek treatment, he knew exactly where to turn.

The Day Everything Changed

April 15, 2024.

Lowell remembers the date clearly. Ironically, it was a Monday!

After another difficult weekend, he woke up and realized he could not keep living the way he had been living.

He looked at his wife and said something she never expected to hear.

“I need help.”

Without hesitation, she replied:

“Let’s do it.”

That same day, Lowell entered treatment at Henry Ford Maplegrove Center.

The decision marked the beginning of a recovery journey that would ultimately transform his life.

Why Partnerships Matter in Recovery

One of the most vulnerable moments in addiction treatment occurs when someone leaves residential care.

Research consistently shows that continuity of care plays a critical role in long-term recovery outcomes.²

This is why the partnership between Henry Ford Maplegrove and River’s Bend is so important.

For years, the two organizations have worked together to provide seamless transitions for individuals moving from residential treatment into outpatient recovery services. While Henry Ford Maplegrove provides medically supported detoxification, residential treatment, and stabilization services, River’s Bend helps individuals continue building recovery through structured outpatient care and long-term therapeutic support. This coordinated approach helps reduce gaps in treatment and creates a stronger foundation for sustained recovery.

After completing treatment at Maplegrove, Lowell was referred directly to River’s Bend’s Substance Use Disorder Intensive Outpatient Program.

The connection immediately felt right.

“I realized River’s Bend was the same place where someone had given me hope a year earlier,” he says. “It felt like everything came full circle.”

Learning That Addiction Is a Disease

One of the most important breakthroughs in Lowell’s recovery was understanding that addiction wasn’t a personal failure.

It was a disease.

For years, he blamed himself.

He believed he lacked willpower.

He believed he simply wasn’t trying hard enough.

Many people living with substance use disorders carry the same belief.

The stigma surrounding addiction often convinces individuals that they should be able to stop through sheer determination.

But recovery taught Lowell something different.

“I learned there was something happening in my brain,” he says. “This wasn’t about being weak. This was a disease.”

That realization removed years of shame.

And once the shame started to fade, healing could begin.

The Power of Being Truly Heard

Throughout his recovery, one person became especially important: River’s Bend Clinical Director Jessica Hillen.

For Lowell, therapy wasn’t about being told what to do.

It was about being given the space to discover his own answers.

“Jessica never told me how to live my life,” he says. “She helped me find my own solutions.”

For a man who had spent decades leading teams, solving problems, and making decisions, that approach mattered.

Jessica helped him work through health concerns, emotional challenges, and the difficult process of rebuilding his identity without alcohol.

Rather than focusing only on sobriety, they focused on creating a life worth staying sober for.

Building a Life Bigger Than Addiction

Today, Lowell’s life looks dramatically different.

He has lost more than 60 pounds while exercising and walking a few miles most days. Additionally, he volunteers regularly and remains active in his faith community. He also values spending quality time with his family, including a granddaughter who is preparing to begin nursing school.

Most importantly, he has rediscovered a sense of purpose.

“Two years ago, I didn’t feel valuable,” he says. “Today, I feel like I have something to give.”

That desire to give back has become one of the most meaningful parts of his recovery.

Several times a year, Lowell returns to Henry Ford Maplegrove to speak with men entering treatment.

When he sees someone arriving with a suitcase and fear in their eyes, he remembers exactly how that felt.

And he wants them to know what someone once told him.

There is hope.

Why Sharing Stories Matters

Lowell understands that many people would never choose to tell this story publicly.

The stigma surrounding addiction remains powerful.

But that is exactly why he believes sharing his experience matters.

“If my story helps one person get treatment sooner, it’s worth it.”

Stories like Lowell’s challenge the misconception that addiction only affects certain people.

They remind us that substance use disorders can impact successful professionals, loving spouses, devoted parents, and respected community members.

Most importantly, they show that recovery is possible.

Not because someone suddenly becomes stronger.

But because they finally allow themselves to ask for help.

A Message to Anyone Struggling

For anyone reading this who sees themselves in Lowell’s story, he offers a simple message:

Don’t wait for another Monday. It is dangerous to hesitate until things get worse or until you have lost everything.

Ask for help.

Because recovery isn’t about becoming someone new.

It’s about finding your way back to yourself.

And sometimes, that journey begins with a single conversation.

Just like it did for Lowell who has developed a matra from his experience that we can all learn from: “Every fall is a chance to rise.”

References

1. National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). (2026, January 26). Sex Differences in Substance Use Disorder Treatment. National Institute on Drug Abuse. https://nida.nih.gov/publications/research-reports/substance-use-in-women/sex-differences-in-substance-use-disorder-treatment 
2. Maoz, H., Sabbag, R., Mendlovic, S., Krieger, I., Shefet, D., & Lurie, I. (2024). Long-term efficacy of a continuity-of-care treatment model for patients with severe mental illness who transition from in-patient to out-patient services. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 224(4), 122–126. https://doi.org/10.1192/bjp.2024.9 

1. National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). (2026, January 26). Sex Differences in Substance Use Disorder Treatment. National Institute on Drug Abuse. https://nida.nih.gov/publications/research-reports/substance-use-in-women/sex-differences-in-substance-use-disorder-treatment  ↩︎
2. Maoz, H., Sabbag, R., Mendlovic, S., Krieger, I., Shefet, D., & Lurie, I. (2024). Long-term efficacy of a continuity-of-care treatment model for patients with severe mental illness who transition from in-patient to out-patient services. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 224(4), 122–126. https://doi.org/10.1192/bjp.2024.9  ↩︎

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Mental Health, Caregiver Stress, and Anticipatory Grief in the Sandwich Generation

There is a moment in adulthood that few people feel prepared for.

It is not graduating from college.

It is not getting married.

It is not becoming a parent.

Instead, it is the moment you realize your parents may not always be able to care for themselves in the way they once did.

For example, you may help your dad access a patient portal because he cannot remember his password.

Perhaps you notice your mom repeating the same story several times during dinner.

You may also find yourself picking up medication for your child and your aging parent on the same afternoon.

Or, you may receive the phone call you have quietly feared for years.

For many older Millennials and Gen X adults, this stage of life arrives while they are already managing many responsibilities.

They may be:

• Raising children
• Building careers
• Maintaining relationships
• Managing finances
• Caring for their homes
• Supporting friendships
• Scheduling appointments
• Keeping up with school events

Meanwhile, their parents begin needing more help.

As a result, these adults often find themselves caught between two generations that both need their care.

Researchers commonly refer to this group as the sandwich generation.

And, understandably, this season can feel overwhelming.

What Is the Sandwich Generation?

The sandwich generation includes adults who care for aging parents while also supporting children, managing careers, maintaining relationships, and handling daily responsibilities.¹

Often, these adults are members of Generation X or older Millennials.

Families throughout Southeast Michigan and across the state experience this challenge every day.

For instance, you may be coordinating care for aging parents in Grand Blanc. At the same time, you may be driving between medical appointments in Birmingham. Meanwhile, you may also be raising children and managing a household in Oxford.

Because of these overlapping responsibilities, the emotional and physical effects can be significant.

Even so, many people feel that they should simply handle everything on their own.

However, caregiver stress and anticipatory grief are both common. More importantly, both deserve attention and support.

Anticipatory Grief: Grieving Before the Goodbye

One of the most difficult parts of caring for an aging parent is realizing that grief may begin before death.²

You may grieve:

• The parent who once had all the answers
• The loss of family traditions
• Their declining independence
• Changes in their memory or personality
• The gradual reversal of family roles
• A future that may no longer be possible

This experience is known as anticipatory grief. In other words, it is the grief that occurs before an expected loss.³

Anticipatory grief may bring sadness, anger, guilt, fear, exhaustion, and even relief.

Although these emotions can feel confusing, they are common responses to a painful and uncertain situation.

For example, you can miss someone who is still sitting across the table from you.

Likewise, you can love your parent deeply while also feeling frustrated by the demands of caregiving.

At the same time, you can feel grateful and overwhelmed.

Both feelings can be true.

The Hidden Mental Load of Caregiving

Caregiving is not only physical.

It is also emotional, logistical, and often invisible.

For example, caregiving may involve:

• Knowing which specialist to contact
• Tracking medications
• Researching assisted living options
• Coordinating care with siblings
• Completing insurance paperwork
• Checking in on your children
• Responding to work emails
• Remembering birthdays and appointments
• Supporting your partner after a difficult day

Individually, these tasks may seem manageable.

However, together, they can quickly become exhausting.

Research shows that family caregivers often experience more stress, anxiety, sleep problems, and symptoms of depression than people who are not caregivers.⁴

Even so, many caregivers continue telling themselves:

“Other people have it harder.”

“I should be able to handle this.”

“I do not have time to fall apart.”

However, admitting that caregiving is difficult does not mean you are ungrateful.

Instead, it means you are being honest about what this role requires.

Why Caregiver Guilt Is So Common

Guilt often becomes part of the caregiving experience.

For example, you may feel guilty because:

• You do not call often enough
• You become frustrated
• You live far away
• You want a break
• You disagree with your siblings
• You need to set boundaries
• You wonder whether you did enough

The truth is that no one handles caregiving perfectly.

There is no perfect script for helping a parent move into assisted living.

Likewise, there is no reward for saying every right thing during hospice care.

There is also no simple handbook for explaining dementia to your children while trying to understand it yourself.

Ultimately, there is simply love doing its best under difficult circumstances.

Parenting Children While Caring for Aging Parents

Many Gen X and Millennial adults are parenting children while also supporting aging parents.⁵

For example, one generation may need a ride to soccer practice.

Meanwhile, the other may need transportation to a medical appointment.

One child may need help with algebra.

At the same time, a parent may need help accessing an online bank account.

Both generations need support.

As a result, it can become easy to disappear from your own life.

Millions of Americans provide unpaid care to aging family members while also balancing work and family responsibilities.

Therefore, feeling stretched thin does not mean you are failing.

Instead, it may simply mean that you are carrying too much.

Signs of Caregiver Stress and Burnout

The emotional demands of caregiving can affect your mental health.

For instance, caregivers may experience:

• Anxiety
• Depression
• Chronic stress
• Sleep disruption
• Irritability
• Emotional exhaustion
• Social withdrawal
• Loss of interest in enjoyable activities

Over time, the effort required to support aging parents while maintaining a career, relationships, and parenting responsibilities may lead to caregiver burnout.

You may need additional support if you feel:

• Constantly exhausted
• Overwhelmed by daily responsibilities
• More emotionally reactive
• Disconnected from other people
• Unable to enjoy activities
• Unable to rest without feeling guilty

Unfortunately, there is no way to remove all the pain that can come with watching someone you love age.

However, there are ways to carry that pain more gently.

Let Other People Help

First, allow others to support you.

Accept the meal.

Say yes when someone offers to sit with your parent.

Ask a sibling to make a phone call.

Delegate tasks whenever possible.

Although asking for help may feel uncomfortable, you do not have to manage every responsibility alone.

Name What You Are Feeling

Next, try to identify your emotions.

You may feel:

• Grief
• Fear
• Anger
• Sadness
• Relief
• Love

Naming your emotions can make them feel less overwhelming.

In addition, it may reduce the shame that often surrounds difficult feelings.

Protect Your Own Health

Caregivers often place their own health at the bottom of the list.

However, your well-being matters too.

Therefore, try to:

• Attend your medical appointments
• Move your body regularly
• Sleep when possible
• Eat complete meals
• Take short breaks
• Make time for quiet

These actions may seem small.

Even so, they can help protect your physical and emotional health.

Stay Connected to Other People

Isolation can make caregiver stress feel worse.

For that reason, stay connected whenever possible.

You may benefit from:

• Calling a trusted friend
• Joining a caregiver support group
• Talking with a therapist
• Asking relatives for practical help
• Spending time with people who understand

Connection may not change the situation.

However, it can make the situation feel less lonely.

Let Go of Perfection

You will forget things.

You may lose patience.

You will probably second-guess some decisions.

Even so, you can only make choices based on the information you have at the time.

Therefore, you do not have to perform caregiving perfectly.

Sometimes, doing your best is enough.

River’s Bend Resources That May Help

You may also find these River’s Bend resources helpful:

• Mid-Year Mental Health Check: Signs It Is Time to Recenter
• Mid-Year Mental Wellness Reset Workbook
• Emotional Fatigue vs. Burnout: When Summer Stress Signals a Need for Support

After all, caregiving does not happen in isolation.

Your mental health matters too.

Grief After the Loss of a Parent

When a parent dies, grief may feel immediate and overwhelming.

However, it may also feel quiet or delayed.

In some cases, a caregiver may first feel relief after years of stress.

Then, guilt may follow that relief.

There is no single correct way to grieve.⁶

Grief does not move through a neat series of stages.

Instead, it may return unexpectedly.

At times, it may soften.

At other times, it may become sharp again.

For example, you may still reach for the phone.

You may still hear your parent’s voice in your mind.

You may still want to tell them something funny.

These moments are also expressions of love.

Mental Health Support for Caregivers in Michigan

If you are dealing with caregiver stress, anticipatory grief, anxiety, depression, or a major life transition, support is available.

River’s Bend provides compassionate, evidence-based behavioral healthcare for individuals and families throughout Southeast Michigan.

In addition, virtual appointments are available across the state of Michigan.

You may be looking for support while caring for an aging parent.

You may be grieving the loss of someone you love.

Or, you may be trying to balance the many demands of this stage of life.

Whatever you are facing, you do not have to face it alone.

Healing does not require having every answer.

Sometimes, it begins with having support when you need it most.

For Anyone Walking This Road Right Now

Several members of the River’s Bend team have recently lost parents.

Others are caring for aging loved ones while also raising children and managing careers.

Therefore, we understand that this season can feel especially heavy.

Please remember:

You are not alone.

There is no perfect way to love someone through aging and loss.

Sometimes, love looks like:

• Making the phone call
• Asking the difficult question
• Sitting beside the hospital bed
• Listening to the same story again
• Holding a hand
• Remembering a recipe
• Packing a dorm room
• Attending the meeting
• Trying again tomorrow

Ultimately, love is often found in the ordinary and extraordinary moments that make up a life.

If caregiver stress, grief, anxiety, or life changes have become difficult to carry, support is available.

Our therapists understand that mental health is not separate from the realities of life.

Instead, it is woven into them.

Sometimes, strength does not mean carrying everything alone.

Rather, strength may mean allowing someone else to help carry it with you.

Because even the people everyone depends on deserve support.

Resources

1. Lei, L., Leggett, A. N., & Maust, D. T. (2022). A national profile of sandwich generation caregivers providing care to both older adults and children. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 71(3), 799–809. https://doi.org/10.1111/jgs.18138  ↩︎
2. Vandersman, P., Chakraborty, A., Rowley, G., & Tieman, J. (2025). “I thought he had longer than that”: family caregivers’ experiences of grief, loss, and bereavement in residential aged care. BMC Palliative Care, 24(1), 296. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12904-025-01929-6  ↩︎
3. Rogalla, K. B. (2018). Anticipatory grief, proactive coping, social support, and growth: exploring positive experiences of preparing for loss. OMEGA – Journal of Death and Dying, 81(1), 107–129. https://doi.org/10.1177/0030222818761461  ↩︎
4. Schulz, R., & Sherwood, P. R. (2008). Physical and mental health effects of family caregiving. AJN American Journal of Nursing, 108(9), 23–27. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.naj.0000336406.45248.4c  ↩︎
5. atterson, S. E. (2022). Feeling the squeeze. Contexts, 21(4), 20–23. https://doi.org/10.1177/15365042221131075  ↩︎
6. Corr, C. A. (2024). Is it True That “There are no Right or Wrong Ways to Grieve”? OMEGA – Journal of Death and Dying, 302228241266643. https://doi.org/10.1177/00302228241266643  ↩︎

The post The In-Between Generation: Caring for Aging Parents While Raising Children and Living Your Own Life appeared first on River's Bend, P.C..