Plum BHS

04/11/2026

These are Colleen's pets. She has a lot of them, all of whom she loves dearly. She tries to foster animals, but ends up adopting them instead. They all have their own personalities, from shy and aloof to wanting to be on your lap 24/7 (we're looking at you, Tina the Golden Retriever.)

04/11/2026

Honest question: who taught you how to parent? Thought so. That's kind of why we made this class. Free, starts next week, two options if you're in Mille Lacs, Kanabec, Pine, Isanti, or Chisago County.

We are glad you are here. Taking this step, looking for support, wanting to do things differently, matters. This program is designed for parents just like you.

04/11/2026

Happy National Pet Day! 🐾
Meet Hailey’s cats! 😸

Kiki is a scrappy little cat with nothing but love in her heart. She loves snuggling and climbing on top of doors. She will yell loudly until she is picked up by her humans.

Pickles—The Man, The Myth, The Legend. He loves attention and is the most photogenic creature Hailey has ever encountered. He has even starred in films! Just don’t get between him and his dinner…

04/11/2026

Happy National Pet Day! 🐾
Meet Olivia’s pets 💛

Clover: (the dog)
Clover is a Border Collie/Australian Shepherd mix with tons of energy and brains! She was adopted from a farm litter almost 2 years ago and treats her humans and cats as her little herd of sheep. She loves playing hide and seek in the woods and would much rather play with a ball than meet other dogs or people.

Rosie: (the orange cat)
Rosie (also known as sweet baby princess) is 2 years old and was adopted from an animal shelter when she was small enough to hold in one hand! She definitely fits the tortoiseshell and orange cat stereotypes, and she loves to spend her time playing in the kitchen sink and escaping to the porch outside.

Powell: (the grey cat)
Powell is 3 years old and was adopted off Craigslist in Portland, Oregon - he has been on some long road trips! He often has a somewhat judgmental look on his face, but he is a very loving little guy who wants constant petting and attention. Powell loves watching birds from his perch and likes to carry his blue octopus toy around with him, even into bed at night.

04/11/2026

Happy National Pet Day! 🐾
Meet Christine’s dog! 🐶

Name: Second Lieutenant Cookie Watson (Watson for short)
Age: 3 Years old
Favorite Toy: Anything he is not suppose to have
Favorite Food: Socks

04/11/2026

Happy National Pet Day! 🐾
Meet Tana’s cats! 🐈💛

Gracie is turning 3 this year. It is so lovely watching my first pet grow and get older because she has brought so much sunshine into my life. She loves to talk and will make sure she is heard. She never runs out of energy and can play all day. Orange cats are truly energetic, and she also loves to cuddle.

Charlie is a very sleepy, laid-back boy. He loves treats and resting, and he does enjoy playing sometimes. He was one month old when he was adopted and was so happy to find a home after his situation. He will be turning 2 this year, but he is still very much our baby.

04/11/2026

We’re offering a FREE, evidence-based parenting program for caregivers of children ages 0–17. Learn practical skills to manage emotions, respond effectively to behavior, and strengthen your relationship with your child.

Offered online and in-person (Hinckley) for families in:
Chisago, Isanti, Kanabec, Mille Lacs, and Pine County

👉 Register here: https://www.plumbhs.org/mn-parenting-classes/

04/10/2026

DBT Class Update
Assigned April 9 | Due April 16
This week's DBT group focused on interpersonal effectiveness.
1. Make one direct request this week.
Pick someone in your life and ask them to start or stop a specific behavior, calmly, kindly, when you're not already activated. Phrase it as a question rather than a demand:
"Will you please stop doing that?"
"Will you please start doing that?"
Simple. Harder than it sounds. Worth practicing.
2. Complete the Interpersonal Effectiveness worksheet.
This one asks you to work through all the items, not just the ones that feel relevant to you.
Questions? Bring them to your individual session or reach out by email. We're happy to help. 🌿

04/08/2026

DBT Class Update
Assigned: April 2, 2026 | Due: April 9, 2026

Assignment: Mindfulness Worksheet 5 - Mindfulness "How" Skills: not being judgmental, One-Mindfulness, Effectiveness

This week we are practicing the three "how" skills of mindfulness the qualities that shape how we pay attention not just whether we pay attention.

Your task: Practice not being judgmental, one-mindfulness, and effectiveness in your daily life this week and observe what changes.

What you will be doing:

• Notice when you are judging your experience as good or bad, right or wrong and practice describing it without the label
• Choose at least one activity each day to do with complete undivided attention no multitasking no phone just this moment
• In situations where you feel the urge to be right or do what's fair, pause and ask: what would actually work here?
• Track at least two situations per skill where you practiced it and what you noticed
Reflect on which skill felt natural, which felt hard, and what got in the way

Key insight: Most of us think mindfulness is just about paying attention. But how you pay attention matters just as much. Judging everything you notice, doing three things at once, and insisting on being right instead of being effective pulls you out of the present moment and out of your own life.

This week is about the quality of your attention, not just the quantity.

Due: April 9
You have one week to practice paying attention differently. Bring your observations and reflections to class we will dig into what you noticed together.

04/02/2026

RO-DBT Class Update
Assigned: April 8, 2026 | Due: April 15, 2026

Assignment: Worksheet 19.A - Flexible Mind VALIDs: The Seven Levels

This week we're practicing Flexible Mind VALIDs by learning how to validate others in ways that build genuine social connection, emotional understanding, and trust.

Your task:
Practice using the seven levels of validation in real conversations throughout the week, focusing on responding with understanding instead of fixing, correcting, or withdrawing.

What you will be doing:

• Identify real-life conversations where validation is possible
• Practice using the seven levels of Flexible Mind VALIDs
• Stay present and emotionally engaged during interactions
• Notice your tendency to shut down, correct, or problem-solve instead of validate
• Observe how validation changes emotional connection
• Track how others respond when you validate more deeply

The Flexible Mind VALIDs Skill:

1 - Being Present
2 - Accurate Reflection
3 - Empathic Mind Reading
4 - Validating Based on History
5 - Normalizing
6 - Signaling Trust
7 - Radical Genuineness

Key insight:
Over control can lead to withdrawing, correcting, or staying overly logical. Flexible Mind VALIDs help shift this by practicing how to communicate: I see you, I hear you, and your experience makes sense.

Validation is not agreement. It is connection through understanding.

Goal:
To strengthen social connection by practicing deeper levels of validation and noticing what changes when you respond with understanding instead of fixing or shutting down.

Due: April 15
You have one week to practice validation in real conversations and observe how it affects connection.

Validation isn't fixing. Validation isn't agreeing. Validation is understanding.

03/27/2026

DBT Class Update
Assigned March 26, 2026 | Due April 2, 2026

Assignment: Mindfulness Handout 5–5A - Writing a Narrative of Events

This week we're practicing one of the most powerful mindfulness skills in DBT — learning to see the difference between what actually happened and the story we tell about what happened.

Your task: Write a full account of a significant event, then strip it down to only the observable facts.

What you will be doing:
• Write a detailed, blow-by-blow narrative of a significant event — your environment, thoughts, feelings, and actions. Don't hold back. Let it be messy and emotional.
• Go back through and identify every statement that is a plain, observable fact — something a video camera could capture. Highlight those.
• Create a second version using only the facts. Cut every judgment, interpretation, and emotional label.
• Write a short reflection on what you noticed doing this — how did it feel to write the full version? What was it like to read just the facts?

Key insight: We mix facts and judgments constantly without realizing it. "She was being unreasonable" feels like a fact — but it's an interpretation. "She raised her voice and interrupted me three times" is a fact. Both versions of reality can exist, but knowing which is which changes everything. When we can observe without judgment, we create space to respond instead of react.

Due April 2. You have one week to practice seeing clearly.

Bring all three parts to class — your full narrative, your facts-only version, and your written reflection.

03/27/2026

RO DBT Class Update
Assigned: March 25, 2026 | Due: April 1, 2026

Assignment: Radical Openness Worksheet 17.B Kindness First and Foremost

This week we are practicing leading with kindness instead of criticism, correction, or judgment.

Your task: Catch yourself before the critical comment comes out and choose kindness as your first response.

What you will be doing:

• Notice situations where your automatic response is criticism or correction
• Pause before speaking and ask, “What would kindness look like right now?”
• Practice kindness first: warmth, understanding, appreciation, and compassion
• Notice the internal resistance when you choose kindness over being right
• Observe how others respond when you lead with kindness
• Track the difference between interactions that start with criticism versus kindness
• Notice situations where kindness alone was sufficient and correction was not needed

Key insight:
Overcontrol’s first impulse is evaluation and correction. Someone makes a mistake and you point it out. Someone shares something and you notice the flaw. Your corrections might be accurate, but leading with criticism creates distance and defensiveness.

Kindness first means pausing before the critical comment and asking, Is this the moment for correction or for kindness?

The goal is to recognize that people need to feel safe with you before they can hear hard truths. Kindness first does not mean never giving feedback. It means starting with warmth before correction. You can still address problems, but you lead with humanity.

Due: April 1
You have one week to practice choosing kindness over criticism.

When kindness is absent:

• Your “help” lands as criticism
• Your “honesty” lands as harshness
• Your “standards” land as judgment