Seeds for Change Counseling

09/12/2025

08/28/2025

At Seeds for Change Counseling, we want to pause and provide some information to help your kiddos process the recent shooting in Minneapolis.

Parent Guidelines for
Helping Youth after the Recent Shooting

The recent shooting has been an extremely frightening experience, and the days, weeks, and months following can be very stressful. Your children and family will recover over time, especially with the support of relatives, friends, and community. But families and youth may have had different experiences during and after the shooting, including those who may experienced physical injury, involvement in police investigation, worry about the safety of family members and friends, and loss of loved ones. How long it takes to recover will depend on what happened to you and your family during and after this event. Some adults and children have been seriously injured and will require medical treatment and long-term rehabilitation. Over time, some youth and adults will return to normal routines, while others may struggle. Children and teens may react differently to the shooting depending on their age and prior experiences. Expect that youth may respond in different ways, and be supportive and understanding of different reactions, even when you are having your own reactions and difficulties.

Children's and teen’s reactions to the shooting are strongly influenced by how parents, relatives, teachers, and other caregivers respond to the event. They often turn to these adults for information, comfort, and help. There are many reactions that are common after mass violence. These generally diminish with time, but knowing about them can help you to be supportive, both of yourself and your children.

Common Reactions
• Feelings of anxiety, fear, and worry about the safety of self and others
• Fears that another shooting may occur
• Changes in behavior:
o Increase in activity level
o Decrease in concentration and attention
o Increase in irritability and anger
o Sadness, grief, and/or withdrawal
o Radical changes in attitudes and expectations for the future
o Increases or decreases in sleep and appetite
o Engaging in harmful habits like drinking, using drugs, or doing things that are harmful to self or
others
o Lack of interest in usual activities, including how they spend time with friends
• Physical complaints (headaches, stomachaches, aches and pains)
• Changes in school and work-related habits and behavior with peers and family
• Staying focused on the shooting (talking repeatedly about it)
• Strong reactions to reminders of the shooting (seeing friends who were also present during shooting, media images, smoke, police, memorials)
• Increased sensitivity to sounds (loud noises, screaming)

Send a message to learn more

07/10/2025

START PLANNING!

INTERNATIONAL SELF CARE DAY

Every year on July 24, we celebrate International Self Care Day to promote self-care as a vital foundation of good health care. This day is a reminder for people around the world to prioritize self-care and make it a part of their lifestyle.

06/19/2025

Men’s Health Month
June 2025
There is often a strong focus on men’s physical health — fitness, annual checkups, and heart health — but mental well-being is equally as important because mental health is health!
Just as the body needs care and attention, so does emotional and mental well-being. Yet, there is a silent crisis in men’s mental health — one that too often goes unnoticed or unspoken. Tragically, men are nearly four times more likely to die by su***de than women*, underscoring the urgent need to break this silence and seek support.

NAMI.org

06/02/2025

04/02/2025

National Stress Awareness Month

Stress is one of the biggest public health challenges that we face as Americans, and we can’t
be healthy without considering and including mental health. Although it’s a common belief that
mental health and physical health are separate issues, the reality is that they often cannot be
separated; experiencing stress can lead to many kinds of ailments. In fact, mental and physical
health are two sides of the same coin. Experiencing distress in one’s life can lead to physical
health problems like heart disease, insomnia, digestive issues, and immune system challenges,
while also being a culprit for serious mental health disorders such as generalized anxiety disorder
and major depressive disorder.

Stress is a reaction to a situation where one feels anxious or threatened. We all experience stress,
yet, every person can experience and process stressful situations in very different ways. Common
reactions to a stressful event can include:
• Disbelief, shock, and physical or emotional numbness
• Feeling sad, frustrated, or helpless
• Difficulty concentrating and making decisions
• Headaches, back pains, and stomach problems
• Smoking or the use of alcohol or drugs

At Seeds for Change Counseling we have therapists that are here to help and work with you on ways to reduce stress as well as finding healthier means to manage your stress.

02/28/2025

Self-Injury Awareness Day

At Seeds for Change Counseling we have therapists that are here to help.

Please reach out and we can schedule you to receive help.

02/21/2025

Getting ready for a vendor fair. Lots of goodies. Appreciate Day for Success Fitness.