Mental Fitness CREW

07/16/2025

Our Certified Therapy Dog, Kora, was out in the community creating smiles and warming hearts with her wagging tail 🐾💕

06/06/2025

Behind every child battling PANS/PANDAS is a family holding the weight of the unknown — together.
The appointments, the symptoms, the setbacks, the small victories… none of it is carried alone.

To the couples, co-parents, and caregivers walking this path side by side:
Your love, your strength, and your unity matter.
You are the foundation your child leans on — and your commitment is nothing short of heroic.

📣 Let’s keep showing up for each other.
🧡 Share your story.
💚 Support a family.
🔗 Learn more at lookfoundation.org

05/28/2025

Rethink Mental Health This May!
Mental health awareness means looking deeper—beyond symptoms—to find the why. That’s where PANS/PANDAS is too often missed.

🧠 Inflammation and immune dysfunction can trigger sudden and severe changes in behavior, mood, and thinking. PANS/PANDAS is a treatable, medical condition—not “just” a psychiatric one.

It can look like:
🔸 OCD
🔸 Eating disorders
🔸 Tics
🔸 Anxiety or panic
🔸 Rage, depression, or school refusal
🔸 ADHD or oppositional behavior
🔸 Sudden cognitive decline

But the root cause? Often a misdirected immune response.

When we don’t recognize PANS/PANDAS, kids are labeled, not helped.
When we do recognize it, there’s a path forward—medical treatment, support, and hope.

This Mental Health Awareness Month, challenge assumptions. Share a story. Send a link. Spark a new conversation.

Because awareness isn’t just about knowing—it’s about asking the right questions.

➡️ Learn more and spread the word:
🎥 ASPIRE Webinars: https://aspire.care/resources/aspire-pans-pandas-webinars/
📄 ASPIRE Handouts: https://aspire.care/resources/pans-pandas-brochures-and-handouts/
🛍️ Shop ASPIRE: https://aspire-store.myspreadshop.com/

05/03/2025

05/01/2025

It’s so fitting that today is ‘National Therapy Animal Day’ … and we received word that Kora has been approved as a Certified Therapy Dog!
We hope to start scheduling her into client sessions within the next few weeks! 🙌

04/11/2025

10/10/2024

PANDAS AWARENESS DAY

Learn more about PANS PANDAS PANS PANDAS are misdirected immune responses that result in acute onset of OCD, tics, and/or restricted food intake, along with two neuropsychiatric symptoms in seven […]

08/05/2024

Our favorite quote of the week!

07/31/2024

https://www.facebook.com/mentalfitnesscenter/photos/pb.100049262391252.-2207520000/10150860281326021/?type=3

07/29/2024

We hope you enjoyed some moments of relaxation this past weekend. Simple Mindful Meditation activities can make a world of difference in how you think, feel and behave for adults AND children. Teach them at an early age to practice these pauses in their day and together, learn to sit quietly, stay in the present and appreciate the surroundings.

Try this simple DAILY Mindful meditation activity: Use your 5 senses to make factual, non-judgemental statements about your surroundings. Adults and older children may use all 5 senses. "I SEE a green wall", "I HEAR a bird chirping", "I TASTE peppermint in my mouth", "I FEEL the heat from the sun", "I SMELL coffee brewing".

With younger children, focus on 1 or 2 senses, such as SEE and HEAR. Sit together quietly outside look around or listen. Take turns stating what you see or hear. "I see green grass" "I hear an airplane". Some children may need help at first to quiet their brains and focus in on distant sounds, such as a bird chirping. Encourage them to be very still and quiet and ask "do you hear the bird chirping...tweet tweet?" This will help them to tune in to less obvious sights and sounds in their environment.