Wild Tree Wellness

"I was having a conversation the other day with my nine-year-old daughter about kid jobs and adult jobs. My daughter commented that a child’s job is to learn how to be an adult. I immediately responded that a kids job is to learn how to have fun, be playful, be joyful, and be silly. I said an adults job is to take care of adult things and the reason that it’s a kids job to learn how to be playful and silly is because we need that foundation for when we become adults and get bogged down by all of the responsibilities and duties of being in a grown-up body. Let’s be honest, being an adult is far more work than fun. Of course, there is freedom and privilege, but what comes in tandem with that is the heaviness of responsibility. So many adults lose sight of access to joy and playfulness as they feel the weight of adult responsibilities. The heaviness of living as an adult is never going to go away. The strategy is to learn how to balance the pain of adulthood with joy, playfulness, and pleasure."

Read more in our new blog by Lauren Robbins, MS, LPCC, LADC, PMH-C, CCTP
https://wildtreewellness.com/opening-up-to-joy-pleasure/

Photo by Boris Pavlikovsky via Pexels

"Dear little me, you took on so much that was not yours to carry. We can set it down now, whenever you are ready.​​​​​​​​
Love, Me." -S.A. Quinox​​​​​​​​
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Content by Amber Williams, MS, LPCC​​​​​​​​
Photo by Jacub Gomez via Pexels

Content by Corrine Poole, MSW, LICSW

Meet the newest addition to our Eagan team! ✨​​​​​​​​
Knute Sands, MA (he/him) empowers clients to build upon their innate wisdom and strengths in order to find resiliency and healing. He strongly believes people do not “have disorders”, but rather that their mental health symptoms often arise in response to a disordered society or situation.​​​​​​​​
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Knute works with individuals and couples, teens, adults, men's mental health, life transitions, and issues of sexuality, gender and identity.​​​​​​​​
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Learn more about Knute via his bio on our website.​​​​​​​​
https://wildtreewellness.com/providers/knute-sands/
Interested in scheduling with Knute? Fill out the Request an Appointment Submission form on our website!

Early in the podcast Resmaa said, “When we’re talking about trauma, when we’re talking about historical trauma, intergenerational trauma, persistent institutional trauma — and personal traumas, whether that be childhood, adolescence, or adulthood — those things, when they are left constricted, you begin to be shaped around the constriction. And it is wordless. Time decontextualizes trauma.” I often see this in my own work as a therapist, specifically with clients who are carrying the trauma of those before them. It is important that we contextualize trauma - give it a name and a place in your own story so that it’s not hovering and floating around in the present. Resmaa highlights this by saying, “But if you don’t say it, then it’s not operational.” An activity I enjoy doing with clients is creating some sort of timeline of significant events and turning into the chapters of their story. Together we are able to contextualize the trauma in a way that honors its impact but leaves it in the past.​​​​​​​​
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Read more about complex trauma in our new blog post by Cody Flynn, MA:
https://wildtreewellness.com/learning-more-about-complex-trauma/
Photo by Christian Lue on Unsplash

Name:
5 things you can see in your space
4 things you can physically feel around you
3 things you can hear
2 things you can smell
1 thing you can taste

Grounding techniques are a set of practices that turn your attention away from distressing thoughts, worries, or memories and refocus on the present moment. The “5 things” is a useful skill that can be practiced in nearly any environment and helps to slow down distress to bring yourself to the present.

Content by Carly Jarvinen, MA, LMFT
Photo by Kristina Paukshtite via Pexels

"Perhaps we just need little reminders from time to time that we are already dignified, deserving, worthy. Sometimes we don't feel that way because of the wounds and the scars we carry from the past or because of the uncertainty of the future. It is doubtful that we came to feel undeserving on our own...We were taught it in a thousand ways when we were little, and we learned our lessons well." Jon Kabat-Zinn

Content by Alaina Anderson, MA
Photo by Photo by luizclas via Pexels

Interested in gaining support for your anxious child or teen? Both Elizabeth Kittleson and Rachel Kusilek are offering SPACE.​​​​​​​​
This is a short-term program designed for parent attendance only.​​​​​​​​
- Rachel offers virtual and in-person sessions in White Bear Lake. Options include individual + group format.​​​​​​​​
- Liz offers virtual and in-person sessions in Eagan. Individual format only at this time.

Our FREE New(ish) Mom Group is resuming next week!​​​​​​​​
Whether you're a first time mom or have multiple kiddos - we'd love to connect with you. This group is free, drop-in format, and a place to connect with other moms + get some questions answered. *open to anyone who identifies as a mother-figure​​​​​​​​
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Our next meeting will be on Tuesday, 1/3 from 10am-11am in our WBL space. Visit the events page on our website for more details.​​​​​​​​
Questions? Contact: [email protected]
https://wildtreewellness.com/event/new-mom-group/

The end of the year to me carries a weight of expectation - it can feel exciting because things are wrapped in twinkly lights and snow is still fresh and (mostly) fun. But that weight might feel heavy too, for any number of reasons, depending on where we may find ourselves in life now, or years past, and the meaning this season can hold. Maybe this isn’t always the “most wonderful time of the year”... maybe it’s just “the most”. If this resonates for you, here are a few ideas to shift perspective or support yourself in setting some things down this time of year...​​​​​​​​
Read more in our new blog by Amy Beadle, MA, LPC: "Reflections for the End of the Year"​​​​​​​​
https://wildtreewellness.com/reflections-for-the-end-of-the-year/
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Photo by cottonbro studio via Pexels

We are offering SPACE treatment which is specifically designed to support parents of highly anxious kiddos + teens!​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​
This treatment is short term (typically 5-6 sessions) and can be done virtually or in-person in our Eagan or White Bear Lake offices.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​
Learn more via the event page on our website:
https://wildtreewellness.com/event/space-for-children-teens-with-anxiety/

The holidays are here and for many, it’s not a bright and merry time of year. This season can be challenging for a number of reasons, whether it’s because of the increased expenses or brutal weather. Another challenge for some is spending time with family, particularly those that have been hurtful, insensitive, or problematic. I have worked with many clients who dread the holidays as they have to try and communicate with difficult family members. With this in mind, I wanted to share a skill that we often use in dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) when working towards effective communication, called DEAR MAN...

Read more in our new blog by Cody Flynn, MA:
https://wildtreewellness.com/dear-man/

Photo by Maria Orlova via Pexels

Content by Mel Rosin, Wild Tree Intern 🤍

Grief and loss are nearly always complex, however grief can be especially complicated when factors such as addiction, history of abuse, loss by su***de, or having had a difficult relationship with the person prior to their death are involved. Below are a few reminders as well as ways to work with and honor these complexities in your grief process. Know that you are not alone if you are navigating grief this season.

- Notice and allow the full range of your feelings to be present (it’s okay to miss them and feel angry with them at the same time, or to feel sad about their absence and also happy about something in your present life)
- Grief takes time and it isn’t something we have to “get over” or “move past” but rather learn to live with
- Your grief might surface at unexpected times or in unexpected places...work on allowing it to be there even when it doesn’t make sense
- Actively work through your emotions by sharing in community, talking with a trusted person, or writing in a journal
- Make your grief tangible through the use of physical objects or rituals (light a candle when you think of them, visit their gravesite, carry a photo or other small object with you as a reminder of them)
- If relevant, make a donation to a meaningful cause associated with the loss (su***de prevention, Alzheimer’s research, etc.)
- Honor important dates, milestones, and anniversaries along the way

Content by Annalise Rehwaldt, MSW, LGSW
Photo by Domen Mirtič Dolenec via Pexels

How to Stay Out of The Dumps This Holiday Season:

When the holiday season hits, there is a level of excitement and joy. The smells, the sounds, the lights, all are shiny and bright. That is, until stress kicks in at its peak, it's hard to stop and regroup. Try to prevent stress and depression this holiday/winter season, especially if the holidays have taken an emotional toll on you in the past.
~ Swipe through to consider some ideas on how to keep yourself well.

Content by Annie Baker, MA, LMFT

Some thoughts on "laziness." Do you consider yourself lazy? Do you have a child or partner that you struggle with because you see them this way? ​​​​​​​​
Here are my two cents. There are reasons why we don't want to do things, why we push things off, why we just want to lay on the couch. ​​​​​​​​
Is it a fear of failure? Of needing it to be perfect? Does your child just need some rest? Does your partner get easily overwhelmed and just not know where to start? Try to see this behavior from a place of curiosity instead of judgment and notice what happens.​​​​​​​​
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Content by Corrine Poole, MSW, LICSW​​​​​​​​
Photo by Valeriia Miller via Pexels

Have you ever wanted to know more about your therapist? Wondered what it was like for them to be a part of your therapeutic journey? It’s easy to assume that, for therapists, working is like a regular 9 to 5 in which they work, go home, and go on about their day as normal. While that might be the case for some, it certainly isn’t true for all. As you already know, therapy is a very intense and intimate act between two (or sometimes more) people in which so much is shared. It can often feel one sided in that, we as therapists have the privilege of fully knowing our clients, whereas our clients know little to nothing about us. As therapists we often talk about what it’s like for us on a day-to-day basis, dedicating time to consultation and supervision so that we can fully process what’s going on for us both personally and professionally.​​​​​​​​
I asked my colleagues here at Wild Tree what they would want clients to know, here are some of their responses...​​​​​​​​
~ Read more via our new blog by Cody Flynn, MA "Therapists in the Therapeutic Relationship".​​​​​​​​
https://wildtreewellness.com/therapists-in-the-therapeutic-relationship/
Photo by Alex Green via Pexels

Content by Jenna Jovellana, MA, LPCC

Are you familiar with phrases such as, “Boy’s don’t cry,” “Man up,” “don’t be a girl?”
Societal expectations are commonly tossed around in our language of how boys/men should behave. From what to wear, to how to present yourself, your “man status” is often questioned if you don’t adhere to these expectations. Another big one is how men feel and express emotions. There’s often an expectation that boys and men should be self-sustaining, independent and essentially emotionless. There’s a good chance that at some point in a guy’s life he’s been told to “man up” and they maybe even tell themselves that’s the standard they need to live up to.
So, let’s talk about how confused men are by this....
Read more in our new blog "Toxic Masculinity and Men’s mental health" by Emma Doran, MA RYT-200 C-AAIS
https://wildtreewellness.com/toxic-masculinity-and-mens-mental-health/
Photo by: Mateusz Sałaciak via Pexels

Content by Annie Baker, MA, LMFT 🤍

I'm hoping to be intentional about how I respond to this coming winter. Research has found that a "positive wintertime mind-set was associated with well-being."​​​​​​​​
Some steps that I am going to try from an article in the New York Times titled "What Scandinavians Can Teach Us About Winter" that I recently came across:​​​​​​​​
1. Get outside - dress warmly!​​​​​​​​
2. Make winter special - embrace the coziness​​​​​​​​
3. Appreciate winter - try something new indoors, like cooking a new recipe or reading a novel ​​​​​​​​
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Wishing you all well as we enter this time together. ​​​​​​​​
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Content by Corrine Poole, MSW, LICSW​​​​​​​​
Photo by Pauline Raw via Pexels

Our Free, New(ish) Mom Group in WBL will be pausing during the upcoming holiday months. We look forward to seeing you again on 1/3/2023 ✨​​​​​​​​
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This group meets Tuesdays @ 10am in our WBL space. It is FREE, drop in format, no registration required.​​​​​​​​
Open to anyone who identifies as a mother-figure.​​​​​​​​
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Questions? Contact [email protected]

When you think ahead to the holiday season, what is the feeling you have? It might be excitement, it might be stress or overwhelm, or it might be a mix of emotions, some positive and some not so much. Many of us might enjoy time with friends and family, but also be worried about the way someone might behave (or not behave), or put pressure on ourselves to do things “just right” to make others happy. We can get caught up in expectations of others or the expectations we perceive they have of us.​​​​​​​​
So, I’m going to suggest a different kind of preparation for the holiday season – Don’t worry about them. Instead, give yourself an intention (for YOU) to focus on, reducing the time and attention you have to give to all of those around you and what they might be thinking or doing.​​​​​​​​
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Read more in our new blog "Going into the Holidays with Intention" by Jessie Everts, PhD, LMFT​​​​​​​​
https://wildtreewellness.com/going-into-the-holidays-with-intention/
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Photo by cottonbro studio via Pexels

Did you know that November 13 is World Kindness Day? This internationally observed day focuses on good deeds in our communities and the power of acts of kindness. This is the time of year to reflect about kindness and show care and compassion to others. ​​​​​​​​
Showing kindness to others has been linked to the kind person feeling happier, less isolated and lonely, and having better self-esteem. Being kind also releases serotonin and dopamine in the brain, reducing feelings of depression and sadness. So, doing kind things for others actually helps us, too! ​​​​​​​​
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Read more about kindness in our new blog by Jessie Everts, PhD, LMFT
https://wildtreewellness.com/world-kindness-day/
Photo by Vie Studio via Pexels

It is okay to pause. It is okay to say, "I need a moment to think about that" or "Let me get back to you, I don't know." or "I need to put a pin in this and revisit this at another time, I am feeling too heated right now." We live in an instant gratification society, in which we think we have to answer right away or have an immediate reaction. By allowing yourself to pause or to return to the conversation at another time, your body may be more regulated and ready to address the issue with a calm nervous system and lessened reactivity.

Content by Amber Williams, MS, LPCC
Photo by Tatiana Syrikova via Pexels