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Mind & Spirit Counseling Center Blog
Welcome to the Mind & Spirit Counseling Center blog, your go-to destination for insightful and supportive content on mental health and well-being. Our posts are dedicated to exploring a wide range of topics, from practical strategies for managing stress and anxiety to the latest research on emotional wellness, or updates about what is going on at the Center to an inviting message from our Executive Director, Jim Hayes. Whether you’re seeking guidance on personal growth, tips for maintaining a balanced lifestyle, or information on the benefits of therapy, the Center aims to provide valuable resources and thought-provoking articles to support your journey towards a healthier, more fulfilled life.
The Center Blog
Make Your Gift Go Further in 2025
The countdown is on! As 2025 winds down, we have some good news (and some “better-give-now” news) about charitable giving. Thanks to recent changes in federal tax law, the rules are shifting in 2026, which means your generosity this year could pack an even bigger punch. Here’s the scoop on why 2025 is the year…
Communities of Hope and Connection Save Lives Every Day
My doctor noticed the hesitation in my voice as I answered a few of the questions on my depression screening as part of my routine physical. “Say more about that.” He compassionately encouraged. “I do think about death a good bit just before I go to bed. But I am a pastor. I think about…
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Mind & Spirit Counseling Center receives grant from Variety – the Children’s Charity of Iowa
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 25, 2025 (Urbandale, Iowa) – Mind & Spirit Counseling Center has received a grant from Variety – the Children’s Charity of Iowa to fund the purchase of bilateral stimulation wristbands to use during therapy sessions within our C.O.O.L program (Children Overcoming Obstacles of Life). Mind & Spirit Counseling Center, formerly the Des Moines…
Billie’s Blog: A World of Social Acceptance
Social acceptance is open, trusting, deep, and positive regard for others. We recognize everyone’s right to a life of dignity, regardless of skin color and other demographic markers. We learn how the sharing of resources, whether financial, creative, or intellectual, enhances life for everyone, as all receive equal opportunities for expression and participation. Social acceptance…
I Talked to The Trees
“God saw everything he had made: it was supremely good.” (Gen 1:31 New Common Bible) I have committed myself to at least 30 minutes of exercise a day. It is a pretty low bar right now, just get up and move intentionally with some degree of vigor for at least 30 minutes daily. One early…
Men’s Mental Health Matters: Breaking Barriers, Building Support and Redefining Strength
Guest Blog Author, Elena Gentry June celebrates Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month, a great time to challenge the societal norms of what it means to be male and encourage vulnerability. Yes, this blog comes a month later, but Mind and Spirit Counseling Center still firmly believes in the importance of self-expression to live a fulfilling…
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Billie’s Blog: Independent or Emancipated?
Fifteen days separate June 19th from July 4th on the calendar. The significant events of these two dates, July 4, 1776, and June 19, 1865, took place eighty-eight years, eleven months, and fifteen days apart. July 4th was hailed as Independence Day. June 19th was dubbed Emancipation Day, also known as Juneteenth. The two terms…
The Evolution of Mind & Spirit Counseling Center’s Pollinator Garden
Lois Crilly, Volunteer Gardener It started in August 2018. My best friend, Sally Wood, was serving on the Board of Directors at the formerly-named Des Moines Pastoral Counseling Center and asked me to meet the new Executive Director, Jim Hayes, to discuss whether I might be interested in maintaining the Center’s four garden beds. Jim…
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Jim’s Blog: Solstice Spirituality
Jim Hayes, Executive Director So many of our holidays come from changing of the seasons. Consider Christmas, which often falls near the winter solstice. Nature often helps us to make sense of what is happening in our world, as well as in our bodies, minds and spirits. One discovers acknowledgement of such insight in the…
Walking Beside Children & Families: A Therapist’s Reflection on Hope & Healing
Written by Elizabeth Moreno, Licensed Independent Social Worker Over the last 10 years, I have had the privilege of walking side by side with hundreds of kiddos and families as they navigate their child’s mental health. Over the years, I have learned the importance of including the family unit in helpful and healthy changes to…
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