Every year on November 25, the world comes together to observe the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. This day serves as a powerful reminder of the ongoing struggle against gender-based violence, aiming to raise awareness and promote action to eradicate this pervasive issue.

October is Substance Use Prevention Month. This month and every month, we have the opportunity to spread awareness and education. Substance misuse can lead to serious health issues, including addiction, mental disorders, and chronic diseases. Early prevention reduces the risk of these negative health outcomes, and helps safeguard physical and mental health.

There is something that many do not like to talk about, but pretty much everyone has heard of. Even with so much advocacy and education, there were 107,453 U.S. drug overdose deaths in 2023, according to the CDC. Overdose death trends have evolved significantly over recent years, influenced by various factors including changes in drug availability, prescribing practices, economic conditions, and public health responses…

It’s not always safe to express ourselves. When we’re in an abusive or even unhealthy relationship, our mind may be the only private space we have. Sometimes our livelihood or our very lives depend on us being quiet when we’re upset even if it’s an understandable response. The thoughts we bring into that space are entirely up to us. We have the right and ability to think, to have a belief system and to feel what is inside of us.

Every June, we start seeing rainbow colors everywhere, there are plenty of parades, and events every weekend. It is such a fun time with plenty of events for everyone of different ages to enjoy while supporting those in the LGBTQ+ community, as members, themselves or as allies.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month! In ’Dive into Mental Health’ we delve into the transformative power of self-acceptance in navigating the complexities of mental health. Drawing parallels to the daunting, yet exhilarating experience of learning to dive, we explore the inner voices of judgement and fear that often hinder our journey towards healing.

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month! This is a time dedicated to raising awareness about sexual violence and advocating for prevention and education. At Mutual Ground, we recognize the importance of addressing this public health and safety issue that affects individuals of all genders.

The decades-long national debate about the legalization of marijuana has caused there to be a tug-of-war battle between what is true about the drug and what is misunderstood.

February is Black History Month, thanks to Carter G. Woodson who encouraged and rallied for a full week celebration in February to honor tradition and reform. The original Black History Week took place the same week of Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln’s birthdays. Mr. Woodson wanted to teach others about the important contributions made by other prominent Black individuals. Black Americans and descendants from African have made a large contribution to American History and deserve to be recognized and celebrated for their successful achievements and accomplishments. Black History is American History.

At nineteen, I am part of a generation that has had to come to terms with the fact that the world can be an ugly, broken place. Growing up in a golden age of technology and communication, we received the benefits of innovation at the price of our naivety and optimism. We could hear news from anywhere instantaneously, but so much of it was bad, and it kept getting worse. We were handed a bleak image of not only our planet but of each other. Volunteering for Mutual Ground has begun to show me a better side of the world and the people in it.

Every year as the hustle and bustle of the holiday season begins, staff at Mutual Ground are also focusing on the task of spreading joy to our clients. The Winter Wonderland Shoppe is Mutual Ground’s largest client centered event. Each year the event provides over 100 client families with gifts and winter wear for the holiday season.

Filipino Americans make up the second largest Asian American group in America. However, the history between America and the Philippines has often been lost with time.

Mutual Ground provides a free 8-week program open to the community called the Nurturing Families Program (NFP), an evidence based, strength-based, family focused, and trauma informed curriculum. The program is designed for parents of all ages, with one or multiple children, and children with special needs. The programs objective is to focus on strengthening parenting skills through self-discovery, application, and realization. Nurturing Families allows parents to identify generational parenting practices and how culture impacts parenting in order to guide a new generation of parents with healthy parenting ideology.

An article recently caught my attention because it talked about how volunteering could increase a person's life expectancy. I decided to look into this further, having known for some time that engagement with the world enhances our well-being as we age. However, I did not realize the significance volunteering had on a person's mental and physical health.

There are many benefits that come from a regular yoga practice, including improved strength, balance, and flexibility. Yoga can relieve arthritis symptoms; some doctors even recommend it as a first line of treatment for back pain. Yoga supports heart health and good sleep hygiene. Yoga and meditation are great ways to connect with your community, boost energy, focus, and mood, and relieve stress [Hopkins Medicine]. Some forms of yoga can also help to heal complex and developmental trauma and PTSD [TCTSY]. Yoga is a holistic healing tool recognizing that body, mind, and spirit operate and heal as one.

For someone who is in survival mode after trauma, the idea of self-care can seem laughable. Because when you’re surviving, you’re putting everything you’ve got into staying functional, either mentally or physically or both…most often both. What we do after trauma sets the tone for the days to come.

In the 21st century, the world of mental health maintains varying discourse regarding stigma, accessibility, and its overall importance on both individual and community levels. Mutual Ground Inc. is an agency that understands the degree of impact that trauma can have on an individual’s mental health. Trauma changes the way the brain and body work, so it is important to intervene and work towards healing or coping.

As I prepare to leave Mutual Ground, Inc at the end of the month, I’ve been reflecting on what a privilege it has been to serve our community over these 23 years as an intern, legal advocate, Legal Advocacy Program Manager and, finally, as CEO.

Teens are no different than adults in the wish to be appreciated, valued and accepted. We all also share varied abilities and circumstances that enable us to set and keep boundaries; an important barrier to an abusive relationship.

Two serious issues experienced by people on a daily basis have a strong correlation.  Domestic abuse, also referred to as "domestic violence" or "intimate partner violence", is a pattern of behavior in any relationship that is used to exert power and control over an intimate partner.  This controlling, abusive behavior comes in many forms.  It may be physical, psychological, emotional, intimidation, sexual, and/or coercion to use substances.  Substance abuse is a term used to describe pattern use of a substance that causes significant problems and distress.  There is a definite link between the two.