“Some people come in your life as blessings. Some come in your life as lessons.”
-Mother Teresa
 

News and Updates at River Valley BHWC

Art Therapy at River Valley BHWC

with Robyn Alliah, MS, LPCC, ATR-BC, CCTP

The goal of art therapy is to utilize the creative process to help people explore self-expression and, in doing so, find new ways to gain personal insight and develop new coping skills. Techniques used in art therapy can include; Drawing, painting, coloring, sculpting, and collage.

As clients create art, they may analyze what they have made and how it makes them feel. Through exploring their art, people can look for themes and conflicts that may be affecting their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors.

Robyn Alliah is trained in both art and therapy. The process isn't an art lesson - it is grounded in the knowledge of human development, psychological theories and counseling techniques. (Important to know, it is not art class and it IS therapy not just fun art making and may bring up difficult things).
 

River Valley at the Waconia Community Expo

•April 6, 2024, 9AM - 1PM

•Waconia High School, 1650 Community Dr, Waconia, MN 55387

•Free!

Join the Waconia community for Touch-a-Truck for Kids, Demos and performances, Local Businesses, Educational Seminars, Activities & Prizes.

Delays in Insurance Processing

We want to inform you that we've been made aware of an outage affecting multiple insurance companies, which unfortunately is causing delays in processing claims at this time. Please understand that this situation may lead to delays in determining your actual balance and could result in a lump balance once insurance claims are processed. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. Rest assured, we'll keep you updated on the resolution of this issue, which is beyond our control. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

New Team Members at RVBHWC

Solveig Erickson, MSW, LGSW

Location: Waconia

Solveig earned her Master’s degree in Social Work and chose to begin her career working as a mediator. Solveig transitioned into therapy to help people explore, learn and grow. Whatever you need, Solveig believes that a calm, accepting demeanor, and her knowledge of relationship dynamics will be helpful to you...find out more.

Broaden My Knowledge

Book of the Month: "The House of the Spirits" by Isabel Allende

The House of the Spirits, the unforgettable first novel that established Isabel Allende as one of the world’s most gifted storytellers, brings to life the triumphs and tragedies of three generations of the Trueba family. The patriarch Esteban is a volatile, proud man whose voracious pursuit of political power is tempered only by his love for his delicate wife Clara, a woman with a mystical connection to the spirit world. When their daughter Blanca embarks on a forbidden love affair in defiance of her implacable father, the result is an unexpected gift to Esteban: his adored granddaughter Alba, a beautiful and strong-willed child who will lead her family and her country into a revolutionary future.

Video of the Month: "100 Days with Tata"

Actor Miguel Ángel Muñoz's parents had to rely on "Tata" (Luisa Cantero) to look after their son while they were at work. Since then, Tata (97) and Miguel Ángel (38) have never been apart. However, faced with several health complications for Tata, Miguel Ángel realizes that their love story might come to an end. Determined to complete all the pending items on their list, including a road trip and learning about Luisa's origins, they even plan to shoot a movie together. Their adventure takes an unexpected turn with the onset of the pandemic. Rather than dampening their spirits, this twist brings them closer, and they relish 100 days together in a tiny apartment. Yet, it also compels Miguel to confront his greatest fear: being separated from the most important person in his life.

Crafting your own protein balls serves as a fantastic solution for convenient snacks, allowing you to cut costs and sidestep any unfamiliar components present in commercially available protein powders and bars. While each homemade ball provides 8 grams of protein, slightly less than store-bought alternatives, the trade-off proves worthwhile, especially considering the homemade protein powder itself contains 4 grams of protein in just 2.5 tablespoons. Additionally, the inclusion of matcha tea infuses these snacks with antioxidants, contributing to enhanced brain function.

Ingredients:

1.5 cups dates, pitted
7 oz white beans, cooked & drained
2 oz cashew butter
3 oz homemade protein blend (recipe below)
3 tbsp cocoa powder
½ tsp salt
Matcha powder
Crushed pistachios

Step 1:

Soak the pitted dates in a small bowl in hot water for 15 minutes to soften if needed. Drain well. 
 

Step 2:

Blend the dates and white beans in a food processor for 1-2 minutes.

Step 3:
Add the cashew butter, protein blend, cocoa powder, and salt and blend again until a dough forms. If it is too sticky to form, add more protein blend, almond flour, or oat flour until it has a firm texture.

Step 4:
Get a small bowl of water and wet your hands to roll the mixture into bite-sized bliss balls. The water stops them from sticking to your hands.

Step 5:

Prepare the crushed pistachios in a small bowl and the matcha powder in another. Roll your formed bliss balls in one or both of the coatings.

Step 6:

Enjoy! You can also store in the fridge for half an hour before serving to let the balls firm up.
 

The bliss balls can be kept in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 1 week or in the freezer for 2-3 months.

Protein Powder

Ingredients:

½ cup sunflower seeds
½ cup pumpkin seeds
½ cup flax seeds
½ cup hemp hearts
½ cup raw almonds

Step 1:

Blend each ingredient individually in a blender or food processor to create a fine flour. Do not over-process or it will create a nut butter!

Step 2:

Combine in a bowl.

You can store your homemade protein powder in the fridge using an airtight container. Great to also add to smoothies, oatmeal, or baked goods.

Recipes are from Nutriciously.com

Be sure to utilize all the techniques and recipes from our previous newsletters in the "Cue to Be Well" archive: