On Gratitude & Hope
A note from Trish Thacker As the year draws to a close, it’s a reminder to both reflect...
Homelessness Is a “We” Problem, Not a “They” Problem
By Trish Thacker November is National Homelessness Awareness Month, a time when...
Dakota County Crisis and Recovery Center: Opening Early 2025
This time last year, we were breaking ground on our highly anticipated Crisis and...
Mental Health First Aid: Equipping Communities to Prevent Suicide
If someone you know is choking on their dinner, you’ll probably jump into action and...
Art Class at Guild’s CSP Member Center: A Place for Clients to Explore Their Creativity
At our Community Support Program (CSP) Member Center, individuals living with mental...
A Guild PEER-Spective: Inside the Workday of a Peer Support Specialist
At Guild, we strive to educate each client who comes through our doors on how best to...
The Power of Partnership: Transforming Lives With the HSASMI Grant
At Guild, we believe in the power of partnership and collaboration to make lasting...
Reaching the Unseen: Transforming Lives With Guild’s PATH Program
Here at Guild, we understand that supporting those experiencing homelessness and mental...
The Psychology of Play: How Gaming Communities Impact Mental Well-Being
Over the past few decades, there's been a lot of talk and speculation about how gaming...
Keeping People Healthy and in the Community: A Q&A With Joe Clubb
Joe Clubb is in his seventh year on Guild’s board of directors, but his relationship...
Empowering Mental Health in Minnesota: The Impact of Legislative Policy on IRTS and ACT Services
The Minnesota Legislature, like all state legislatures, has the responsibility and authority to enact laws, shape policies and rulemaking, and unlock funding to influence mental health care. With Minnesota currently ranking 28th in the nation when it comes to the prevalence of mental illness and rates of access to care, according to Mental Health America, it’s important to understand why the Legislature’s work matters to our work and what we can do to improve mental health care services and access. Let’s look at five marquee mental health programs and how they’re connected to the work of the Minnesota Legislature:
Introducing Our New CEO
Today marks a new chapter in our journey of empowering people living with mental illness and/or experiencing long-term homelessness. After an extensive and rigorous selection process, Trish Thacker will be stepping into her new role as CEO of Guild on March 18th.
Love Starts Within: A Valentine’s Day Reflection on Self-Love and Mental Wellbeing
Valentine's Day is often associated with expressions of love toward others, but what...
When Chronic Pain Becomes Too Much: Understanding the Link Between Physical and Mental Health
It’s something we’ve all experienced before: that sluggish, exhausted, “don’t want to get out of bed this morning” feeling. Maybe you had a late night or are fighting off a cold. Maybe it’s just the dreary weather. You have things to do, though, so you drag yourself up and start your day. For many people, this kind of morning is the best they will ever feel … the most they could hope for from their day. This is what it’s like living with physical illness and chronic pain, and they can have a significantly negative effect on a person’s mental health.
2024 Legislative Priorities: Guild’s Battle for Mental Health System Transformation
Each passing year, our legislative focus remains steadfast on transforming our mental health and housing support systems into a comprehensive spectrum of care. Our aim is to make this continuum accessible and sustainable for the most vulnerable individuals in our communities. We envision a scenario where Minnesotans facing mental health challenges or homelessness can access the right resources at the right time. As we prepare for the upcoming legislative session in 2024, three key system changes stand out as vital for the welfare of those we serve and the success of our mission.
A Legacy of Giving: The O’Gara Family
When we broke ground on our new Crisis and Recovery Center in West Saint Paul on October 3, 2023, we did so with backing from dozens of companies and individuals in the public and private sector as well as several other generous donors. One of these donors was the O’Gara family, who made the largest single donation in Guild history to furnish and operationalize the center’s first year.
Setting Your New Year’s Resolution: Keep, Transform, Eliminate
New Year’s resolutions can be a great opportunity to go into the post-holiday season ready for positive change, but it’s important to be mindful when setting your goals. If you choose a resolution that’s especially difficult to achieve or isn’t fully in your control, you run the risk of disappointing yourself and feeling down as you go into the new year. There’s a reason why nearly half of people who make New Year’s resolutions break them by the end of January!
Elevating Voices: Tina
As a kid, Tina loved coloring, sports, and going to the arcade. Her curiosity and sense of adventure earned her the nickname “Curious George” from her family and loved ones. Most of all, Tina remembers that when she was happy, her joy could not be contained. But when she was mad, she got really mad.
Elevating Voices: Laura
Many people living with mental illness can point to a time in their lives before struggle, before heartache … a time when it felt like everything was going their way and nothing could go wrong. For our client Laura, that “before” time included a marriage of nearly a decade to her high school sweetheart and being a stay-at-home mom to three beautiful children.
Elevating Voices: Sara
As we know here at Guild, mental health recovery is rarely linear. It’s more often a roller coaster of ups and downs, highs and lows, ebbs and flows. The same was true for our client Sara’s experience.