Pier 34 Foundation

11/07/2025

When Closure Doesn’t Come: Learning to Live Without Answers

Sometimes healing means accepting that no explanation will make it make sense.
We want neat endings — apologies, understanding, resolution. But real life often leaves threads untied. People disappear. Conversations never happen. Words stay stuck in the air.

When closure doesn’t come, we start searching for it inside ourselves. We learn that peace isn’t found in the other person’s honesty but in our own decision to stop rehearsing pain.

There’s a moment — often quiet, often alone — when you realize you’re allowed to stop waiting for someone else to free you. You can do it yourself.

You can write the ending they never gave you.
You can bless the unanswered questions and call them finished. You can choose to live forward, even if you never got the why.

If your story still feels unfinished, remember:
Healing doesn’t depend on closure. It depends on courage — the courage to stop rereading the same chapter.

11/05/2025

EMDR for Heartbreak: When the Mind Keeps Replaying What the Heart Can’t Forget

Heartbreak doesn’t always stay in the past. Sometimes, it replays like a movie you didn’t choose to watch — scenes looping again and again, each one carrying its own ache. Whether it’s the end of a relationship, a betrayal, or a loss you never fully understood, the body can hold on long after the moment has passed.

EMDR — Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing — is one of the most remarkable tools for healing emotional trauma. Originally developed to help people recover from post-traumatic stress, it’s now helping thousands who struggle with the quieter, invisible grief that follows heartbreak.

When a memory feels unfinished, your brain keeps trying to process it. You might replay conversations, question what you could have done differently, or feel an unexpected wave of sadness from something that happened months or even years ago. EMDR helps the brain file those memories away properly, so they no longer feel like they’re happening in the present tense.

During an EMDR session, a trained therapist gently guides you through eye movements, tapping, or tones while recalling a distressing memory. It may sound simple — but what it does is profound. It allows your nervous system to release the emotional charge that keeps you trapped in that loop of pain.

Healing from heartbreak isn’t about forgetting. It’s about teaching your mind and body that the moment has already passed — that you survived it. Over time, the memory loses its sharp edge. What once felt unbearable becomes something you can look at with compassion instead of collapse.

If you’ve been stuck in replay mode, there’s no shame in that. It’s simply your brain’s way of saying, “This still hurts, and I need help putting it away.”

There is hope — real, measurable, neurological hope. EMDR can help your heart and mind finally agree on one simple truth: it’s over, and you are safe now.

11/03/2025

11/02/2025

10/31/2025

Family Friday | Finding the Light in the Lanterns

As the pumpkins glow tonight and little feet race from door to door, let’s pause to remember what truly lights the night—our laughter, togetherness, and the joy of simple moments.

Whether you’re carving pumpkins, handing out candy, or snuggling up for a movie, take a moment to notice the light in your loved ones’ eyes. That’s the kind of glow that lasts long after the candles go out.

✨ Happy Family Friday and Happy Halloween from our home to yours!

10/31/2025

Thoughtful Thursday

“Ambition without action becomes anxiety.”

We all carry dreams — sometimes quietly, sometimes with a fire that won’t rest. But when our goals stay locked in our minds, they start to weigh us down. The “what ifs” and “somedays” can quietly turn into tension, stress, or even guilt.

The cure isn’t perfection. It’s movement.
Small, steady action transforms restless ambition into peaceful momentum. One tiny step — sending that email, planting that seed, opening that notebook — is often all it takes to trade worry for progress.

Today, take one action toward something that matters to you. Not a giant leap. Just one simple, brave move forward.

✨ Ambition turns to peace when you pair it with purpose.

10/30/2025

10/29/2025

Opposite Action — Reclaim Your Power from Emotion

Sometimes emotions tell the truth but not the whole story. Fear says “hide,” anger says “attack,” sadness says “stop.” But healing often begins when you do the opposite of what pain demands.

Try this today:
• Anxiety → Take one small step toward what scares you.
• Anger → Slow down, breathe, or do something kind.
• Hopelessness → Move your body, even for five minutes.
• Shame → Make gentle eye contact, speak kindly to yourself.

🕊️ Every opposite action rewires your brain toward courage instead of avoidance.
Small, repeated choices create lasting calm.

10/27/2025

Monday Motivation: Watch Your Words

This morning, I took a moment to pause before diving into the day.
No screens. No scrolling. Just a quiet reminder that the words we speak — even the ones we say to ourselves — hold weight.

It’s easy to get swept up in the noise of the world. The endless opinions. The constant urgency. The pressure to respond, react, or prove something. Before we know it, our thoughts start echoing the chaos around us instead of the calm within us.

But our words are powerful.
They can calm a storm or add fuel to it.
They can build someone up — or tear ourselves down.

Today, I’m reminding myself to choose words that heal instead of harm.
To speak slower.
To listen longer.
To replace harsh self-talk with honesty and grace.

The world already has enough noise. What it needs are voices that bring clarity, empathy, and peace.

So this week, watch your words — not out of fear of saying the wrong thing, but out of hope that your words might bring someone, even yourself, a little light.

10/27/2025

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1CHLyJfT4c/?mibextid=wwXIfr

10/25/2025

Mental Health Life Hack: Name It to Tame It

When emotions feel like a storm, pause and name what you’re feeling — out loud if you can.

“I feel anxious.”
“I’m frustrated.”
“This situation makes me sad.”

🧠 Why it works:
Naming your emotion helps calm your brain’s alarm system and activates the thinking part that brings balance and clarity. It’s a small act that gives you control over how you respond instead of react.

✨ Try this:
As you name the feeling, place a hand on your chest and take one slow breath in. Remind yourself: “This moment will pass, and I can handle it.”

10/25/2025

Standing Together: Food Pantries & SNAP Changes

Hi Families,
This week’s Family Friday is about something that hits close to home — making sure our families stay fed and supported when times get uncertain. With recent updates to SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) and questions about November benefits, it’s important to know where local help is available right now.

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📢 What’s Happening with SNAP
• According to OKDHS, families who currently receive SNAP benefits can continue to use their existing EBT funds through October 31, 2025.
• If the federal government shutdown continues, SNAP benefits will pause beginning November 1, 2025.
• It is not yet clear whether unused funds will remain available or if benefits will be retroactive once funding resumes.
• Oklahoma advocacy groups, including Hunger Free Oklahoma, are warning that shifting more SNAP costs to states could hurt low-income families and local economies.

What this means for families:
Now is the time to plan ahead, use available benefits, and connect with community resources before the end of the month.

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🧭 What You Can Do Now
• Use your October benefits for essential grocery items and meal planning.
• Stock up wisely on shelf-stable and nutritious foods your family enjoys.
• Contact local food pantries early to verify hours, documentation, and what items they have available.
• If you’re able, donate or volunteer — community support keeps these programs strong.
• Stay informed: oklahoma.gov/okdhs/shutdown offers the latest state guidance.

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🏠 Local Food Pantry Resources (Edmond Area)

1️⃣ Project 66 Food & Resource Center

📍 2612 S Kelly Ave, Edmond OK 73013
🌐 project66.org
🕓 Mon 10–12 & 6–7:30 p.m. | Wed 10–12:30 p.m. | Thu 10–12 & 6–7:30 p.m.
💡 Client-choice model lets families select their groceries. Evening hours are great for working parents. Bring photo ID + proof of residency.

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2️⃣ HOPE Center of Edmond

📍 1251 N Broadway Suite A, Edmond OK 73034
🌐 hopecenterofedmond.com
🕓 Mon–Thu 8:30 a.m.–4 p.m. | Fri 8:30 a.m.–12 p.m.
💡 Serves Edmond & Arcadia residents (zip codes 73034, 73003, 73013, 73012). Offers groceries, utility help, and household essentials. Bring photo ID and proof of address.

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3️⃣ Samaritan House at St. John’s Catholic Church

📍 42 E 9th St (or 900 S Littler Ave), Edmond OK 73034
🌐 stjohn-catholic.org/samaritan-house
🕓 Mon–Fri 9 a.m.–12 p.m.
💡 Provides emergency groceries, canned goods, produce, and toiletries. Requires photo ID and proof of residence. Arrive early for best availability.

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4️⃣ New Hope Food Pantry – New Hope Church of Christ

📍 700 W 2nd St, Edmond OK 73003
🌐 nhchurch.net/food-pantry
🕓 Tuesdays 1 p.m.–3 p.m.
💡 Open to anyone in the area, no income questions asked. Short hours so plan ahead or call for details.

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❤️ If You Need Help
• Call ahead — pantry hours may change as demand increases.
• Bring a photo ID and proof of residency (utility bill or lease statement).
• Ask about additional programs (hygiene kits, diapers, holiday meals, etc.).
• If transportation is a barrier, some churches and non-profits offer delivery for seniors or homebound families.

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💬 Closing Thought

As we head into the weekend, remember that families across our community are stronger when we look out for one another. If your pantry is full this week, consider sharing a few extra items with a neighbor or donating to one of these local centers.

Together, we make sure no family faces an empty table alone. 💙