The Center for Counseling & Consultation

04/03/2026

Sometimes the simplest tools can make the biggest difference. 🌈

Rainbow Breathing is an easy way to help calm busy minds, reduce anxiety, and refocus in the moment. Just trace the rainbow slowly with your finger as you breathe in and out.

Perfect for kids, teens, and adults alike — whether you're at home, in the classroom, or needing a quick reset during the day.

Small moments of calm can lead to big moments of healing.

04/02/2026

Help Us Better Support Veterans in Our Community 🪖

We are asking veterans, family members, service providers, and community members to share their perspective through a short, anonymous survey.

Your input will help identify opportunities to strengthen connections to care, resources, and community support for those who have served.

This survey is not about evaluating any one organization — it is about understanding where additional support, information, or connection could make the greatest impact.

If you have ever served, supported someone who has served, or care about the wellbeing of veterans and their families, your voice matters.

👉 Take the survey here: https://wkf.ms/4maMM2a

Please consider sharing this post so we can hear from as many perspectives as possible. The more feedback we receive, the better we can help ensure veterans and their families have access to the support they deserve.

Together, we can continue cultivating help, hope, and healing for those who have given so much. 💙

🪖

04/02/2026

🌱 Recovery is worth celebrating.

At The Center, we believe every step forward deserves recognition. Our Substance Use team now presents Recovery Tokens to individuals who successfully complete outpatient treatment — a meaningful symbol of the strength, commitment, and courage it takes to choose recovery.

Each token serves as a reminder:
Just for today, recovery is possible.

Graduates are invited to join our monthly alumni meeting, where we celebrate milestones, share encouragement, and remind one another that no one walks this journey alone.

Recovery doesn’t end at discharge — it grows through connection, support, and community. 💚

If you or someone you love is ready to begin the journey, we’re here to help.

03/31/2026

Something exciting is happening in our community this year… and everyone is invited.

At The Center, we believe conversations about mental health don’t have to feel uncomfortable or heavy — they can happen through connection, laughter, learning, and shared experiences.

Our upcoming events are designed to bring people together in welcoming, engaging ways that make it easier to talk openly, reduce stigma, and remind one another that support is always within reach.

Whether you're looking for a fun family experience, meaningful connection, helpful resources, or simply a positive way to spend time in our community, there will be something for you.

🎉 Wild About Wellness – A Zoo Adventure for Healthy Minds
Experience the zoo in a whole new way with interactive activities, family fun, and opportunities to learn about mental wellness in an engaging environment.

🎤 Hope Fest 2026 – A Community Celebration of Recovery, Healing, and Su***de Prevention
Featuring nationally recognized comedian Mark Lundholm, live music, remembrance experiences, and activities designed to bring hope, connection, and conversation to the forefront.

🪖Honoring Service, Supporting Futures – Veterans & Families Community Event
Connecting those who served with resources, community partners, and opportunities for support in a welcoming and appreciative environment.

No matter your background or experience with mental health, you belong here. These events are about bringing our community together in ways that feel positive, supportive, and meaningful.

Explore the events and learn more:
🔗 https://www.thecentergb.org/events

We hope to see you there.

Explore upcoming community events from The Center in Great Bend, including Hope Fest, Wild About Wellness, and more. Fun, connection, and mental health for everyone.

03/30/2026

🌱 Advancing Rural Solutions for Substance Use Care

We are proud to share that our Substance Use Program Director, Kevin Ford, recently served as a panelist in the national webinar:

“Opportunities to Improve Rural Responses to Opioid Use Disorder and Overdose,” hosted by the Foundation for Opioid Response Efforts (FORE). 

Kevin joined leaders from across the country to discuss innovative strategies that strengthen prevention, treatment, and recovery supports in rural communities — where access to care can often be more limited, yet the need remains just as critical.

Rural communities face unique challenges when addressing substance use disorders, including workforce shortages, transportation barriers, stigma, and limited access to specialized services. Conversations like this help drive forward solutions that expand access, improve outcomes, and ensure individuals and families have the support they need close to home. 

At The Center, we are committed to being part of the solution — building strong, compassionate systems of care that meet people where they are and support recovery journeys with dignity and hope.

Kevin’s participation highlights the important role rural providers play in shaping statewide and national conversations about behavioral health and substance use care.

We are grateful for Kevin’s leadership and proud to contribute to collaborative efforts working to strengthen care for rural communities across Kansas and beyond.

Together, we continue Cultivating Help, Hope, and Healing.

03/29/2026

🇺🇸 Honoring Vietnam Veterans – March 29

March 29 is recognized as National Vietnam War Veterans Day, marking the day in 1973 when the last U.S. combat troops left Vietnam. Today, we pause to honor the men and women who served during the Vietnam War — including many from our own communities — and to recognize the sacrifices they made both during and after their service.

Vietnam veterans demonstrated courage in extraordinarily difficult circumstances. Many returned home to challenges that were not always visible to others, often carrying the lasting effects of combat, loss, and transition back to civilian life. Their strength, perseverance, and dedication to serving something greater than themselves deserve our deepest respect and gratitude.

At The Center, we are honored to serve veterans from all eras, including those who served during Vietnam. We recognize that military service can shape a lifetime, and that support, understanding, and access to care can make a meaningful difference for veterans and their families.

Through our Veteran Services, we are committed to ensuring that those who have served our country have access to compassionate mental health care, connection to resources, and a supportive community that recognizes both their experiences and their continued contributions.

Today, we extend our heartfelt appreciation to Vietnam veterans — those from our local communities and across the nation — for their service, sacrifice, and resilience.

Thank you for your service. Your legacy continues to shape our communities and our country.

If you or a veteran you know is looking for support, connection, or resources, The Center is here to help.

🇺🇸 Honoring service
💚 Supporting healing
🌱 Cultivating hope

03/28/2026

💚 Honoring Our Licensed Social Workers

As Social Work Month comes to a close, we want to take a moment to recognize and thank the incredible Licensed Social Workers who serve our communities every single day.

Social workers meet people in some of life’s most vulnerable moments — offering guidance, advocacy, compassion, and practical support when it matters most. They help individuals and families navigate challenges related to mental health, trauma, substance use, relationships, housing, finances, and life transitions, always with dignity and respect at the center of their work.

At The Center, our Licensed Social Workers play an essential role in helping individuals find stability, build resilience, and move toward healthier futures. Their work often happens quietly — through meaningful conversations, resource connections, crisis support, and steady encouragement that reminds people they are not alone.

Social work is more than a profession — it is a commitment to service, equity, and the belief that every person deserves the opportunity to thrive.

To our Licensed Social Workers:
Thank you for the compassion you show, the hope you inspire, and the difference you make every day.

We are grateful for the impact you have on the lives of those we serve and on the strength of our communities.

💚 Thank you for walking alongside others
🌱 Thank you for cultivating hope
🤝 Thank you for helping people move forward

03/25/2026

Big things are coming in 2026… and you won’t want to miss them!

We’re excited to introduce three new community events designed to bring people together around hope, healing, connection, and mental wellness.

📅 June 18 – Wild About Wellness 🦒
A family-friendly zoo adventure featuring interactive learning stations, bounce houses, vendors, and special opportunities to interact with zoo animals in ways you don’t typically experience on a normal zoo visit!

📅 September 19 – HopeFest 2026 🌟
Our signature event of the year focused on recovery, su***de prevention, and positive mental health featuring a community walk, art experiences, remembrance opportunities, live music, food trucks, and a nationally recognized entertainment act.

📅 November 11 – Honoring Service, Supporting Futures
Connecting veterans and their families to resources, community, and support while honoring those who have served.

These events are open to the public and designed to create meaningful experiences for individuals, families, and our entire community.

Sponsorships, resource vendors, and food vendors will be announced soon.

Save the dates now — more details coming soon!

💬 What are some activities you hope to see at one or more of these events?! Let us know in the comments below!

03/20/2026

Recovery doesn’t happen alone—and it doesn’t have to.

We’ve created a Recovery Calendar to help you find local AA, NA, and Gamblers Anonymous meetings in one easy place.

No matter where you are in your journey, there’s a seat for you.

👉 Find a meeting near you: https://www.thecentergb.org/substanceuse

Know of a meeting we should add? Let us know—we’d love to keep this resource growing for our community.

03/20/2026

We’re proud to share that The Center team has grown to 130 employees—and we’re still growing.

This growth reflects something bigger than numbers. It represents more people being reached, more services being expanded, and more support available across our communities.

As the need for mental health and substance use services continues to rise, we’re committed to showing up—and we’re looking for others who feel called to do the same.

If you’re looking for meaningful work where you can truly make a difference, we’d love to connect.

👉 Explore current openings: https://www.thecentergb.org/jobs

03/18/2026

When someone needs help, the hardest part is often knowing where to start.

📱Who do you call?
✅What organizations are available?
🤷‍♀️What if you’re helping someone else and don’t know what resources exist?

That’s exactly why we created our Community Aid Resources page — a centralized place to find support across our region, all in one spot.

Whether you’re trying to make rent, put food on the table, find a fresh start, or support someone else through a difficult time — this page is designed to help you quickly connect with trusted local resources.

➡️ Explore resources here: https://www.thecentergb.org/communityaidresources

But we know no list is ever complete — and that’s where you come in.

💬 If you know of a resource we should add, or notice something missing or outdated, you can submit updates directly through the page.

Together, we can make sure our community has access to the support it deserves.

03/17/2026

Some roles don’t fit neatly into a job description — and Becky Byers wouldn’t have it any other way.

On any given day, Becky might be helping someone get to an appointment, connecting them to resources, or leading a cooking or baking group. When asked what a typical day looks like, her answer is simple:

“Pretty much whatever the clients need.”

As an Adult Case Manager and coordinator of The Center’s Dry Pantry, Becky meets people where they are — helping remove barriers so they can focus on healing, growth, and moving forward.

But what truly sets Becky apart is something you can’t train — it’s her lived experience.

Because she’s walked through her own challenges and supported loved ones through theirs, Becky connects with clients in a way that builds trust, understanding, and real hope.

She believes that everyone has strengths — even if they can’t see them yet.

And that’s where her work begins.

💚 At The Center, it’s people like Becky who help bring our mission to life — cultivating help, hope, and healing every single day.

💬 Help us celebrate Becky in the comments!

➡️ Read her full story in our March newsletter.