Unlikely Journeys, Inc

11/05/2025

🌿 Focus on Kindness 🌿

In a world that often feels busy and overwhelming, one of the simplest yet most powerful choices we can make is to be kind. Kindness doesn’t have to be grand—it can be as small as a smile, a listening ear, or a word of encouragement.

When we shift our focus to kindness, we not only brighten someone else’s day, but we also nurture peace and compassion within ourselves. Being kind is never wasted—it ripples outward in ways we may never fully see.

✨ How will you practice kindness today?

10/29/2025

💭 Loneliness shows up in many forms — and it doesn’t always mean you’re physically alone. Sometimes it’s emotional, sometimes situational, and sometimes it’s about losing touch with yourself.
Recognizing what type of loneliness you’re feeling can be the first step toward healing and reconnection. 💜

10/28/2025

✨ Thought Distraction ✨

Sometimes our minds can feel like a storm — full of intrusive thoughts, worries, and replayed memories that won’t quiet down.
When that happens, it’s okay to gently redirect your focus. Thought distraction doesn’t mean avoiding your feelings — it’s about giving your mind a break when it’s stuck in overdrive.

Go for a walk.
Listen to a song that shifts your energy.
Name five things you can see, four things you can touch, three things you can hear, two you can smell, and one you can taste.

These small grounding moments can interrupt the cycle of overthinking and bring you back to the present — where peace lives.

💛 One moment, one thought, one breath at a time.

10/27/2025

💭 Understanding Limerence: When Infatuation Feels Like Love

Limerence is a powerful emotional and psychological state that can look like love but is rooted in obsession and fantasy. It was first described by psychologist Dorothy Tennov in the 1970s as an intense longing for emotional reciprocation from another person.

At its core, limerence is about validation and reward — not true intimacy. The brain releases dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin (the same chemicals involved in addiction) whenever there’s a sign of hope or attention from the person you’re fixated on. That’s why it can feel like a “high.”

🧠 Psychological traits of limerence:

Intrusive and repetitive thoughts about the person

Idealizing them and ignoring red flags

Strong emotional dependency on their response

Feeling euphoric when things go well — and devastated when they don’t

Difficulty focusing on anything else

Unlike genuine love, which grows through trust, respect, and mutual vulnerability, limerence is driven by uncertainty, fantasy, and unmet emotional needs.

For many people, limerence can be linked to attachment wounds, trauma, or experiences of emotional neglect — where attention and connection felt unpredictable or inconsistent. Healing those roots helps us recognize the difference between being in love and being consumed by longing.

❤️ Healing means learning that real love doesn’t feel like chaos — it feels safe, calm, and reciprocal.

10/22/2025

Want to help Unlikely Journeys?

Do you shop at Kroger?

You can choose Unlikely Journeys on the rewards program.

To Use the Kroger Community Rewards Program:

Simply visit http://www.kroger.com. Once logged into your Kroger account they can search for UNLIKELY JOURNEYS either by name or IL129 and then click Enroll. New users will need to create an account which requires some basic information, a valid email address and a rewards card.

10/18/2025

Want to help Unlikely Journeys?

Do you shop at Kroger?

You can choose Unlikely Journeys on the rewards program.

To Use the Kroger Community Rewards Program:

Simply visit http://www.kroger.com. Once logged into your Kroger account they can search for UNLIKELY JOURNEYS either by name or IL129 and then click Enroll. New users will need to create an account which requires some basic information, a valid email address and a rewards card.

Shop fresh groceries at low prices at a Kroger near you. Fill prescriptions, order online and save with digital coupons on grocery pick-up & delivery.

10/15/2025

Willingness and being teachable open the door to growth. 🌱
When we stay open to learning—even from mistakes—we give ourselves the chance to change, heal, and become better versions of who we were yesterday.

10/14/2025

Do the youth in your community know that most of their peers don’t use substances? Learn about social norms: www.hidta.org/adapt/prevention-intervention-resource-center

10/10/2025

Today, Danielle had the opportunity to participate as a panelist in The Cycle of Addiction at IU Indy.
The class of nursing students engaged in three case studies and asked thoughtful, insightful questions throughout the discussion.

The panel consisted of four professionals—three from the mental health and addiction fields and one lawyer/law professor—each bringing unique perspectives to the conversation.

We are honored to have been invited to take part in this meaningful event. The Cycle of Addiction is helping raise awareness and teach the next generation of healthcare professionals how to view and address substance use disorder through a more compassionate and less stigmatizing lens.

Substance use disorder (SUD) ripples through families, schools, workplaces, and entire communities. At IU IPE, we believe in confronting this crisis not with judgment, but with understanding, empathy, and interprofessional collaboration.

10/08/2025

October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month—a time to shine a light on an issue that too often stays hidden. Raising awareness helps break the silence, support survivors, and educate communities on prevention and early intervention.

Every conversation matters. Every story shared can inspire healing and change. Together, we can stand against abuse and build a future rooted in safety, respect, and hope. 💜

10/08/2025

ASPIN Expanding Behavioral Health Career Pathways for Rural Youth

Affiliated Service Providers of Indiana (ASPIN) is pleased to announce an award of $1,200,000 over three years from the Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP) Pathways program, an initiative by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).

With this funding, ASPIN will establish a network of organizations to engage youth in innovative, peer-driven behavioral health care support programming while offering career pathway opportunities in behavioral health in rural high schools located in Kosciusko, Montgomery, and Owen counties. This project will introduce youth to behavioral health careers, including ASPIN’s Certified Community Health Worker (CCHW) training program, and facilitate admittance into formalized training programs to enhance their career outlook.

ASPIN has partnered with Bowen Health, Centerstone of Indiana, and West Central Indiana - Area Health Education Center to conduct a needs assessment of available behavioral health pathway programming in rural communities and the implementation of Teen Mental Health First Aid in rural high schools, an evidence-based training for teens to learn how to help each other through hard times. A rural youth advisory committee will be developed to guide the peer-driven behavioral health efforts.

At least 20 rural youth will receive training and certification as Community Health Workers, meeting the state certification requirements for CCHWs, based on the Centers for Disease Control-Endorsed Core Competencies for Community Health Workers. Upon graduation, these students will be prepared to fill critical roles in Indiana’s behavioral health workforce.

Individuals and employers interested in learning more about ASPIN’s RCORP Pathways program should contact Karissa Morris, Special Projects Coordinator and Learning Collaborative Point of Contact at kmorris@aspin.org.