River Valley Behavioral Health & Wellness Center

02/24/2026

✨ Meet SOLVEIG ERICKSON – Seeing Clients in Waconia! ✨

Looking for a therapist who truly meets you where you are? Solveig brings a unique background and a warm, conversational style that makes therapy feel approachable and empowering.

With her Master’s in Social Work, Solveig began her career as a mediator — helping people navigate conflict and understand relationship dynamics. She later transitioned into therapy to help individuals explore, learn, and grow in deeper, more personal ways.

Whether you’re:
🌿 Navigating a life transition
💬 Working through relationship challenges
⚡ Experiencing a crisis
🧠 Or just need a safe space to sort through your thoughts

Solveig offers a calm, accepting, non-judgmental environment where sessions feel like meaningful conversations — supportive, thoughtful, and tailored to your goals.

She believes therapy doesn’t have to feel intimidating. It can feel human. Collaborative. Even hopeful.

📍 Now scheduling in our Waconia office- 952-746-7664
📅 Appointments available

Ready to take the next step? Solveig is glad you’re here — and ready to walk alongside you.

02/24/2026

Eating disorders are serious mental health conditions—not lifestyle choices. 💙

They affect people of all ages, genders, body sizes, races, and backgrounds. And they are more common than many realize.

📊 The facts:
• Nearly 30 million Americans will experience an eating disorder in their lifetime.
• Eating disorders have one of the highest mortality rates of any mental health condition.
• Many individuals struggle in silence due to shame, stigma, or fear of not being believed.
• Early intervention significantly improves recovery outcomes.

Eating disorders can include diagnoses like Anorexia nervosa, Bulimia nervosa, and Binge-eating disorder—but disordered eating behaviors don’t always fit neatly into a label. Every struggle deserves compassion and support.

💬 What helps:
• Open, judgment-free conversations
• Education to reduce stigma
• Access to qualified mental health and medical professionals
• Support from family, friends, and community

Recovery is possible. Healing is possible. You are not alone.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/nedaw/

02/23/2026

Primary Caregiver Burnout Is Real 💛

If you’re in the thick of solo parenting—whether by choice, circumstance, deployment, travel, separation, or simply carrying most of the load—you may be running on empty. That constant mental checklist. The decision fatigue. The guilt for needing a break.

That’s caregiver burnout. And it’s valid.

Signs you might be burned out:
• Irritability or emotional numbness
• Trouble sleeping (even when you can)
• Feeling resentful or overwhelmed
• Loss of patience with your kids or yourself

How to cope during the solo stretch:

✨ Lower the bar. Survival mode is allowed. Simple meals. Extra screen time. Laundry can wait.
✨ Micro-breaks matter. 5 minutes in the bathroom. A walk around the block. Deep breaths in the car.
✨ Name it out loud. “I’m overwhelmed.” Saying it reduces shame.
✨ Accept help without apology. If someone offers to grab groceries or take the kids for an hour—say yes.
✨ Stay connected. Text another parent. Join a support group. You are not the only one feeling this way.

You don’t have to be everything, perfectly, all the time.
Taking care of yourself is not selfish—it’s sustainable parenting.

If this resonates, share it with a fellow caregiver who needs to hear it today.

02/23/2026

💙 Eating Disorder Awareness Week | February 23 – March 1 💙

This week we recognize Eating Disorder Awareness Week (2/23–3/1) — a time to raise awareness, reduce stigma, and support those impacted by eating disorders.

Eating disorders affect people of all ages, genders, races, and body types. They are serious mental health conditions — not choices, not phases, and not about “willpower.”

**** Did you know?

Eating disorders have one of the highest mortality rates of any mental health condition.

Early intervention greatly improves recovery outcomes.

Recovery is possible with the right support.

If you or someone you love is struggling, you are not alone. Support, education, and compassionate care can make a difference.

This week, we encourage you to:
✔ Challenge harmful diet culture messaging
✔ Speak kindly about your body
✔ Learn the warning signs
✔ Reach out if you need help

For more information and resources, visit National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA).

Let’s continue to build a community where healing is possible and every body is respected. 💛

02/20/2026

02/14/2026

This Valentine’s Day, remember: the most important relationship you’ll ever have is the one with yourself. ❤️

Loving yourself isn’t selfish — it’s foundational. It’s setting boundaries without guilt. It’s speaking to yourself with kindness. It’s recognizing that your worth is not determined by productivity, relationship status, or someone else’s opinion.

You are worthy of:
💗 Respect
💗 Peace
💗 Healthy love
💗 Rest
💗 Joy

Whether you’re celebrating with a partner, friends, family, or on your own — take a moment today to honor you.

Choose self-compassion.
Choose growth.
Choose to see your value.

Because you have always been enough. ✨

02/13/2026

February is a time to honor the strength, resilience, and contributions of the Black community during Black History Month ❤️🖤💚 — and it’s also a powerful reminder to prioritize mental health and emotional well-being.

Systemic barriers, racial trauma, and stigma have historically impacted access to mental health care in Black communities. Acknowledging this history is part of healing. Seeking support is not weakness — it is strength.

We honor the work of pioneers like Dr. Mamie Phipps Clark, whose research on racial identity and self-esteem helped shape the landmark Brown v. Board of Education decision, and advocates like Bebe Moore Campbell, who championed mental health awareness in communities of color.

This month and every month, we affirm:
✨ Your story matters
✨ Your healing matters
✨ Your mental health matters

If you or someone you love is struggling, support is available. Let’s continue breaking stigma, building access, and creating spaces where everyone feels seen, heard, and valued.

01/30/2026

NEEDING TO FIND AN EXPERIENCED THERAPIST IN THE NORTHFIELD AREA!

Meet Jeff Pounds, a highly experienced therapist with 20+ years in mental health care.

Jeff has worked in hospitals, emergency departments, schools, inpatient and outpatient programs, and private practice—including 20 years at the University of Minnesota Hospital. He specializes in dual diagnosis, anxiety, mood disorders, thought disorders, and trauma, and works with adults and couples.

His approach is supportive, practical, and client-centered, using CBT and other evidence-based therapies—plus ART for trauma.

📅 Appointments available now
📞 Call 952-746-7664 or visit our website at: rivervalleybhwc.com

01/27/2026

✨ Provider Spotlight: Meet Lindsay ✨

We’re excited to highlight Lindsay and the depth of experience and care she brings to her work.

Lindsay graduated from St. Olaf College in 2005 with a major in Psychology and Family Studies. She earned her Master’s Degree in Counseling Psychology from the University of St. Thomas in 2010 and has been independently licensed as a Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC) since 2013. She is also a Minnesota board-approved clinical supervisor for professional counselors.

With experience spanning home-based services, managed care, and agency supervision, Lindsay brings a well-rounded and thoughtful approach to her work. She is deeply committed to client-centered care, ethical practice, interdisciplinary collaboration, and evidence-based interventions.

Lindsay has experience supporting individuals with depression, anxiety, OCD, autism, mood disorders, and addiction. Her therapeutic approach integrates multiple modalities, with a primary focus on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT).

We’re grateful for Lindsay’s dedication to compassionate, high-quality care and the impact she makes every day 💙

CURRENTLY TELEHEALTH ONLY- Please call 952-746-7664 to schedule an appointment.

01/19/2026

“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” — Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

On this MLK Day, we honor Dr. King not only for his fight for civil rights, but for his vision of dignity, compassion, and collective care. Mental health is part of that justice. When people are denied support, safety, or the freedom to heal, injustice continues in quieter ways.

Let’s keep building a world where care is accessible, voices are heard, and healing is not a privilege but a right.

01/09/2026

Our hearts are heavy following the recent shooting in Minneapolis.
Events like this can stir fear, sadness, anger, grief, and a sense of uncertainty—whether you were directly affected or simply hearing the news. These reactions are valid and human.

During times like this, it’s important to check in with yourself and with those around you. Take breaks from the news if needed, lean on trusted supports, and allow space for your emotions without judgment.

If you or someone you love is struggling, support is available. You do not have to carry this alone. Healing begins with connection, compassion, and care—for ourselves and our community.

01/09/2026

In a world that feels loud, fast, and overwhelming, your mental health matters .

Taking care of your mind isn’t selfish—it’s essential. Rest when you need to. Set boundaries. Ask for help.

Wellness isn’t about being perfect; it’s about giving yourself compassion in a world that often forgets to slow down. 💙