Lawrence veteran Mike Kelly was pleased to see many resources shared with those in attendance at a Veterans Affairs town hall Thursday at the Lied Center. However, he pointed out that he thought an important one was missing from the speakers' presentations. “They have a nurse triage line,” Kelly said. “These nurses can go through 20 questions and tell you, ‘You’re not going to die; come in ...
Imagine that you go get a haircut, with the agreement that the stylist will bill you for it. You walk out of the salon, turning heads on your merry way. But when you get the bill a week later, it’s double or triple what you expected to pay, and the shampoo that you thought was included in the price of the haircut is tacked on as an extra charge. You obviously can’t return the haircut, and now you’re in ...
A recently certified local practitioner has the healing power of music down to a science. Longtime Lawrence resident P. Allen Macfarlane, 71, was a research scientist for the Kansas Geological Survey for 34 years. After retiring from that position, he taught middle school science at Topeka Collegiate School. He’s now going back to work in quite a different field, but for him, it’s a natural transition. ...
An object at rest stays at rest. I think the first law of motion applies to people, too. Lately, my mind’s attempts to push my body to exercise have been met with a resounding “ugh,” or at times, “meh.” I’ve stopped even trying to muster mental excuses: “I’m not working out today because I’m not.” It’s clearly a bad attitude, and it’s a tough mindset to break. I know my body feels ...
I’ve spiraled beyond being a fan of convenience. Quick, easy solutions have become a necessity in my life. That’s why the idea of delicious prepared meals delivered to my front door was so appealing to me. First, I’m not an excellent cook. I get by, but, for the most part, I can’t stand the heat so I stay out of the kitchen. Second, the unpredictability of life never ceases to thwart my grand plans ...
About three months after giving their 30 days’ notice at Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center, a team of specialized therapists met with the Journal-World to discuss their new business, the DBT Center of Lawrence. The group of six, who spent roughly 50 years combined at Bert Nash, are practitioners of dialectical behavior therapy, or DBT. They are largely focused on the future; however, they also shed ...
Most people have some personal connection to breast cancer, whether they know someone who has battled it or are themselves survivors — a term the Susan G. Komen foundation uses to describe a person “from the moment a breast cancer diagnosis is confirmed.” But for every one person we know, how many others are fighting? How many more will likely face the disease in their lifetimes? And how can we improve ...
Dr. Scott Hickman has traveled the world helping people see, and now he has a new idea to help those in need in the town where he was born and raised. Hickman, an ophthalmologist, is hoping to start a trend in his profession, both locally and nationally. He’s set aside Thursday, Oct. 11, to provide a free eye clinic to the uninsured in Douglas County. Studying abroad Hickman said he’s always been ...
It’s not a big surprise anymore for Brandon Zoeller when customers return to his store without the walkers or knee braces they used in their first visits — but he said it’s still one of the most rewarding parts of the job. Zoeller and his wife, Heather, opened the doors of their franchise of CBD American Shaman at 1530 W. Sixth St., Suite C, on July 6. Since then, a lot of folks have sampled their wares, ...
For those who have battled depression, finding a treatment option that actually works can be life-changing. That makes it all the more difficult when symptoms begin to creep back in. Lawrence psychiatrist Dr. Hiten Soni has experienced this firsthand. He’s familiar with patients’ tiresome trials of drug after drug to achieve little to no effect, or an effect that’s good for a while, but doesn’t last. ...
It never ceases to amaze me to see pet lovers’ reactions when their beloved furballs come up in conversation. Even the toughest facades tend to crumble — at least a little bit — at the mere mention of the loving counterparts that make so many of us whole. But besides the hugs, kisses, snuggles, cuddles and belly scratches, and beyond the wet noses, wagging tails, kneading paws, nuzzling furry faces and ...
It’s almost fall, if you can believe that, which means here in Lawrence we can eventually expect a nice week or so between the 90-degree days and the first freeze. Hopefully, some of these events fall within that week. There are a lot of runs and races planned in the coming months — some longtime annual traditions and some much newer. A key to the events with repeat sponsors: AAR = event sponsored by ...
September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, and some events around Lawrence are planned in its honor. Among them is a rare peek behind the scenes at Headquarters Counseling Center. The 24/7 crisis center that operates in Lawrence — and takes calls from those in need of help throughout the state of Kansas — is opening its doors on World Suicide Prevention Day, which is Monday, Sept. 10. The ...
The future of medicine is here and now. More specifically, it’s at a new clinic near 25th and Iowa streets. Dr. Fatima Khan has spent the last five years working with Veterans Affairs, and she recently decided to open a private practice in Lawrence. However, the care she provides won’t be limited to the patients she sees within the walls of her clinic — she is also integrating telemedicine. House ...
The leader of Lawrence’s community mental health center would like to bring in a company to conduct an external evaluation or survey of staff. Amid some elevated concerns about public perception after seven specialized therapists resigned en masse, Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center CEO Patrick Schmitz said he has approval from the governing board’s president, Brad Burnside, to move forward in the ...
A website for the new DBT Center of Lawrence and Kansas City went live Friday afternoon, and it lists the two locations that will soon house the business. Several therapists who recently resigned en masse from the dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) program at Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center are starting the DBT Center as their own private practice. The website does not list the individual ...
I remember how I loved meandering through stores’ school supply aisles. My eyes would light up as I ran my fingers over sparkly pencil pouches; I adored the spiral-bound notebooks with kittens on their covers. Impractical? Maybe, but oh, how I loved them. But that was last year, and I like to think I have more self-control nowadays. Plus, I already bought the set of 120 gel pens, and a handful of them still ...
The reasons why seven therapists resigned en masse from the Bert Nash Community Mental Health center remain unclear, but indications are that many of the therapists plan to open a new therapy center in Lawrence. Multiple patients of the therapists have told the Journal-World they’ve been informed that six of the seven departing therapists are going to open their own practice that specializes in the intensive ...
Sometimes, you just need to get away. Any longtime Lawrence folk can tell you that although this town may not have quite the hustle and bustle of a big city, life can get hectic here in suburbia. If you’re experiencing a Thoreau-esque transcendental itch and need to escape into nature for a bit, here are some of the best options in the area to do so. I asked the Friends of Lawrence Area Trails for some ...
Monday will mark two weeks since seven specialized therapists simultaneously submitted letters of resignation at Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center, and 17 days until their last day, Aug. 15. As the Journal-World has reported, the seven are practitioners in the center’s dialectical behavior therapy program, or DBT. The treatment targets those who “struggle with a variety of emotional and behavioral ...