Do You Know Your Tools2Thrive?

May 1, 2020

Catholic Charities Behavioral Health Clinic Observes Mental Health Month in May

While 1 in 5 people will experience a mental illness during their lifetime, everyone faces challenges in life that can impact their mental health. The good news is there are practical tools that everyone can use to improve their mental health and increase resiliency—and there are ways that everyone can be supportive of friends, family, and coworkers who are struggling with life’s challenges or their mental health.

This May is Mental Health Month and Catholic Charities Behavioral Health Clinic, St. Cloud, is highlighting #Tools2Thrive—what individuals can do daily to prioritize their mental health, build resiliency in the face of trauma and obstacles, support those who are struggling, and work towards a path of recovery.

One of the easiest tools anyone can use is taking a mental health screen at mhascreening.orgwhen they need answers. It’s a quick, free, and private way for people to assess their mental health and recognize signs of mental health problems.

This May, we are also exploring topics that can help you build your own set of #Tools2Thrive—recognizing and owning your feelings; finding the positive after loss; connecting with others; eliminating toxic influences; creating healthy routines; and supporting others—all as ways to boost the mental health and general wellness of you and your loved ones.

When it comes to your feelings, it can be easy to get caught up in your emotions as you’re feeling them. Most people don’t think about what emotions they are dealing with but taking the time to really identify what you’re feeling can help you to better cope with challenging situations. It’s OK to give yourself permission to feel. We also know that life can throw us curveballs—and at some point in our lives we will all experience loss. It may be the end of a relationship, being let go from a job, losing a home, or the death of a loved one. It is natural to go through a grieving process. By looking for opportunity in adversity or finding ways to remember the good things about who or what we’ve lost, we can help ourselves to recover mentally and emotionally.

It also is true that connections and the people around us can help our overall mental health—or hurt it. It’s important to make connections with other people that help enrich our lives and get us through tough times, but it’s equally important to recognize when certain people and situations in life can trigger us to feel bad or engage in destructive behaviors. Identifying the toxic influences in our lives and taking steps to create a new life without them can improve mental and physical health over time. And we know that work, paying bills, cleaning, getting enough sleep, and taking care of children are just some of the things we do each day—and it is easy to be overwhelmed. By creating routines, we can organize our days in such a way that taking care of tasks and ourselves becomes a pattern that makes it easier to get things done without having to think hard about them.

For each of us, the tools we use to keep us mentally healthy will be unique. But Catholic Charities Behavioral Health Clinic wants everyone to know that mental illnesses are real, and recovery is possible. Finding what works for you may not be easy but can be achieved by gradually making small changes and building on those successes. By developing your own #Tools2Thrive, it is possible to find balance between work and play, the ups and downs of life, and physical health and mental health—and set yourself on the path to recovery.

For more information on #Tools2Thrive and Mental Health Month, visit mhanational.org/may. Learn more about Catholic Charities Behavioral Health Clinic and additional mental health services available at ccstcloud.org/services/mental-health.

Our Recent News

Meet Nicole from Emergency Services

By Brittany Hoversten • March 5, 2026
If you ask anyone at Emergency Services, they’ll tell you the same thing: Nikki is unstoppable. Every single day, she goes above and beyond for Catholic Charities, our clients, and her team. Nikki is a proud mom of two, and her youngest recently moved out on their own. Life hasn’t always been easy—she lost her children’s father suddenly in 2006, a time she describes as chaotic and life-changing. Today, she’s in a happy relationship and loves spending time at the cabin, traveling, riding motorcycle, and making the yearly trip to Sturgis. Catholic Charities “found” Nikki in a very full-circle way. At the time, she was helping her dad with his job as a grocery vendor—the same stores that donate to Catholic Charities. difference for the community every day. At the end of each night, she lays her head down knowing she helped someone—and that’s what keeps her going. When her dad broke his elbow, Nikki stepped in to help him. Her strong work ethic caught the attention of a Catholic Charities program manager who had grown up with her dad. He saw something special in her and offered her a position. Her first assignment? Driving the Catholic Charities food truck—even though she had never driven a truck before. She remembers being terrified backing down the ramps, but her supervisor simply told her, “Keep it between the yellow lines.” She did—and that moment sparked the confidence that has fueled her ever since. Over the past 13 years, Nikki has worked in nearly every corner of Emergency Services. Nikki originally got pulled into Mardi Gras because her mom is crafty, and she’s been involved ever since. She especially loves the decorating and seeing everything come together. Last year’s event was particularly wild with so many new people, but Nikki’s natural leadership helped bring everyone together to create a fantastic experience. When asked what motivates her, Nikki doesn’t hesitate: positive thinking. “Negative thoughts will never give you a positive life,” she says. She believes positivity is contagious, and her mantra is simple: Do the best you can with what you have, take it one day at a time, and always pay it forward.

Mary’s Journey to Financial Stability

By Brittany Hoversten • January 15, 2026
When Mary reached out to FHC, she was overwhelmed and worried about losing her home. A devoted wife and mother with a strong career, she never expected that sudden health issues would reduce her income and cause her to fall behind on her mortgage. Missing several payments left her feeling vulnerable and unsure of where to turn. Once her health improved and she returned to full-time work, Mary was determined to regain control of her finances. She partnered with a housing counselor who helped her take a clear look at her household budget, identify areas to reduce expenses, and create a realistic plan to address her debt. During the process, Mary shared heartfelt gratitude with her counselor: “I can’t thank you enough for being my voice when I couldn’t advocate for myself and not judging me for my mishaps. I’m thankful Catholic Charities is part of our community and is a blessing for many.” With renewed confidence, Mary contacted her mortgage company to explore available workout options. Because her illness qualified as a hardship, she was eligible for a partial claim. This option allowed her to resume regular mortgage payments while moving the past-due balance to the end of her loan—giving her the breathing room she needed. Today, Mary feels empowered and more intentional about managing her household finances. She has also brought her husband into the budgeting process, realizing she doesn’t have to shoulder everything alone. This experience has strengthened her confidence and set her family on a path toward long-term financial stability.

Where Are They Now: Nick’s Journey from Survivor to Leader

By Brittany Hoversten • December 30, 2025
Nick’s story isn’t easy to tell - but it’s powerful. He grew up in a world that didn’t give him much. Abuse, neglect, and instability were part of his everyday life. As a kid, Nick felt like he didn’t measure up. He didn’t have what other kids had, and he learned to lie - not to hurt anyone, but to protect himself. It was a survival skill that followed him into adulthood, where it stopped serving him and started hurting him. Drugs, broken relationships, court dates, Nick was stuck in a cycle that felt impossible to escape. But three years ago, something shifted. Nick entered treatment, and this time, he was ready. It wasn’t just about getting clean it was about rebuilding. And for the first time, people started believing in him. That belief made all the difference. Slowly, Nick began to see what others saw in him: potential, strength, and a future worth fighting for. Through the Catholic Charities Men’s Domestic Violence Program, Nick found something he’d never really had before. Real friendship, trust, and support. A supervisor gave him rides to work and treated him with respect. His housemates at the halfway house had his back. The men’s group became a safe space where Nick could grow. He joined a church. He started going to AA six times a week. He was building momentum, and he didn’t want to lose it. When Nick finished the program, he didn’t walk away. He asked himself, “What now?” and decided to keep showing up. Not because he had to, but because he wanted to. He knew he could help others. He understood the fear, the ego, the resistance to change, but because he’d lived it. And now, he was ready to help others break through those walls. Today, Nick leads the very group that helped change his life. He’s been promoted at work. He’s dreaming big and thinking about school, about becoming a counselor, about going all the way to the top. And we believe he will. Because Nick is the kind of person who lifts others up, who shows up even when it’s hard, and who never stops trying to be better. At Catholic Charities, we see how incredible Nick is. We’re proud to have him on our team—and we’re cheering him on every step of the way. The sky’s the limit, Nick. Keep doing amazing things!