Domestic Violence Program NWND

06/04/2026

Por fin llego el Verano y El Departamento De Violencia Domestica te recuerda que estamos aqui para escucharte si decease una mano amiga. Comunicate con Maria al numero de telefono (701) 629-5643

06/03/2026

Good Morning!
It is now officially June! That means we are back to Pride Month and the basic human reminder that you'll love who you love. You don't owe anyone a justification if the peer you love isn't categorized as 'typical'. If that means spicier, quieter, or uniquely-shaped it's all the same.
"...‘Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these." no 'unless' in Mark 12:31, right?
Maybe we're finally aligned with the ol "If it ain't broke..."?
Maybe things are just out of the norm enough that it's harder to care about the bedrooms of consenting adults?
I couldn't tell you the why of it, but the array of sexualities are being more vastly understood as a statistical expectation not the anomaly across the animal kingdom. Especially compared to when I was a youth. The world is better for it.

But. If you don't live in that corner of reality where even obvious statistical logic can't help ground expectations.
If people are reacting to your sexuality as if it might have some kind of effect on them personally.
The LGBT National Help Center as well as https://lgbthotline.org/ may be helpful.

Aside from offering up a variety of support lines (There should be jail time for calling 50 and older 'senior', but I digress), they also maintain lists of media, literature, movies, blogs, podcasts and more. There are possibilities to participate in fundraisers and my favorite: Postcards of Support https://lgbtcomingout.org/postcards/ where you can leave a message for the neighbors going through the thick of it without the safety nets of family and community.

That lack of safety nets can make it exceptionally difficult for the non-hetero of us to escape abusive relationships; If you or someone you love is in need of support please. Reach out.

Whoever you are, whomever you love... you deserve your peace.

05/29/2026

05/28/2026

Good Morning!
Everyone sooner or later is overwhelmed and one way that we can get ahold of ourselves is by the classic Grounding Techniques. There are as many methods as there are people and maybe, this one might work for you.
When that "fight or flight" mode kicks in and you need to break it, the 5-4-3-2-1 technique has been proven over time to help many.
What it does is help your mind to quiet the anxiety signals long enough to bring focused attention onto 15 sensory details.
The goal isn't just to name them off but actually focus, notice the patterns, the texture, the memories that may be connected and pull yourself back to where you are.
It doesn't replace therapy; everyone needs a good ear that can also hold up a mirror and help us dig deeper.
It doesn't replace human connection; as social animals we crave that.
But in a moment becoming stormy, it can work as an anchor, sometimes.

I hope you can find what works for you and use it to minimize stress. You deserve Peace At Home.

05/27/2026

Good Afternoon!
Ever notice how eventually the mind gets stuck in a loop? If you've been through it that loop might be intrusive memories or flash backs. It can get intense, raw, vibrant, and vivid. Here is a quick, simple, widely studied trick that can help take the edge off like aspirin.

When that intrusive playback starts try a Visual-Spatial Interruptor Task.
Early after trauma while the memory is solidifying OR when recollection intensifying, quickly start a task that demands focus from your eyes AND your ability to interpret space.
*The science hippies might recommend 20-30 minutes of Tetris
If that's not your jam try:
*Tracing complex lines with your finger tip
*Following a randomly moving dot, like the old DVD logo
*Sorting items by size, height, width (or any characteristic you can see)
*Block rotating games, tangrams, and even crosswords (and similar games)

By pooling your attention into these tasks you interrupt your own mind while it's trying to solidify the intrusion. Do it every time you're dealing with these memories and they become less frequent, weaker, and more vague intrusions.

This mental band aid - has been shown to work for the majority of people for wide and differing forms of trauma. But most importantly, not only does it start working quickly, it remains effective over years. If you're haunted today, this might just help break the loop.

Gentle reminder: This is no cure. Do seek out professional support especially when your mind is interrupting your lifestyle and your joie de vivre.

If you want to read about how and how much Tetris helps bring relief check these out, just remember to scroll to the bottom where more are listed. I put three links here but there are studies with other tasks, specific traumatic events, induced traumatic events, specific age groups, etc... I just think it's cool that Tetris seems almost universal. Have some studies, nerds:
1) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30507232/
Kessler, Henrik et al. “Reducing intrusive memories of trauma using a visuospatial interference intervention with inpatients with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).” Journal of consulting and clinical psychology vol. 86,12 (2018): 1076-1090. doi:10.1037/ccp0000340
2) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29152159/
Hagenaars, Muriel A et al. “Tetris and Word games lead to fewer intrusive memories when applied several days after analogue trauma.” European journal of psychotraumatology vol. 8,sup1 1386959. 31 Oct. 2017, doi:10.1080/20008198.2017.1386959
3) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31036259/
Kessler, Henrik et al. “Visuospatial computer game play after memory reminder delivered three days after a traumatic film reduces the number of intrusive memories of the experimental trauma.” Journal of behavior therapy and experimental psychiatry vol. 67 (2020): 101454. doi:10.1016/j.jbtep.2019.01.006

05/26/2026

Good Morning!
Good news, everybody. This weekend (so far) is predicted to be really nice! Got the time and spare for a FUNd Raiser for a good cause The Mountrail County Pink Ladies (club? association... nexus? ) Are at it again! I may not be sure what to call a group of them but they are an amazingly supportive part of Mountrail County. They are fun, vibrant, a little wild... and I've decided they will go by the nomenclature of Lady Bugs for this post.
Therefore:
This Loveliness of Pink Ladies gather in support of our neighbors and for varied fundraising activities. They've done darts, golf, runs, raffles, and more to be able to move in the empowerment of locals dealing with cancer and in support of their families. If you wander your way towards Van Hook and throw a rock you're likely to skip it off at least two Pink Ladies (please do not try this IRL).
In fact this Saturday at 10am they are gathering with Jessi Baker at the Paviollion of Van Hook Resort for the 5 k color run ( https://www.facebook.com/share/1MZ4M4Cvjt/ )

You can participate in the fundraiser by dropping by
https://runsignup.com/Race/ND/NewTown/MountrailCountyPinkLadies5kColorRun
and signing up for the run $40 for adults $25 for children.

If you're looking to stretch your legs, enjoy the weather, connect with your community, support the locals, and maybe go a little crazy the Mountrail County Pink Ladies and Jessi Baker 's 5k Color Run might be your cup of tea. ( https://www.facebook.com/share/1GouWdcUGA/ )

For those of you who have remained a bit behind the ✨fanciness✨ of the times: This is a 'Color Run' because, in the same way you brighten survivor's days with your support, Holi Powder** will be brightening your shirt. You might even get hit with a bit of spritzed water to deepen those colors. Sunglasses might be useful too just for the caution of it.

Be hydrated, rested, and sunscreened.
Wear white and things you wouldn't mind having highlights on.
Enjoy the North Dakota spring in the company of our neighbors.

Remember the community is better with you in it, if you're feeling isolated this could be a good way to reconnect. If someone else is isolating you, please reach out for help.

Color Run Photos by Vivian 郑 from Pixabay https://pixabay.com/users/smiling_vivian-5395805/

*Actually it may absolutely be another type of colored powder combination, Traditional Holi Power is powdered arrowroot and food-grade coloring, but Corn starch or rice flower and regular food coloring are both very common "powdered paints" too for example.
Might be worth touching base with the organizers if you have strong food/dye allergies.

05/22/2026

Good Morning!
I know the exercise carried a dozen names but when it comes down to it, stress can make our thoughts play on repeat. Some of the most recognized authorities NAMI and World Health Organization (WHO) hold versions of the exercise Thought De-Fusion from the ACT therapy model.
If those thoughts are carrying you away, the little infographic offers a couple exercises to help step back.
just wanted to share :)

05/21/2026

Good Morning!
It has been a week! Maria and I have made it back from the latest training sessions we were with 31:8 Project at St. Mary's Central High School in Bismarck digging in to Human Trafficking.
It's such a whirl wind event I can sometimes forget things... like this campus is just a high school?? Saint Mary's is amazing, spacious, polished and their chapel is absolutely beautiful. It is a well curated site and a gracious host. Thank you so much for hosting this summit. 💜
The 31:8 Project has spent the past 6 years gathering analytics and experiences to help train everyone from law enforcement and community outreach to lawmakers and senators. The sometimes forgotten reality that human trafficking is alive and well, even in North Dakota.

Older movies might give the idea that Human Trafficking has something to do with moving people elsewhere for brutal fates (think Taken) and don't get me wrong, that can be an element of it. Human trafficking however, is more likely to be an in-home problem.

If you've got that Nerd in you ND Century Cod 12.1-41-01 lays it all out. If the various professionals brought in from afar are to be trusted, ND has some beautifully robust definitions of and laws against human trafficking.

If you're looking for the relatively short version Human Trafficking happens when "A person [...] knowingly recruits, transports, transfers, harbors, receives, provides, obtains, isolates, maintains, or entices an individual in furtherance of" Forced Labor 12.1-41-03 or Sexual Servitude 12.1-41-04
Let's prop up ND law for a moment though because it becomes trafficking when someone is profiting from the coerced labor (physical or sexual) of another and receiving anything at all of value.

Locally speaking, we've seen people who claim to be their "partner's manager" and quietly harvest their online earnings. There have been cases like last year's busts which revealed many people who treat sexual servitude as entertainment- even joking about the 'boyfriend' or parent that takes the 'date' money. We see the employers who target immigrants then make excuses to avoid compensation, they'll leverage or withhold their employees' visas, pay, or tax documentation in the hope that ICE will take the employee before they have to actually pay what's owed. One that has been around for a very long time: the folks who withhold chemicals of dependency to "convince" their victims to perform.

All of these can meet ND's definition of human trafficking. (Not giving legal advice, I'm still just an advocate)

It's always disturbing when, in this little office, what comes in downplayed as a "pushy" family member, loved one, or employer complaint ends up painting a picture of trafficking. It happens more often than most people might imagine. This is why the 31:8 Project trainings matter so much.

Watch out for your neighbor.

If you'd like more information, visit: https://www.318project.org/resources.html

If you or someone you know might be going through human trafficking:
National Human Trafficking Hotline: 1 (888) 373-7888
Text "HELP" or "INFO" to BeFree (233733)
https://humantraffickinghotline.org/en

The Combat Human Trafficking Act of 2015 (CHTA) (34 U.S.C. § 20709(e)) requires the director of the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) to prepare an annual report on human trafficking. The report...