Toni Morrison once said, “For me the history of the place of Black people in this country is so varied, complex and beautiful.” I read the influence of Mother Morrison’s quote among the stories, essays and poems shared in the anthology The Black Superwoman & Mental Health (Peter Lang). This collection, edited by Drs. Venise […]
mental health
Posted inCommunity/News
The Iowa Gambling Task: A 1994 decision-making experiment at UI has been revisited countless times since
You’ve heard of the Iowa Test of Basic Skills. Now meet its strung-out cousin, the Iowa Gambling Task. IGT, also called the Iowa Gambling Task Experiment, is considered the gold standard for measuring cognitive decision-making. Thirty years after its debut, scientists (along with pop-science writers, podcasters and YouTubers) still continue to discuss it. In fact, […]
Posted inCommunity/News
Iowa lawmakers debate until 2 a.m. in race to finish 2024 legislative session
Iowa lawmakers debated budget bills into the early morning Friday as they aim for the end of session in the coming days. Though legislators spent much of their days in party caucus meetings Thursday, members of both the House and Senate moved through dozens of bills during debate, in addition to meetings of the chambers’ […]
Posted inCommunity/News
In need of some emotional healing? Join the herd, recommends this Iowa City therapist
Since 2006, fresh off earning her degree, Natalie Benway-Correll has worked as a LISW (licensed independent social worker) in Iowa City. But a couple of years ago, her experiences as a therapist during the COVID-19 pandemic led to a search for something more. “During the pandemic, I was seeing — based on all the conversations […]
Posted inCommunity/News
GetHelpNowCR.com provides an easy way for people in Cedar Rapids to find help with depression and other challenges
There’s a new online resource available for people in crisis and others who need help, GetHelpNowCR.com. This site, which can be accessed through its URL and through a QR code, feature information about and links to services to assist those having thoughts of suicide, coping with depression, experiencing domestic violence or facing other challenges, including […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Eliza, Finn and the art of reinvention
There is this thing that humans — not all of them but, observationally, a sizable majority — do to suffering: They want it to mean something. We want that meaning to make the suffering noble, and we want that noble suffering to reframe that tragedy as beneficial for us. Just watch someone (your humble narrator, […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Watch: ‘Is a naked body hurting you?’ Artist Talya Miller brings body positivity, kindness to her digital works
“Kindness is a huge aspect of my work,” Talya Miller, a visual artist in Iowa City, who works in multiple media including book design, said. But not “that fluffy idea of ‘Iowa nice.’” Miller talked to Little Village about the difference between working with digital and traditional art tools, the connection between the written word […]
Posted inDear Kiki
Dear Kiki: Medication improved our mental health, but killed our libido. How do we get the spark back?
Questions about love and sex in the Iowa City-Cedar Rapids area can be submitted to dearkiki@littlevillagemag.com, or anonymously using this form. Questions may be edited for clarity and length, and may appear either in print or online. Dear Kiki, I’m a relatively happily married 36-year-old artist, and my partner is also an artist and 38. […]
Posted inCOVID-19
Abbe Community Mental Health offering free coaching session on caring for mental health during COVID-19
Abbe Community Mental Health is offering a free mental health coaching session for anyone interested in getting tips on caring for mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. Abbe Center’s offices around Iowa — including locations in Cedar Rapids and Iowa City — remain open during COVID-19, for both in-person visits and virtual appointments. The center […]
Posted inCommunity/News
Health officials discuss coping with stress as you practice social distancing
It’s been almost a month since the first cases of COVID-19 were confirmed in Iowa, and health experts are reminding individuals about the importance of focusing on mental health during the pandemic. School and business closures, working from home, disruption to a daily routine and staying inside are some of the things Iowans are having […]
Posted inCommunity/News
Cedar Rapids Police Department receives federal grant to continue addressing mental health needs
A federal grant of $222,345 will support the Cedar Rapids Police Department (CRPD) in its work with Foundation 2, a nonprofit human services agency, to connect individuals experiencing mental health issues to appropriate resources, instead of incarcerating them.
Posted inCommunity/News
Mental health care providers in flood-stricken rural areas are short-handed, but expecting more demand
Iowa does not have enough psychiatrists, psychologists, therapists or other mental health care providers to handle an increasing need to care for farmers dealing with relentless flooding this year, several mental health experts IowaWatch interviewed warned.
