Wedgwood's Coffee Break Conversation

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Hillary and Asu discuss what seeking professional help for your mental health can look like, the importance of breaking the stigma of therapy, and the benefits of counseling. Asu shares his experience with the cultural differences in mental health from where his family comes from (Rwanda). He also emphasizes that seeking help shows strength, not weakness.  If you...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Coffee Break Conversation, host Hillary sits down with Jason Olvera, a Clinician at Wedgwood. Together they explore the true meaning of self-care. Beyond the buzzword, they discuss practical steps to incorporate self-care into your daily life, as well as how to balance life's demands while prioritizing your mental health. So grab your coffee (or tea) and jo...

Send us Fan Mail In this Season 4 Premiere episode of Wedgwood's Coffee Break Conversation, Hillary and Kali discuss the importance of boundaries. Kali, a mental health expert from Wedgwood, emphasizes the unique and vital role boundaries play in personal and professional relationships. Together, they explore the necessity of clear communication, vulnerability, and problem-solving skills in m...

Send us Fan Mail “And we let these youth know that they are loved regardless of what they did. And we are here to help them. We aren't here not to judge them, but to build them back up to encourage them, to give them hope. To let them know that they don't have to be a product of what they came from because they do have a second chance and we do our best to give them a second chance.” Dee...

Send us Fan Mail “You help them learn those skills, you just start to see their interests, what makes them happy, and kind of start to see them being able to live who they are.” Launched in 2015, Wedgwood’s Autism Center for Child Development, or ACCD, is truly transforming lives. Through individualized, center-based therapies, the team at Wedgwood’s ACCD works with young children with autism spec...

Send us Fan Mail “Just be supportive. Kids need to be listened to and not just pushed to the side […] don't label our kids, any other kids. Just be understanding, build those relationships, because when you have relationships, that kid will trust you and share with you what they need.” When kids and families are involved with the court system, they often work with the probation team. Today’s...

Send us Fan Mail “But the more often there's trauma, and there's pain, there's misunderstandings, and there's feelings of isolation. So I have the power of just showing people love and giving them some connection and giving them the space to be whoever they need to be, encouraging them on the journey to whoever God wants them to be. Instead of telling them how they need to be,...

Send us Fan Mail In today’s episode, we talk to Dr. Heidi Cate, Superintendent of Integrity Educational Services about the district’s history and connection to Wedgwood, the challenges students are facing, and some of the ways Heidi and her team are finding collaborative, whole-student solutions to help kids succeed. You can hear more insights from Heidi and other community experts at Wedgwood’s S...

Send us Fan Mail “We need to do it well in a way that brings honor to His name. That was one of the things that we talked about. We talked about how Jesus wanted us to love Him and love each other. […] And it was a commandment and wasn't an option.” In today’s Dick Gritter, Wedgwood’s Executive Director of 33 years (1968-2001), and current Wedgwood team member Kali Jackson have a special “The...

Send us Fan Mail “[Diversity] – it’s a part of who we are, it's part of our identity, a part of our fiber. We're working with kids teaching them that, hey, you belong to God, everybody's created in the image of God and that is special.” Wedgwood’s core values are Integrity, Compassion, Excellence, and Diversity. In today’s episode Pastor Arlan Palmer, Wedgwood’s Diversity Coordinato...

Send us Fan Mail “We should not underestimate the power of showing up. If you want to turn the tide, you’ve got to show up for kids, including kids that aren't yours, and treat them as if they are.” In today’s episode Andy Soper, community advocate and consultant, sits down for a conversation about understanding and addressing trauma, a community and collaborative approach to empowering youth...

Send us Fan Mail “God has a future for Wedgwood. And we need to grow because the need for Wedgwood, is growing. And if God has put his hand on Wedgwood and said, ‘Okay, I got something for you.’ We need to rise to that occasion, and find ways to strengthen our systems to invest in the people that make this work.” In today’s episode Wedgwood’s President/CEO Dr. Dan Gowdy provides an Executive Updat...

Send us Fan Mail “Yes, January is Trafficking Awareness Month. But one of the main things that I want people to know that is, that is a month that we've set aside to acknowledge it, but this happens every day… I just want people to know that, first of all, trafficking is a real thing. It's not the Taken movie that you that you've seen. There are a lot of myths that are going around,...

Send us Fan Mail “Wedgwood is not just a place where we house kids until they're no longer a danger, it's just not. I think there's a perception of like, oh, it's “juvie-lite.” We do so many, really good things that help them. We're not just housing kids here. These are kids who need to be loved, who have unfortunately not seen a lot of love or felt a lot of love. And they...

Send us Fan Mail “I teach the kids that we can fix just about anything. But sometimes we can't. Sometimes we can't fix things. And we just have to make it work and do the best we can with what the issue is. If there's a problem, we'll talk about it, compensate and do something else.” In today’s episode we join Dick Teft, an Employment Training Specialist, in Wedgwood’s Woodshop...

Send us Fan Mail “I see a lot of folks on believing the lie from depression or believing the lie of anxiety, that it's going to be forever. Depression’s favorite lie is, you'll never be happy again, you don't remember what it feels like to be happy, you're going to feel this way forever. That's actually not true. It's just not true.” In today’s Coffee Break Conversati...

Send us Fan Mail “[My advice for kids at Wedgwood is] I think it's a really good opportunity for them to start picking up those pieces and taking control of who they are, even if it's little tiny baby steps, just doing one thing a day they can to focus on themselves.” In today’s Coffee Break Conversation, we chat with Ashley Ward, Founder and CEO of Hire for Hope, who, as a community adv...

Send us Fan Mail “Nonprofits like Wedgwood really add to the fabric of a community like Grand Rapids. We're blessed, there's a number of fantastic nonprofit organizations that come alongside whether it's children, or senior adults, or whoever might be in need. I think [many of us] think about and we might be moved by, as we're looking at the scriptures, [our] responsibility to...

Send us Fan Mail “Addiction is messy, and it is hard and it is difficult. It often takes time to get where we want to go. And if we want to help kids, we’ve got to help their parents, we’ve got to help their aunts, their uncles, we’ve got to help their grandmothers and grandfathers.” In today’s Coffee Break Conversation, we chat Jason Olvera, one of Wedgwood’s Substance Use Disorder Treatment Clin...

Send us Fan Mail “And there's a lot of kids out there that are just struggling. I’ve heard from a lot of places that no one accepts kids, no one takes care of kid. Not true. We do. That’s what we’re here for. Wedgwood has the means and the resources to help them.” The need for mental health support is great, and many services in West Michigan have long waiting lists. Wedgwood’s Psychiatric Se...

Send us Fan Mail “It’s really important for kids to feel accepted and loved. Most of the challenging behaviors we see stem from an ‘Are you going to love me, are you going to love me for me?’ mentality. We can say, ‘Hey, I appreciate you and who you are is important to me.’ And that, to me, is the resounding love of Christ.” In this Coffee Break Conversation, we talk with Residential Home Supervis...

Send us Fan Mail “They are just children. They make have been that kid that was having a rough day, and telling you all about it, but they are skill kids. They may be 12, they maybe 18 but they are still a child that needs all that nurturing, and everything we can do from all the areas of wellness in order for them to lead positive lives.” August is Wellness Month! In this Coffee Break Conversatio...

Send us Fan Mail “Yes, it's big work that we do, and it's super important, but I like the opportunity to pour into other people, to develop them to give them the skills and the tools that have made me successful in my role, and help them be successful in theirs.” Justin Malcolm is one of Wedgwood Christian Services’ incredible Residential Treatment Home Supervisors, who knows that invest...

Send us Fan Mail “All of our community depends on how we take care of our children. And the health of the community today dictates where we're going tomorrow. It might not feel like it affects us right now, but it will affect us.” When kids have experienced trauma and are removed from their homes and communities for one reason or another, Wedgwood serves as a place where kids can heal and con...

Send us Fan Mail “Here at Wedgwood, we see you as a person first, and we want to meet you where you're at, and we want to help. We don't see you as a diagnosis, you are always a person first.” The complexity and intensity of mental and behavioral needs continues to grow. Brina Tiemeyer, Clinical Supervisor in Wedgwood’s Community Mental Health Programs, knows that to address this growing...