Jeff Collins walks into a large room. He carries a plate of cookies that he sets down on a table before 15 sets of eyes slouched into folding chairs. Collins, 57, the founder and CEO of Second Chance Ministry of Northeast Arkansas, isn’t fazed by the lukewarm reception. He’s spoken in front of 80-something…
“When Oceans Rise, I will stand in your embrace.” That song has long been a soundtrack to my life, introduced to me by my husband. When oceans rise in my life, I have found great relief in standing in the embrace of my God. But some days, it has been so much more difficult…
Few pieces of literature have stuck with me in the way that Stevie Smith’s “Not Waving but Drowning” has. It’s a lingering presence that’s always there to remind, whether consciously or otherwise — which is not dissimilar to the very subject of mental health in general. Every time I learn of another tragedy that seems…
by Dustin Jayroe John Doe has battled addiction for nearly a decade. His substance use began as a social pastime during his college years; a little drinking turned into a little smoking and a little snorting, as his cohort of fellow young adults stumbled upon plethoric access to party-time potions. But what remained occasional…
As a high school teenager, I witnessed a lot of depression and had experienced suicide. Growing up in a small city that was growing into a bigger one, I became friends with a lot of people from school. So, experiencing depression was something I would see every day at school. I also battled with…
Whether it be undiagnosed or untreated mental health conditions or neglected substance abuse concerns, the state of Arkansas has more than its share of clinical mental health issues, a burden almost too large to shoulder for state behavioral health officials. According to Resources to Recover, a digital database by Laurel House, Inc., approximately 5…
By Dustin Jayroe Comparing the health of Arkansas to other states is a woeful endeavor. It’s with a grimace of penitence one conducts such research, only to find so often the same result, regardless of measuring metric: last, or close. From heart disease to cancer rates to diabetes, a smeared stain continuously condemns our reputation.…
When Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville closed in mid-March due to the coronavirus pandemic, its North Forest Trail remained open from dawn to dusk. As quarantine continued into the summer, people realized that outdoors activities, like hiking and cycling on the museum’s trails, offered a welcome relief to confinement at home. Now,…
By Dwain Hebda Kristy Dunn makes the rounds through the polished hallway of St. Theresa Catholic School in southwest Little Rock. Nearing the mid-term break, the concrete-block walls display the radiant artwork that will hang here most of the term. She passes each classroom door as quiet and unseen as an autumn breeze. …
November marks National Veterans and Military Families Month and includes the holiday of Veterans Day. AY About You thanks all of our veterans and their families for their selfless service to our country. By Kenneth Heard | Photos by Tony Milligan Harold Johnson used to sit on the wings of trainer airplanes parked…
