ROCKWALL —
This month, back in my home area of Wisconsin, three young girls who attended my church in River Falls, Wisconsin were murdered by their father. 11-year-old Amara, 8-year-old Sophie and 5-year-old Cecilia Schaffhausen were brutally stabbed by their father, who had asked to go to his ex-wife’s house to visit the girls while she was at work. My friend’s daughter Fallon was the nanny who was home when the father came to the house to visit his daughters and is in the process of having to testify in court. She said that he seemed fine and talked with her before she left the house and left him with the girls. My entire community, and possibly the entire nation is grief stricken over this horrific event. It makes me wonder if there was some way someone could have prevented this from happening; some way that this terrible act could have been prevented; some warning sign that there was tragedy to come.
Although this incident is a terrible extreme, it brings about an imperative point; an important part of being healthy is to be mentally well. We all have stress that we deal with at our jobs, in our relationships, as parents, and finances. Some people may be dealing with depression- whether situational or clinical, or have chemical imbalances causing bipolar disorder or other mental illness. Sometimes people may just need someone to talk to, to find support, or to live a healthier lifestyle to improve the situation that they have before them. Other times, in-depth professional medical help may be necessary.
If you feel that you have more of a load than you can handle, please seek out help. If you do not feel that you have a support system, talk to someone. Or if you know of someone who may be in danger to themselves or others, please don’t look the other way. Call 911 if you are in a crisis.
If you feel you need some help in a non-emergency, I’d like to offer some resources. One person that I have gotten to know since I have been in Rockwall is available to offer counseling and referral services. Kimberly Rumczikas has a Bachelors Degree in Social Work from Valparaiso University in Indiana and a Masters in Social Work from University of Illinois at Chicago-Jane Addams College of Social Work. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker.
kimberly@freefrombaggage.com
214-882-7601
You can also call 211 to get a list of other mental health resources in the Rockwall area.
Opinion
Mental health leads to physical fitness
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Restricted access forces editor to adjust, work harder
As a card-carrying member of the press, there’s one item in particular that journalists should have on their person at all times — credentials.
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Initiation for the new guy? We may have missed that opportunity
I’m so happy to report that the Herald-Banner has added a brand new reporter to our Royse City-Rockwall County staff.
I’m always pleased to see recent college graduates enter the wonderful world of newspaper journalism. And I believe this young man, Austin Wells, is going to do a fine job.
But I had an issue with him at first. - Letters to the Editor
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Anxious to put college in my rearview ... for good
The closer I get to graduation, the further away it seems.
I’ve officially let “senioritis” set in, just as I did in high school, when the desire to get the best grades possible was completely decimated by a lack of motivation and the need to simply get the grade required to pass and put the entire experience in my rearview mirror. -
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Actually, I didn’t write in red ink, but I definitely recorded the fact that I slept-in that Monday morning. I slept until almost noon. -
Judge provides update on some current issues within the county
This is the time of the year when the county is starting its budget preparation for the next fiscal year, which goes from Oct. 1 to Sept. 30, 2014. As you might expect, many discussions are being held during workshops of the commissioners court to address some of the different needs that might compete for funding in the budget.
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Unscripted moment provides most cherished memory
My most cherished memory from the Memorial Day running of the Patriot Half Marathon in Rockwall does not involve running.
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Anticipation has me feeling like a kid again
I still act like a kid sometimes.
Please, friends, before you start nodding in agreement, let me explain. -
An unusual officer from three countries
Walking into the headquarters of the Green Berets 10th Special Forces Group in Bad Tolz, Germany as a newly-assigned lieutenant in June of 1961, not knowing what to expect, was the start of the second best assignment I had in the U.S. Army (the best was commanding a battalion in the 8th Infantry Division in Europe during the Cold War).
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Adjusting to change and getting back on the wagon
Adjusting to change is hard, even when the change is a great thing in your life like a new job, a new relationship, or a new location.
Anything, good or bad, that can throw a wrench into our normal routine, has the potential to be an opportunity or a detriment to our wellness planning. - More Opinion Headlines
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