Connections Wellness Group: Supporting You During The Pandemic and Beyond

CONNECTIONS WELLNESS GROUP SUPPORTING YOU

DURING THE PANDEMIC AND BEYOND

by Steve Gamel

It’s no secret that all of us have been struggling to mentally navigate the COVID-19 pandemic. For adults, the constant unknowns lead to anxiety over issues like layoffs, sickness, how to pay our bills, and fears over whether or not our kids are safe within school walls. Far too often, we must pretend everything is okay when it’s clearly not, which makes it worse for our children as they try to cope with their own issues: returning to school, feelings of isolation, and more.

Connections Wellness Group in Denton over the past eight months. Thankfully, wants you to know you and your kids many people are calling Connections aren’t alone. It is okay to say that, from Wellness, which has set a new standard in time to time, you may need help. Your handling the most clinically challenging mental health — even in a pandemic — is of circumstances — whether in person or the reason they come to work every day. through teleservices. They have services “Our culture tells us, ‘keep going,’ and ‘persevere on,’ or ‘it will be fine,’ and ‘you’ve got this.’ But there has to be a counterbalance to that,” CEO Awstin Gregg said. “The way we become our best is seeking and having the support we need in tough times, which leads to more success in the end.” that assist patients as young as 3 years old and currently offer programs for teens and adults that include Process groups, psychoeducational groups, experiential groups, psychiatric evaluations, nursing evaluations, and medication education. Their therapies include cognitivebehavioral, solution-focused, dialectical “YOU CAN’T KEEP POURING FROM AN EMPTY CUP.” The sad reality is that mental health affects behavior, motivational interviewing, people of all ages, and Gregg said those cognitive processing, rational emotive struggles have only been exacerbated behavior, SMART recovery, and many other services depending on the need.

“When it comes to the pandemic, there are a few points we are trying to make, which include creating routines and structure for yourself, focusing on controllable tasks, and encouraging parents to check in on their kids more frequently,” said Dr. Syed Nizami, a child and adolescent psychologist and the medical director for the PHP and IOP programs. “We also want to help people learn coping skills and self-care, and finding ways to stay connected as best as we all can.”

Gregg agreed, adding that people can’t continue being a caregiver for their family and others if they do not receive any care or encouragement in return. That’s what Connections Wellness Group is here to do — even in a pandemic.

“You can’t keep pouring from an empty cup,” Gregg said. “It’s okay to say that, from time to time, you might need help. I happen to be biased, but I think we are pretty good at providing that help. Let us support you.”

Becomes METRO DENT ONE-STOP-SHOP

by Diane Ciarloni | photography by Your Candid Memories (YourCandidMemories.com)

Metro Dent in Lewisville was, is, and will continue to be a premier leader in the technology of paintless dent repair. For more than 25 years, people have known this was the place to take a car or truck riddled with door dings or hail dimples and, within a few days, pick up the same vehicle that now looks as if it’s fresh off the showroom floor. Mike Nosker purchased Metro Dent from his friends in 2018. His immediate goal was to begin expanding the services offered to his customers. Working with dedicated focus, he needed only two years to broaden the service umbrella to cover any type of automotive or marine repair. we can offer them the best of everything, and wouldn’t leave. While doodling, it occurred to him that adding “a” to the beginning of “utopia” changed the first four letters to spell “auto.” That was it! Autopia was born. Boatopia, to describe the ton of boat and jet ski work the business handled, just followed naturally. Both Autopia and Boatopia are owned and operated by Metro Dent. Now, there’s something extra special at 1620 E. State Hwy 121. It goes way beyond dents and dimples. It’s a literal

“I still had a lot of customers who were surprised when they learned about all the services we provided in addition to hail and paintless dent repair,” said Mike. “I decided the name Metro Dent fell short in describing our expansion into a ‘one-stopshop’ kind of business. I created two new DBAs to better reflect to customers that

whether they bring us a car, a boat, or a jet ski.”

Creating names can require a great deal of deliberation. It needs to indicate the service provided, with a sound and rhythm that sticks in a person’s head. Mike played around with words for several weeks. “Utopia” popped into his brain utopia, where anything is possible.

“People are too busy these days to go to a list of places to fill their needs. State inspection. Oil change. Professional detail. Even a frame-off restoration. We can do it all, which means wyou drive to one place, turn your vehicle over to us, take one of our ‘loaners’ if necessary and leave everything in our hands,” Mike said. “We’ll even take care of insurance issues. We believe this approach is essential for our customers’ convenience, as well as the most efficient way to meet their needs. Also add to all of that a lifetime warranty.”

Metro Dent is one of those places that actually found the silver lining in the COVID-19 pandemic. Social distancing? One of the best places to accomplish that is on the lake! There was a giant

214.735.8365 | 1620 E. STATE HWY. 121, STE. C100 | LEWISVILLE, TX 75057 AutopiaNTX.com | BoatopiaNTX.com | HailFreeCar.com

upswing in boat and jet ski sales. It was a way for people to get out of their homes without exposing themselves to human transmission of the virus. The result was new boaters and a doubling of watercraft traffic on the lakes. Boatopia is ready to keep all those water-going vessels in top mechanical and physical shape.

“We handle everything pertaining to auto and marine,” said Mike. “That includes cosmetic, structural, mechanical, electrical, interior, and exterior. We have a new tagline for our business. It says: ‘Time, trust, and integrity – restored and reconditioned through expert quality and service.’”

What really separates Metro Dent from the would-be competition?

Answer: The entire technical staff, including Mike, travel the world to learn different techniques, actually assisting the on-site technicians from whom they’re learning. This keeps them on the cuttingedge of available technology.

Raised in Dublin, Ohio, Mike spent 20 years traveling the world and working in hail storms, automobile manufacturing plants, and body shops. He’s worked on six of the seven continents which, in itself, is impressive. The goal that chased him from one place to the next was to have a shop that provided the best service and quality anywhere on the planet.

He grabbed the opportunity by the horns when he purchased Metro Dent from his friends in 2018. There’s no indication he’ll slow down anytime soon. After all, it requires total dedication to remain the best on the planet.

THE GOAL THAT CHASED HIM FROM ONE PLACE TO THE NEXT WAS TO HAVE A SHOP THAT PROVIDED THE BEST SERVICE AND QUALITY ANYWHERE ON THE PLANET.