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Discoveries
Healing Through Evolution
YOUVOLVE HEALING CENTER PROVIDES COUNSELING SERVICES AND WORKSHOPS TO HELP CLIENTS GROW
BY: MONIQUE DENNIS PHOTO BY: LILLIAN REITZ
As we move through the holiday season, we are constantly reminded that this is supposed to be the happiest time of year. Family, friends, food and gifts are all part of the festivities — but for some people, the bustle and demands of the holidays can be highly overwhelming. As our schedules become busier and our spending becomes heavier, it is too easy to spiral into a holiday depression while trying to be everything for everyone. Kate Rodriguez (Ph.D., LPC-S) and Melica Wiley (M.S., LMFT), co-founders of Youvolve Healing Center, have developed a few strategies to combat the holiday stress.
Rodriguez and Wiley do not shy away from battling a difficult task. Founded in 2020 amid the pandemic, Youvolve Healing Center is a group-practice counseling center that specializes in a variety of therapy practices. In addition to seeing individual clients, it also offers wellness workshops on the last Wednesday of every month that are available to the public. “The goal of Youvolve is to help 'you evolve' before negative things start happening,” Rodriguez said.
As Youvolve believes in preventative measures, it held its “Overcome the Holiday Blues” workshop in October to help people prepare for the season. Along with the stress of Thanksgiving and Christmas comes the impending “new year, new me” perspective. The practice’s go-to tips
Purchase Wiley’s book, Be Your Best LUVER: Five Steps to Better Communication, Intimacy, and Connections, on Youvolve’s website. help people stress less for the holidays and beyond.
Staying true to yourself and prioritizing what’s important to you — while reminding yourself that you don’t have to do everything on your own — is one major tip. From there, delegating responsibilities to others and setting boundaries with family and friends pertaining to your time and energy are key points.
This time of year can also bring stress, anxiety or depression stemming from loved ones who have passed or aren’t able to join with one another. Rodriguez and Wiley say that honoring and celebrating those who aren’t able to be with us during the holiday season and being okay with starting new traditions are other key points in managing our minds during this time.
Youvolve’s presence in the community stretches far beyond the holiday season, as Rodriguez and Wiley are committed to helping individuals and organizations around the Coastal Bend. They are passionate about social justice and make it a priority to help bring awareness about such issues to the community. They march every year for MLK Day, and also show support for and partake in the annual PRIDE parade. The Youvolve co-founders strongly believe in advocacy and find honor in using their voice to help others.
As active leaders, Rodriguez and Wiley seek to make a meaningful change in the lives of their clients and the public. As we enter one of the most stressful periods in the calendar, Bend residents can look to Youvolve Healing Center to help make the best out of this holiday season.
