“Lake Country Cottage” Brings New Opportunities for Community!

LCA News and Information

Lake Country Cottage Drop-in Center

Lake Country Cottage opened its doors mid-May and will provide new opportunities for community members diagnosed with mental illness.  The Cottage’s goal is to use the tenets of the Clubhouse Model to help people diagnosed with mental illness (its members) with employment and housing, create daily structure, build work and social skills and develop a community of meaningful relationships.  The technical term is psychosocial rehabilitation, but it’s essentially about building positive relationships and skills that can help you overcome the challenges of living with a mental health diagnosis.

Lake Country Cottage is located at 516 1st Street West in Park Rapids (immediately West of Casey’s on Hwy 34) and is operated by Lake Country Associates.  Currently, “The Cottage” is being used as a comfortable space for community mental health staff to complete their paperwork, meet individually with clients, and provide ARMHS skills groups.  Beginning next week, we will begin offering scheduled drop-in hours as follows:

Monday     9AM-1PM            Tuesday    Noon-4PM           Thursday     Noon-4PM                  Friday       9AM-1PM

A 2015 community needs assessment conducted by The Improve Group found that in our region, a “drop-in center” was one of the top needs identified.  A drop-in center is also regularly identified as a strong community need at the Hubbard County Mental Health Local Advisory Council.  “It’s for those times when you are having problems with your symptoms, but it’s not so bad that you need to go to the hospital”, said one consumer advocating for the need at the Advisory Council meeting, “when you just need to be around people, away from the four walls of your apartment and in a safe place with people who understand about your illness”.

Lake Country Cottage is also host to the Activities Leadership Group (ALG) meetings and activities.

What is the Activities Leadership Group?

Jean Greseth and Sarah Elstad at Lake Country CottageALG is a consumer-run group that meets twice a month to plan and implement social and recreational activities for the larger community of mental health consumers.  ALG typically plans two community activities per month, which can be found on LCA Activity Calendar.

Last week, The Cottage kicked off its ALG schedule in the garage with a “garden party”.  Staff and members brought in their overgrown houseplants to split and share with others.  Everyone got their hands dirty and walked away with new houseplants to warm their homes and apartments. “It was so fun”, said Jean Greseth, plant-splitting enthusiast and counselor at LCA, “it’s what you’re supposed to do with plants…share them with the people you care about”.

Learn more about the Lake Country Cottage.

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Feedback from LCA clients:

Our counselor wanted to meet our entire family to find out how to better help our son.  She offered lots of suggestions and things to help us in the long term.

I have a great therapist.  I appreciate her assistance!

They were open to my opinion of which counselor I see.

Talking with my therapist is helping, instead of holding it all in.

Good location, feels very professional and confidential!

I always feel that my therapist is listening to what I have to say and helping me come up with practical ways to deal with things.

I love the comfortable feel in the office.

All the staff were friendly and helpful.  They answered all my questions.

The appointment times work well with my schedule.  My children get along well with their therapists.

My therapist is a life saver! :-)

They matched me with the perfect therapist!

Very welcoming place.  We love our therapist!

Easy to work with.  Made me feel comfortable!

It is a very comfortable atmosphere.  Everyone is flexible and understanding!

Easy to get to.  Very friendly people willing to help.

Location is great and the staff is excellent with customer service.  Therapy is also professional and comfortable.

The receptionist knew my name after the second visit...very friendly!

Meeting with my therapist has been making my life and relationships a lot less stressful.

You are all warm, welcoming and so very helpful!  Thank you!!

I appreciate the text/phone reminders.

I am so thankful I was directed here!

My therapist is great!  Of all the therapists we've had over the years, she understands our family and kids the best.  Very helpful!

Listens to both my child and me.  Getting us through some very difficult times with care and compassion.

I appreciated being treated normally, even though I was getting help with a difficult situation.

My therapist understands my child's needs and listens.

I'm so appreciative of my therapist's knowledge, skill and understanding.

My son and daughter are making steps toward our family goals!

When we come in for an appointment, the reception staff always has a friendly smile on her face.

Quick and easy to get an appointment.  Friendly, helpful staff.

She's thinking through things with me instead of just giving directions.  It shows that she cares.

They gave me hope for the future.  Life saving.

My ARMHS staff is awesome!  She has helped me make progress in many areas of my life.  I have better relationships now.

My children's counselors are awesome.  I've seen huge progress in both my kids.

Friendly and helpful atmosphere.  Feel at ease walking in.

They work with your schedule and do whatever they can to help you.

My counselor helps me out when I need it most.  I can always count on them to say the right things, even when I don't want to hear it.

The staff have good attitudes and open minds.

My therapist was very, very kind and is an awesome problem solver.

I found scheduling flexible to my needs.

Her thoughtfulness and her knowledge of helping people with depression is what I need to achieve my goals!

I like that the staff are flexible with scheduling.

Greatly appreciate having the option of Christian Counseling and being able to filter issues through that lens!

The staff members are always well informed and ready to help/answer questions.

Everyone was very helpful.  I'm glad I called to get help!

The receptionist staff have been amazing.  They are friendly and caring.  You can tell they enjoy their job.

My child's therapist is awesome!  So helpful and relates well to the whole family.

I had a person to talk with about my problems and my problems are getting better.

I love coming to LCA.  Everybody is so friendly and make you feel so much better.

The front desk staff had a positive attitude and was patient with me.

Therapy at LCA has helped my progress immensely!

Easy to work with.  You can tell they genuinely care about their clients.

Resources

LCA Brochure

April Cottage Activities Calendar

Community Resource List 1.8.24

All Forms and Downloads

Office Hours

Park Rapids Office

  • Monday, Tuesday, Thursday
    8:00 to 5:00
  • Wednesday
    8:00 to 7:00
  • Friday
    8:00 to 1:00

Bemidji Office

  • Monday – Thursday
    8:00 to 5:00
  • Friday
    8:00 to 12:00

Menahga Office

  • Open by appointment

LCA offices may be closed over the noon hour. 

Important Numbers

Park Rapids Office Phone:
218-366-9229

Bemidji Office Phone:
218-444-2233

Menahga Office Phone:
218-564-9229

LCA Fax Number (all offices):

218-237-2520

24-Hour Crisis Line:
800-422-0045

LCA News and Information