“My 85-year old mother lives alone, but she is getting forgetful, careless and depressed. I’m reluctant to talk to her about other living arrangements because she is so fiercely independent—I know she would get mad at me and not cooperate. How can I approach her in a loving way so she understands her safety is important to me?”

Welcome to the Heartland Family Service Ask A Counselor service. Ask us your difficult questions about relationships, addictions, abuse, depression or anything else that may be troubling your mental health.

Ask A Counselor is an email-based educational and information service offering confidential professional guidance. The service can help you decide where to look for help and how to get started in making changes. We can answer questions you may have about professional counseling services – which type of counselor or specialization is best for you; locations, hours, fees; and approaches that are used. We can offer information and referrals to Heartland Family Service programs or, if a service is needed that we do not offer, to other community resources.

Ask a Counselor is not a substitute for personalized mental health treatment. It is only intended to provide you with good information, education, and referrals for personal services. For some individuals, it may be the first step they will take toward treatment.

The counselors at Heartland Family Service will strive to respond to your questions by the next business day — Monday through Friday.

If you think you may benefit from professional counseling, please call Heartland Family Service at (402) 553-3000 or email your questions to askacounselor@heartlandfamilyservice.org.