Mindfulness Moment: How July 4th Can Affect People with PTSD | | |
Fireworks, crowds, and loud noises—often associated with Fourth of July celebrations—can be triggering for individuals living with PTSD, especially those who have experienced:
- Combat or military trauma
- Gun violence or community violence
- Natural disasters
- Sudden loud noise-related trauma (e.g., car accidents, explosions, abuse)
These triggers can lead to:
- Flashbacks or intrusive memories
- Hypervigilance and startle responses
- Anxiety or panic attacks
- Difficulty sleeping due to unexpected late-night noise
While Independence Day is a time of celebration for many, it can be a deeply difficult time for others—especially those living with PTSD. Fireworks can trigger flashbacks, panic, and stress responses. If you or someone you love experiences this, you’re not alone. Creating a safety plan, using noise-canceling tools, or retreating to a quiet space can help. Let’s be mindful that celebration looks different for everyone.
*Please note, All Souls Counseling Center will be closed Friday, July 4th in recognition of Independence Day.
| | Announcing ASCC's New Podcast: Soul Sessions! | | |
We’re excited to launch Soul Sessions, a new monthly podcast from All Souls Counseling Center. Each episode will offer accessible mental health education, guided breathwork or grounding techniques, and practical tools you can add to your mental health toolbelt.
In our first episode, therapist and mental health educator Adam Lewis introduces the foundations of mindfulness through the lens of Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT). Listeners will learn the "WHAT" skills of mindfulness—observe, describe, and participate—as developed by DBT founder Marsha Linehan, PhD.
Tune in every month with intention and gain insight. Soul Sessions will soon be available on many favorite podcast platforms.
| | Meet Our New Donor Relations Coordinator: Ela Twigg | | |
We're excited to introduce Ela Twigg (she/her) as the newest member of the All Souls Counseling Center team! Originally from the West Virginia/Maryland area, Ela has lived in Asheville since 2013 after spending time in places as varied as Maine, New Mexico, and Oregon. She brings a rich background in social services, healing arts, fundraising, and nonprofit administration—along with a BA in anthropology and studies in peace, sociology, and business.
Ela was drawn to ASCC because of our mission to provide compassionate, accessible care to all, and she's most excited to grow her skills in nonprofit development while supporting the expansion of our services. Outside of work, she’s a birdwatcher, gardener, language learner, and lover of local trails and eateries. She also serves on the board of Just Economics and runs a part-time healing arts practice.
Please join us in giving Ela a warm welcome!
| | ASCC Hosts Free Community Meal in Bat Cave, NC | | |
On June 5th, our team wound through the mountains into Bat Cave, NC—an area still healing from the devastation of Hurricane Helene. Along the way, we passed signs of the storm’s impact: landslides, evidence of severe flooding, downed trees, and roads still under repair. But when we arrived at the Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration, we were greeted by something powerful—resiliency in bloom.
Surrounded by lovingly tended flower gardens planted by community members, this community welcomed us with the utmost warmth. Thanks to a generous grant from the Duke Energy Foundation, we were able to host a free community dinner for nearly 30 guests, catered by the wonderful team at Lured Market.
During the meal, ASCC therapist Adam Lewis, LCSW, led a mental health session on “Grounding 101”, sharing calming techniques like breathing exercises, butterfly tapping, walking, gardening, and more—simple ways to regulate the nervous system and reconnect with the present moment. We are deeply grateful to the Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration for their partnership and hospitality, and to the Bat Cave community for showing us what strength and care look like in action.
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ASCC Executive Director, Meredith Switzer, Featured on AVL Area Focus Radio 105.9FM
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We are so grateful to AVL media groups for the ways they amplify the important messages around mental health - normalizing conversations, sharing that it is okay to ask for help, and how to access affordable mental health care.
Meredith was interviewed in June by Melanie Wilkinson, host of Asheville Area Focus, a program of 105.9 FM The Mountain. Meredith shared the many ways ASCC has stepped up to meet individuals "where they are" during this period of our community's recovery. Topics during this feature included: community meals, PTSD, volunteer opportunities, survivor's guilt, national live hotlines, and ways to support our friends or family.
| | Registration is now open for the 3rd Annual Mental Health Matters: 5k Walk/Run for Awareness | | |
Join All Souls Counseling Center for a day of fresh air, movement, music, and community on the beautiful UNC-Asheville campus. The Mental Health Matters Walk/Run for Awareness is a family-friendly event designed to raise awareness of local mental health resources and help end the stigma around seeking support.
Choose from two course options:
• A relaxed walk/run around the Karl Straus Track
• A 5K route through UNCA's beautiful campus
After you have crossed the finish line, stick around for our community resource fair, where you'll connect with local wellness and mental health organizations from across WNC. Whether you're walking, running, or stopping by for resources, this event is about moving toward mental health together.
Registration details:
• Free for ages 22 and under
• $15 early bird price (July 1–Aug 9)
• $20 regular price (Aug 10–Sept 20)
• All participants receive a Mental Health Matters t-shirt
• Registration fees are non-refundable
All proceeds support All Souls Counseling Center and our mission to provide affordable mental health services in Western North Carolina.
| | Sponsor the 2025 Walk/Run! | | |
Looking for a great way to get your brand in front of an active and highly engaged Asheville audience? Sponsorships for the Mental Health Matters: Walk/Run are now available!
If your organization is interested in being a sponsor, this would include an outreach table at the resource fair at no additional cost, promotional opportunities, complimentary registrations and t-shirts. Sponsorships start at $500. To learn more about sponsorships, please contact Mary Waller, Development Director, at mary@allsoulscounseling.org.
| | Donor Thank You: Corporate Sponsors Help Us Help Others! | | |
ASCC is fortunate to have many new and faithful event sponsors - businesses, agencies, healthcare leaders, and faith-based organizations - who help make access to our mental health services and community education possible.
First Bank is one of those incredible companies! Their continued support of ASCC is truly an investment in the well-being of the Western North Carolina community. In 2024-2025, First Bank has been a corporate sponsor of our Mental Health Matters 5K walk/run, the Green Ribbon Society receptions for our leadership giving circle, and our beautiful night of inspiration and fundraising, "Hope Is In Bloom". The leadership, engagement, and ambassadorship of First Bank's regional SVP, Rusty Edwards, is invaluable to our impactful work across WNC.
Rusty serves on the ASCC Board of Directors and is the chairperson of our Development Committee. Check out First Bank's "why" in this video.
Thank you, Rusty and First Bank, for your steadfast support!
| | Gratitude for Great Local Supporters | | |
How fortunate our clients are that giving to ASCC comes in all shapes and sizes, including through outside fundraisers, outreach collection baskets, and "awareness on tap" style events. Many amazing area organizations and businesses share our passion for the importance of making mental health (MH) care accessible and select All Souls to benefit from the funds they raise.
Three of the outstanding local groups who made spring donations to ASCC are: The Whale Outpost, employees of GE Aerospace, and Jubilee! Community.
Every gift matters. Thanks to these community friends and their collective generosity, the cost of 42+ therapy sessions - lead by our licensed clinicians - are made possible for adults or couples in WNC!
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All Souls Counseling Center (ASCC) | 828-259-3369 | allsoulscounseling.org
ASCC is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization (EIN: 56-2200862).
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