CONTENTS

01. Welcoming Ariol Tafa and Kayla Stemmer to the Practice!

02. Book Corner with Dr. Newman

03. Mr. and Mrs. White are Celebrating their 51st Wedding Anniversary!

04. A Story of Love and Distance

Ariol Tafa is a down-to-earth and welcoming psychiatric nurse practitioner with a master’s degree in nursing from Ursuline College. He speaks English, Italian, and Albanian. He believes in providing safe space for his patients to share their concerns, problems, and dilemmas. He believes in helping patients find practical and achievable solutions. He is dedicated to genuinely understanding his patients and partnering with patients to find simple and effective ways to reach their goals. He provides skilled medication management for adolescents and adults with mental health conditions including depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, stress and trauma-related disorders, schizophrenia, and addiction.  

He is passionate about mental health and can't wait to help his patients reach their maximum potential!  He is currently accepting new patients!

Kayla holds a Master’s in Social Work from the University of Cincinnati and recently graduated in 2022. Working in community mental health has provided Kayla with extensive experience working with trauma up close and personally. She is also training to become an intuitive eating certified clinician and will specialize in working with clients who struggle with eating disorders. Kayla appreciates working within a team that values their clients’ overall well-being and practices therapy very intentionally. She believes that therapy should be an individualized experience based on the client’s diagnosis, personality, history, and goals. Kayla’s goal is for her clients to leave their sessions feeling heard, valued, and like a collaborator in their therapy. Kayla has extensive experience in working with LGBTQ+ clients, gender identity, gender affirming care, and trauma. 

For February the book I would like to recommend is.....8 Dates: Essential Conversations for a Lifetime of Love, By Drs John and Julie Gottman. The authors have spent 40 years researching what separates relationship masters from relationship "disasters." Co-authored by Doug Abrams (The Book of Joy) and Dr. Rachel Abrams, this new edition from the relationship masters invites readers to learn what makes relationships work when we are navigating the often complex dynamics of long-term commitment. The book suggests a step-by-step program of 8 dates that focus on separate topics crucial to both joyful and fulfilling relationships. The date prompts and conversation starters prepare couples to better identify and address the challenges that will inevitably arise in the important areas of work, money, sex, family, trust, adventure, spirituality and dreams. 

These topics can be universally applied to couples who have been together for 5 months or five decades. Rediscovering what makes your relationship unique and meaningful can be applicable at any stage or age! My husband and I began a "date night" tradition more than 20 years ago and we still look forward to this simple event every week. Date night doesn't need to be expensive or extravagant, but it does need to be part of an overall intention to maintain a focus on one another and make your relationship and yourselves a priority. 

Happy Valentine's Day to all, and happy reading!

Westerville locals, Mr. and Mrs. White, will celebrate their 51st wedding anniversary on February 19th this year. They are a lovely couple and we asked them what their love tricks are! Mr. White said: “We both believe in the Bible, and we apply Bible teachings to our life. Husbands and wives should treat each other with utmost respect, and we try to live by that rule. We have our differences, but we work them out. We listen to each other. We travel together. We are patient with each other.” Mr. and Mrs. White say that it is best to wait for sexual affections till you are married. They said they waited and it was worth it. They caution the young generation to not treat love like it’s a fast food chain restaurant. They say that they trusted God when it came to love and they are thankful that they did. 

Congratulations to Mr. and Mrs. White on their 51st anniversary this month and they wish you a Happy Valentine's Day!

Mrs. and Mrs. Nemecek met in 2013. They were both in other relationships but they really enjoyed each other's company. They found each other again when they both became single years later. They developed a deep friendship and they knew they were attracted to each other,  but there was a geographical complication -- Monica is originally from Colombia and that's where she lived. Love however conquers all, and once Julie found her soulmate, she was not going to give up. They started a long distance relationship that ended in marriage on New Years Eve in 2018. Julie, an immigration attorney, and Monica, an artist, homemaker and Zumba instructor, say that no one should give up on love if distance is a challenge. They say that love is worth it, and the secret is to find compromises that work for both parties. Monica was able to move to Columbus, Ohio from Colombia and now they both help immigrants from all over the world apply for visas, green cards, and work permits! They unite families across borders. If you ever need help with a loved one's immigration status, feel free to reach out to this happy couple (JN Immigration – The Nemecek Firm, Ltd.). 

Happy Valentine's day from Julie and Monica!