Happy August! I'm certain that many of us find ourselves navigating a blend of emotions as we step into the fall season of 2023. We eagerly anticipate new memories but feel nostalgic for slow summer days. Recently, I shared this notion with my children—how we often experience a multitude of emotions, sometimes even in opposition, like excitement for what is new and sadness for what has passed.
The experience of those opposite feelings is often called “anxiety.” It is a word that is often overused and by doing so, we lose the opportunity to normalize our emotional experience. As we move into a new season, I hope that we can slow down and remind one another that it is normal to feel an array of emotions and there is no such thing as a bad feeling: all feelings are valid, real and fair.
What we want to do with these feelings is to realize that they do not last forever, time changes our reactions, and if we ask for help, even the biggest emotions can feel smaller when we are not alone.
Until next time,
Audrey
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What's Happening In The Hive |
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2023-2024 Simply Bee Campus Catalog
Time to book 2023-2024 presentations, programs and services available to educators, parents, students, athletes and organizations! Throughout all of our curriculum, we strive to provide tangible, growth-oriented education and training centered around mental health.
What's Inside?
Educator Training & Development
Social Emotional Learning
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Mental Performance for Athletes
We look forward to walking alongside of you in the journey towards supporting the mental health and well-being of those in your organization.
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At Simply Bee we value quality, growth, and care. To maintain these values, we have extensively interviewed and trained our team of qualified interns to be prepared to meet our clients' needs. All of our interns have previous experience in the mental health field and receive several supervisions and training opportunities each week.
The value an intern provides is not just their professional eye but also the experiences learned from their supervisors and professors. At Simply Bee, we have found the quality of care is extremely high due to the wrap around support for each client we serve. It is not often that a client's care is in the hands of three or more professionals, but this is one of those opportunities we find to be invaluable. Additionally, sliding scale fees are available for sessions with our intern team. Learn more about each of our skilled interns below!
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Malka Adler
Malka is a second-year student at the Wurzweiler School of Social Work. Malka has several years of experience mentoring women struggling with disordered eating and body image problems. She values creating safe spaces for clients to explore their presenting issues and make small but steady changes.
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Michael Motyka
Michael is a third-year grad student at Adler University getting his dual-masters in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and Sport & Human Performance. He has worked the past few years in mental performance with athletes focusing on issues such as stress-management, confidence, and self-management.
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Kelli Segerson
Kelli is currently a clinical practicum student on the road to receive her Psy.D. from Capella University. Prior to Capella, Kelli has 14 years of experience working in the school system in various roles, including providing social-emotional support for high school students.
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Calling All Simply Bee Fans!
We are looking for people who want to share their mental health journey. Our goal is to share inspiring stories and helpful tips with our social media followers to further promote a stigma-free community in Lake County.
We know that hearing other people's lived experiences can go a long way in helping others feel comfortable to take the next step in their own mental health journey.
If you'd like to share your experience with us, please fill out the form linked below. We appreciate your time and thoughtful response!
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D70 Parent Presentation Series
September 19th, January 24th & April 24th
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We are looking forward to kicking off the school year with District 70's Families Learning Together group for a 3-part parent presentation series! If you are a D70 parent, we invite you to join us September 19th for our keynote presentation 'Growing A Resilient Mind: The Parent Edition.'
Parts 2 & 3 will occur in January and April on 'Self-Care & Stress Management For Busy Families' & 'Stop The Guilt: A Guide For Parents To Lead With Love & Boundaries.' Thank you to D70 for partnering with us for this upcoming school year!
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D128 Area Mental Health Network |
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Created by D128 Superintendent Dr. Denise Herrmann & Simply Bee CEO Audrey Grunst, LCSW, the D128 Area Mental Health Network is a space for local board members, school leaders, law enforcement, local and state government, therapists and nonprofit leaders to network and coordinate care across towns.
This subcommittee will reconvene for the first meeting of the fall in September with an important presentation from State's Attorney Eric Reinhart on gun violence prevention. If you would like to join the network and collaborate with leaders in the D128 area, please reach out to Audrey at agrunst@simplybee.net.
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Lake County Suicide Prevention Walk |
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September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. Each year, we focus our efforts on engaging with our community in support of prevention initiatives. This year, we are proud to be a sponsor for the 11th annual 5K Hybrid Walk/Run For Awareness & Suicide Prevention, hosted by the Lake County Suicide Prevention Task Force.
This event will take place on September 23rd from 9:00AM-1:00PM at the College Of Lake County Graylake Campus. All proceeds from this event go to the Lake County Suicide Prevention Task Force and support their mission to prevent suicide and promote mental health awareness in Lake County through outreach events, professional training, and community education, because one suicide is too many. We would love to see you there in support of this important cause!
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The National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) is hosting their 14th annual Chicago NEDA Walk on September 30th. NEDA Walks represent some of the largest eating disorders awareness events in the country, bringing together over 25,000 people across the country. These events are a celebration of hope and strength, filled with body-positive activities, motivational guest speakers, and a short walk to symbolize unity in the fight against eating disorders.
Simply Bee is thrilled to be a sponsor of this year's walk - we look forward to joining the greater Chicagoland area in support of eating disorder awareness!
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Back to School: Understanding School Refusal and Cultivating a Positive Path Forward
August Blog Post
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As a new school year dawns upon us, the excitement of fresh beginnings fills the air: new classrooms, new relationships, new skills and new opportunities to learn and grow. Yet for some students, this period can be marked by uncertainty, worry and anxiety. While it’s normal to experience nerves, some kids and teens experience a level of fear or anxiety that ultimately leads to school refusal.
As we embark on this journey into a new year, it's important to bring awareness to the realities of school refusal: what it is, some telltale signs, its underlying causes, and how caregivers can help guide their loved ones toward a positive and successful school year ahead.
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Mental Health In The News |
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Mental health has been in the news more and more over the past few years. Recent research and reports have brought to light a growing need for mental health services and insurance coverage. As we continue to navigate the youth mental health crisis, an increased amount of research, policy work, advocacy and care services will be crucial. Check out the below articles to learn more about current trends and the impact they're having on individuals and the U.S. mental health system as a whole. |
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Pediatric Mental Health Emergency Department Visits Increased in Second Year of Pandemic
This article outlines the increase in emergency department visits during the pandemic with an especially notable increase for the population of adolescent girls (up 22.1%). Further, research has also found a big increase in prolonged stays prior to admission into inpatient care. This data contributes to the discussion around how to decrease the strain on acute mental health services and more quickly connect youth with the longer term care they need.
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White House Puts Insurance Companies On Alert For Mental Health Care
This article takes a closer look at the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act that was passed in 2008, designed to eliminate disparities between coverage for behavioral health services and medical services. According to policy advisor Neera Tanden, less than half of Americans with mental health needs received the mental health care they needed most in 2020. To improve these outcomes, recent changes have been proposed to strengthen this policy, close loopholes and help Americans more easily and equitably access mental health services.
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In Case You Missed It...
Check out these past issues of our monthly newsletter!
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Do you see an event you like?
Contact us and we will help bring mental wellness to you! For more information on workshops, public speaking engagements & more...
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Looking for our counseling services?
Check out our website for more info & fill out the form below to be contacted by our team.
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