The other week, my daughter was working very hard on a picture that she was coloring for her teacher. As she tore the page out of the coloring book, her excitement got the best of her and she suddenly pulled too hard and the page ripped in in half. She instantly went from joy to anger, frustration and sadness.
Isn't life funny that way? Our highest highs can become our lowest lows in a matter of seconds. But it isn't about avoiding these moments (because that is impossible), it's about what we do in the moments afterward that really matter. At Simply Bee, we try to find these moments in people's lives and teach them how to rebound quickly. We use techniques such as mindfulness (slowing down), distress tolerance (breathing), and radical acceptance (understanding that life happens). We must accept that bad things happen even when we don't deserve it and by doing so, we armor ourselves with strategies that make those moments as brief as possible in addition to gaining confidence in the way we handled it.
To learn more about how to accept and change your reaction to unexpected disappointment or pain, I highly recommend The Happiness Trap, featured below. Very few books translate therapy into real-life terms, but this book does a great job of that. Everyone should own a copy!
And if you are wondering how things worked out for my daughter, she decided to color a "more perfect page for Mrs F." — which was a sweet little rainbow page. She carefully tore the coloring page with more awareness and patience than ever before. This month, let's all take a note from a resilient little six-year-old and accept our torn pages in life as opportunities to do better.
Sincerely,
Audrey
|
|
Programs & Resources For Youth & Adolescents |
|
Empowered & Educated: A Mental Health Workshop For Hispanic Girls |
|
While mental health is a universal experience, each community of people interacts with it in unique ways. It's important to approach mental health in a way that is tailored to the experiences of a specific community and culture — and that is our goal with our 'Empowered & Educated' workshop!
For middle to early high school aged girls in the Hispanic community, it can be common to experience anxiety stemming from pressures of perfectionism, being the child of a 1st, 2nd or 3rd generation family, maintaining healthy boundaries or having a parent with immigrant status.
As someone with lived experience in this community, Jocelyn Machain, LSW is looking forward to facilitating this free workshop open to all 7th-9th grade Hispanic girls. This workshop is designed to support participants in learning strategies for coping with anxiety and perfectionism and how to set healthy boundaries in their relationships. To achieve this, Jocelyn will guide participants through a combination of small and full group discussion & activities — such as a perfectionism worksheet, healthy friendships & boundaries education, and a self care action plan craft. Our goal is to utilize interactive education and discussion to equip participants with tools to empower them to destigmatize mental health in their circle while building awareness of services available to them.
Workshop Details:
- Who: 7th-9th Grade Hispanic Girls
- When: February 23rd | 6:30-8:00 PM
- Where: Simply Bee Office | 175 E Hawthorn Pkwy, Ste 325, Vernon Hills
- Cost: Free!
|
|
Mindfulness Center For Athletes |
|
Simply Bee is thrilled to offer this new online wellness platform open to all athletes!
The Mindfulness Center is a place for athletes to learn & practice mental health and resiliency skills to grow at their own pace. With on-the-go accessibility on any mobile device, this solution-based program is built specifically for athletes with busy schedules. It's designed to strengthen their mental performance and wellness as soon as they start their day, on their way to a meet/game — or anywhere where they feel they need a little extra support!
Our carefully curated content covers a wide range of mental health topics in an effort to develop the whole athlete. Content will be delivered through multimedia, articles, meditations, quotes & bonus material in order to appeal to all types of learners. With new posts every week, athletes will have a consistent flow of resources and ample opportunity to build resilience in both their sport and in life overall.
Each post is complete with reflection/discussion questions to promote open conversation, team cohesion, and a shared commitment to wellness in the competitive environment. Join our community of online learners who are committed to growth!
Details:
- Open to all athletes ages 12+
- Cost: $11.99/month recurring subscription - cancel anytime!
- Individualized login with username & password
|
|
Simply Bee Resiliency IOP Now Open! |
|
We are excited to announce the official opening of our Resiliency Intensive Outpatient Program!
We look forward to providing excellent care to all clients coming through our doors. A big thank you to all of our team members who have worked tirelessly to make this program a reality!
If you think your adolescent is a fit for our program, please click the button below to schedule a 90-minute initial assessment. Upon this assessment, our team will work with you to determine the best path of support for your loved one.
|
|
Program Details:
- Adolescents in grades 6th-12th
- Vernon Hills Office
- Monday-Friday | 12:00 PM - 3:00 PM
- Group Therapy, Individual Therapy, Family Therapy, Meditation, Yoga, Movement, Skills Training, Community Activities, Nutrition, Meals
- Virtual Parent Group (Required) | Thursday 7:00 pm - 8:30pm
|
|
What We Treat:
- Anxiety & Mood Disorders
- ADHD
- Adjustment & Grief
- Trauma
- Self-Injury
- Eating Disorders
- Secondary Diagnosis: Substance Use Disorders
|
|
Programs & Resources For Adults |
|
In Case You Missed It...
Check Out Our Newest Digital Course: How to Deal with School Refusal & School Anxiety
|
|
As students return from winter break, it's common for feelings of anxiety to creep in during this transitional period. Kids and teens must readjust to busy schedules and workloads, and this often feels overwhelming — sometimes pushing them to want to avoid school altogether.
As a parent, it can feel challenging to understand how your child is feeling and how to provide support while being firm about their attendance.
Eric Stevenson, LPC & therapist at Simply Bee, works with many clients and families experiencing school refusal and school anxiety. He has created a new, 2-part online course to provide education on what anxious kids are experiencing, the cycle of anxiety & school refusal and what you can do as a parent to help your child manage symptoms and return to school. If you're struggling with this cycle in your home, be sure to check out this course today!
What's included:
- 30 minutes of training videos broken up into 2 mini lessons
- Emails to keep you engaged and provide additional resources
- A downloadable PDF to help you put a family plan into action
|
|
What's Happening This Month |
|
Growth & Resiliency Model© PD Series: Part II
Warren Educators
|
|
On January 18th, Audrey Grunst, LCSW will present the second part of a 3-part PD series with the educators of Warren Township High School. Building upon Part I: Become Aware, Part II will focus on steps 2 & 3 of the Growth & Resiliency Model©: Observe Objectively & Respond Responsibly. Educators will deepen their understanding of the importance of mindfulness in today's fast paced world as well as learn how to help students become responders instead of reactors in triggering situations.
|
|
How To Gain Control During Uncertain Times
D73 Parents
|
|
We are looking forward to being back with the parents and families of District 73 on January 23rd for the second workshop of the school year. The first workshop, Growing A Resilient Mind, focused on teaching the 5-steps of our model and how to apply it in the world of parenting. This second workshop will hone in on Step 3 of the model, Respond Responsibly. Our goal is to focus on mental and emotional skills to respond to burnout, uncertainty, and crisis.
|
|
Growing A Resilient Mind: Parent Edition
Oak Grove Parents
|
|
On January 31st, we will kick off a 3-part presentation series for the parents of Oak Grove. Audrey Grunst, LCSW will share our keynote Growing A Resilient Mind: Parent Edition presentation. Our goal with this presentation is to provide parents the necessary skills to support mental & emotional growth during challenging times. We are excited to build upon this information in Parts II & III coming in March and May! |
|
Dates for spring presentations are booking fast!
If you are interested in bringing a workshop or presentation to your organization, schedule a discovery call with our Director Of Operations & Communications, Kate Kelley, below.
|
|
Check Out Our Newest Blog! |
|
Essential Elements For A Successful New Years Season
When you look back on the past year, what feelings come up? Maybe feelings of gratitude — for the relationships you’ve built & strengthened, a successful year at work, or the growth you experienced personally. Maybe last year was a particularly...
Read more
www.simplybeecounseling.net
|
|
|
|
|
|
As mentioned above, we highly recommend the book, The Happiness Trap, by Russ Harris!
It's a great read for anyone looking to reduce stress and worry, better accept disappointment, break habits, manage painful thoughts, overcome self-doubt and strengthen relationships.
You can find it on Amazon here!
|
|
In Case You Missed It...
Check out these past issues of our monthly newsletter!
|
|
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...
|
|
Looking for our counseling services?
Check out our website for more info & fill out the form below to be contacted by our team.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
