September is a big month for mental health as we focus on Suicide Prevention Awareness Month in an effort to help people in need. According to NIMH, suicide is the second leading cause of death in ages 10-14 and 25-34, and the third leading cause of death for ages 14-24 (just under homicide). The most common reason for suicide is hopelessness and helplessness. That is why awareness is so important! When people are aware of resources, they feel hopeful that their life can change. When people access resources, they are able to help themselves.
I will be honest and share with you that I have felt both helpless and hopeless at different points in my life. We all have. This is why it's so important to spread awareness of not just available resources but also to continue to spread awareness that we all experience difficult emotions and situations. Let me ask you: have you shared that with someone who needs to hear it? Have you been vulnerable and honest and, in return, maybe saved a life? If not, remember that your experience matters to others more than you may know. So my challenge for you this September is to share your story, connect and show others that they are not alone.
Warmly,
Audrey
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What's Happening Around The Hive |
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Lake County Behavioral Health Alliance Presentation
'Is It Really That Simple?' How To Show Up After Trauma
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Audrey Grunst, LCSW & CEO presented at the Lake County Behavioral Health Alliance monthly meeting this past Friday, September 9th.
Audrey shared on her experience spearheading the Community Counseling Team (CCT) in the aftermath of the Highland Park 4th of July shooting. She presented a summary of impact for the week of July 5th-9th in which the 687 therapist volunteers of the CCT provided support to over 3,200 community members. And finally, she highlighted next steps in how to use this experience to help other communities prepare for and cope with trauma.
As a continuation of this work, Audrey is heading to Washington, D.C. in alliance with March Fourth to represent mental health and suicide prevention by means of guns in honor of Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. To learn more about March Fourth, check out this Well, Not Perfect Podcast episode with founder Kitty Brandtner.
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Stevenson High School Annual StreetFest |
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Stevenson High School is running their annual Wellness Week from September 12th-16th, culminating in their StreetFest event on September 17th. This event will feature live stage performances, interactive games, food trucks and activities from school & community partners all in support of student wellness.
Simply Bee will have a booth at StreetFest—we had a blast last year and are excited to be back again! We'll have fun SWAG and mental health activities. Be sure to stop by and say hi!
Tickets for this event can be purchased on this webpage and proceeds will support Shelter, Inc. & Family Focus.
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Effects of COVID-19 on Mental Health
Marshall County, KY Presentation
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Audrey Grunst, LCSW will be heading to Marshall County, KY on September 24th to present & provide mental health resources to community members.
The goal of this presentation is to help community members understand the impacts of the isolation and loneliness that were felt across the globe as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Audrey will provide families with positive coping mechanisms and skills to increase their resilience during difficult times.
This presentation will take place at their free family movie night event, hosted by the Marshall County Health Department & Marshall County Parks Department.
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Well, Not Perfect Season 3 Wrap Up |
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We have officially wrapped up the third season of our Well, Not Perfect Podcast!
We had so much fun this season with our amazing guests, learning about the wide range of their expertise and experiences. Check out our website to dig into all these episodes and more.
This month we want to highlight one of our most recent episodes with Kelly Oberle, leadership development coach and founder of Access Human Potential. Kelly works with teams to help enhance their performance and improve their emotional intelligence. The work she is doing to develop the whole athlete and make system-level changes is so valuable for coaches, parents and players alike.
Listen in to this episode to learn more about:
- How positive psychology can benefit athletes, coaches, and parents;
- The importance of knowing your “why’
- How to prevent burnout and breed confidence in athletes
As we say farewell to season 3, be sure to stay tuned for more information on all that's to come in Season 4!
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2022 ASCD Leadership Summit |
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Audrey Grunst, LCSW & CEO will head to Maryland on October 21-23 to present at the Leadership Summit of the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD) on Growing A Resilient Mind in the Classroom and Beyond.
Using best practice in mindfulness and psychology, participants of this presentation will learn a five-step protocol to increase social-emotional awareness on a systematic level. This protocol allows educators and students to move forward productively in the face of stress. Additionally, educators will develop a step-by-step process to teach and utilize the five-step Growth & Resiliency Model© to foster a growth mindset. Participants will understand how to implement this framework into their classroom as well as support their own personal growth and emotional development.
We look forward to the opportunity to share our model on a national level and support the social-emotional wellness of students and educators alike.
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We are thrilled to announce that, effective October 8th, 2022, Simply Bee is moving into a new space! Four years ago, we opened our first office in Vernon Hills. Since then, we have grown into two suites and a second location in Northbrook—and now it's time for us to expand into a larger space in Vernon Hills. We're looking forward to all of the opportunities that will come with this expansion and the chance to support the mental health of an even larger community.
Our new Vernon Hills home is right across the street from our current location, and we will still be operating out of our Northbrook location. Our new address is:
175 E Hawthorn Parkway, Suite 325 Vernon Hills, IL 60061
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Mental Health After Collective Trauma
New E-Book For Caregivers
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Both our global and local communities have experienced collective traumas in a variety of ways. Collective trauma causes far-reaching mental, physical and emotional damage as families and communities begin to heal and cope with deep uncertainty and fear. When collective trauma occurs close to home, the first question that arises for many caregivers and parents is, "How do I care for and talk to my child about this?"
Lindsay Wagner, MA & Associate Therapist here at Simply Bee created a Mental Health Through Collective Trauma E-book to help parents navigate these difficult conversations. In this e-book, you will find education and activities on the following:
- How to define collective trauma and its impact on mental health
- How to prepare yourself prior to having a conversation with your child
- Specific age-appropriate strategies to implement when talking to your child
- Coping skills to help your child (and yourself) manage emotions after trauma
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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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