Fighting to end mental health stigma has been a career goal for the last twenty years, so why does it feel bad as we progress? In 2020, 20.3% of adults sought professional mental health care rather than suffering in silence (Source). The progress in 2020 with adults seeking professional mental health support would feel much …
For teens across the country, the rites-of-passage we typically associate with high school and college – school, sports, extracurricular activities, proms and graduations – have been turned upside down. And teen dating is no exception. The pandemic has caused teens (and their parents) to re-think what dating looks like with limited opportunities for in-person interactions. …
The year 2020 brought challenges none of us could have imagined. The COVID-19 pandemic, its associated economic burdens, isolation from family and friends – coupled with our national racial and political unrest – impacted every American in some way. As we embark on 2021 and start to see glimmers of hope to a return to …
This New Year Make Your Mental Health Come First Read More »
Pandemic Mental Health: It’s More Important than Ever for Parents and Youth to Make Mental Health a Priority By Judy Lester, Treatment Director, Licensed Independent Social Work Supervisor, Advanced Certified Trauma Practitioner It’s no secret these are unprecedented, trying times. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues with seeming no end in sight, we know families across …
By Jay Paul Deratany Founding Partner, Deratany & Kosner Chicago attorney and child advocate, Jay Paul Deratany (founder of Chicago’s Deratany & Kosner) has spent years working tirelessly to protect the rights of foster children. Most recently, he won a $45 million judgement – the largest award ever in the history of the State …
The last few months have challenged us mentally, physically and spiritually. When you made those new year’s resolutions just five months ago, chances are not one involved socially distancing or homeschooling kids. In fact, social distancing, pandemic and coronavirus weren’t even parts of everyday language and COVID-19 was just a series of random letters and …
How to Help Our Children Channel Feelings of Disappointment Into Feelings of Gratitude Read More »
October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV), Facts about dating abuse and teen violence, domestic violence is most common among women between the ages of 18-24. Other alarming facts include: Nearly 20.9% of female high school students and 13.4% of male high school students report being …
SAFY Helps to Spread Awareness for Youth Victims of Domestic Violence Read More »
The devastating reality is that suicide is the second leading cause of death among youth ages 10 to 19. Suicide can be a preventable tragedy but it’s also very complex. Getting help or seeking counseling or therapy is a key barrier for many who are struggling with thoughts or attempts at taking their own life. …
The Tragedy of Suicide: Ways to Spot Signs in At-Risk Youth and How to Get Help Read More »
Mental health conditions don’t discriminate based on race, gender or sexual orientation. It doesn’t matter how old you are or where you live. Anyone can experience a mental health illness at any time, and it’s not a sign of weakness. Asking for help, however, is a sign of strength. It can sometimes be difficult to …
Did you know about one in four youth in foster care will experience posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms? Former foster children are also twice as likely as U.S. war veterans to experience PTSD in adulthood. For young people suffering with PTSD, it is a continuous challenge that can be a debilitating mental illness when undiagnosed. …
