This September, CCBH will launch our Parent Support Group, a virtual community designed to help parents heal, grow, cope with, and understand the ever-changing dynamics of parenting in the modern age.

When grades and school performance —or success in any one area — are top of mind, authentic family connections may seem far out of reach. If you find your family falling into the familiar cycle of stress for success, you may find your footing in one of these helpful refresh tools.

Let’s be honest…in the midst of a panic attack, it’s difficult to feel gratitude for the protective function. Instead, you may find yourself very literally itching to avoid the discomfort and begging to retreat somewhere safe — or you may feel so overwhelmed that fleeing for safety isn’t a possibility. Though an explanation for what’s really happening may not fix the panic symptoms, it can encourage conscious awareness that the symptoms will not last forever — and are not putting you in any further harm.

Chicago Center for Behavioral Health therapists are skilled in CBT, as well as other behavioral therapies that can encourage positive growth. With empirically researched treatments, we strive to help clients break the cycle of maladaptive thoughts and behaviors. Click here for more information on our services.

Very often, mental illness — and individual symptoms — operate differently in individuals. Not all diagnoses look the same, meaning not every person with anxiety or depression has the same daily behaviors. While some symptoms may be easy to assume, others are invisible to outsiders, and sometimes, even a person themselves.

The idea of meditation can be daunting. “Turning off your brain” may feel nearly impossible. If you’re new to the meditative practice, you may be wondering how to begin when anxiety or stress is far too loud to drown out. With 5 variations of beginner-friendly meditation practices (all of which can be self-guided from home!), you might find one that feels like second nature.

The TIPP tool was created to send the body into full relaxation. The four-step process, in parts, forces your anatomy into the “dive reflex;” the same response your body would use if submerged completely in water. It returns your body to homeostasis — in other words, the dive reflex can be compared to your natural reset button.

Read more to learn how to perform the TIPP ritual the next time you need relief.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a foundational therapeutic modality for many of the evidence-based treatments we use here at CCBH. This form of psychotherapy focuses on inaccurate, negative, or unhelpful ways of thinking (cognitions) and the ways they inform maladaptive (unhelpful or harmful) behaviors. Our goal in therapy would be to identify those cognitions and work to reframe or restructure them into accurate, positive, and helpful thoughts to inform adaptive, resilient, and coping behaviors.