Ben Gordon Center Care available at Kishwaukee College: Tips for Managing College Stress

At any given point in time, most college students are stressed about something; it's just part of going to school. Sometimes, however, you may find that you would like to talk about your stress or other feelings and thoughts that may be contributing to depression & anxiety, relationship issues, body image concerns, fears, or any other challenges that go beyond what you consider to be "normal" daily stress. Because we know that often times, there is more than just stress in your life, the Ben Gordon Center has partnered with Kishwaukee Community College to offer counseling services at their campus, in Malta IL. The BGC office is located in the Student Counseling & Advisement department. If you are a student and are interested in setting up an appointment with one of our licensed therapists you can call 815.756.4875 and request an intake assessment at Kish.

In the meantime, while having stress in your life is normal and often unavoidable, being stressed is something you can control. Follow these ten tips to learn how to keep your stress in check and how to relax when it gets to be too much.

Don't stress about being stressed!
Get some sleep and time for rest/relaxation.
Eat healthy, well balanced meals.
Get some exercise.
Enjoy some quiet time.
Make time to see your friends and family.
Have some fun!
Seek out supportive people who will listen to you and encourage you.
Gain perspective on what is important to you at this point in your life.
Ask for help - professional therapists can assist you in making changes and challenging
your choices to help you enjoy your college experience! Call 815.756.4875.

New Year... New YOU

With the New Year upon us many of us set new years resolutions, it's never too late to set realistic goals for ourselves and our business. The important thing is to make your choices wisely. The beginning of a New Year is a time when many of us set resolutions or goals for the coming year. It is important to set realistic goals for ourselves that will enhance the quality of our lives and not just expectations that we may be challenged live up to.

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Life Solutions™ Employee Assistance Program

Help to insure the emotional health and well being of employees and their families by encouraging early identification and treatment of personal problems
To help to create a healthy and safe working environment for all employees
Serve as a resource for key personnel and all employees
Maintain an efficient and cost effective work force.

View Welcome Flyer

Holiday Support & Stress Relievers

FREE Holiday & Wellness Seminars for the Community
Join us for any of the following mental health wellness seminars at the Ben Gordon Center, Community Room at 12 Health Services Drive, DeKalb. Just check in with the reception desk when you arrive.

All seminars offered are at no charge and are for area residents of the DeKalb County and the community.

Any questions please call 815-756-4875.

View Schedule

"Beating the Holiday Blues"
Ben Gordon Center Offers Free Mental Health Screenings during the Holiday Season

Although the holidays are supposed to be a time full of joy, good cheer and optimistic hopes for a new year, many people experience seasonal "Blues". The holiday season is full of parties and family gatherings, but for many people it is also a time of self-evaluation, loneliness, reflection on past 'Failures" and anxiety about an uncertain year Said Michael Flora President and CEO of the Ben Gordon Center.

The "Holiday Blues" can be caused by many factors: Increased stress and fatigue, unrealistic expectations, over-commercialization and the inability to be with one's family. The increased demands of shopping, parties, family reunions and house guest also contribute to these feelings of tension. Even people who do not become depressed can develop other stress reactions during the holidays such as headaches, excessive drinking, over-eating and difficulty sleeping" Flora Added.

"Beating the Holiday Blues" (PDF)

Holiday Survival Guide

Although the holidays are supposed to be a time full of joy, good cheer and optimistic hopes for a new year, many peoples experience seasonal "Stress". "The holiday season is full of parties and family gatherings, but for many people it is also a time of selfevaluation, loneliness, reflection on past 'Failures' and anxiety about an uncertain year", said Michael Flora, President and CEO of the Ben Gordon Center.

"Holiday Stress" can be caused by many factors: increased stress and fatigue, unrealistic expectations, overcommercialization and the inability to be with one's family. The increased demands of shopping, parties, family reunions and house guests also contribute to these feelings of tension. "Even people who do not become depressed can develop other stress reactions during the holidays such as headaches, excessive drinking, over-eating and difficulty sleeping" Flora added.

View Full Survival Guide (PDF)

Teens who regularly attend family meals lower risk of eating disorders

Research published in the June issue of Pediatrics found that teens' risk of eating disorders was affected by the number of family meals they attended. In a review of 17 studies on eating habits, the authors found that when teens ate three or more meals a week with their families, they were: 35% less likely to develop disordered eating - including binging and purging, using diet pills, inducing vomiting, using laxatives or diuretics, fasting, restricting, skipping meals, using food substitutes, and smoking cigarettes to lose weight; 12% less likely to be overweight; 20% less likely to eat unhealthy foods; and 24% more likely to eat healthy foods.

While it's commonly believed that teens will avoid family meals, the authors found that "adolescents stated that they would most like their parents to prepare healthy meals at home. It seems that there is interest by adolescents as well as receptivity in participating in family mealtimes, eating healthy foods, and learning about nutrition."

The authors praised the benefits of shared mealtimes: "For children or adolescents with disordered eating, mealtimes may provide a setting in which parents can recognize early signs and take steps to prevent detrimental patterns from turning into full-blown eating disorders. Indeed, dieting has been recognized as a precursor for the development of eating disorders. In addition, family meals are predictive of family-connectedness, which may encourage adolescents to talk about such issues within their families.

Ben Gordon Center Offers a Free, Monthly ANAD Support Group

The Ben Gordon Center is pleased to announce a new partnership with the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa & Associated Disorders. "There has not been a free support group for those suffering from an Eating Disorder in DeKalb County for quite some time, so this is very exciting for us to offer", said Michael Flora, President & CEO of BGC. "This group is for anyone in our community who is struggling with or thinks they may have an eating disorder", said Fran Tierney MA LCPC, the group's professional sponsor and therapist at BGC, specializing in the treatment of Eating Disorders.

View Full Details (PDF)

Couples First Aid seminar scheduled to run in October

Please call 815.756.4875 if you would like to register to attend this 4 week series, offered at our Central Office in Dekalb.

Couples First Aid is a group therapy/education program, where couples or individuals learn communication strategies to better improve their overall way of expressing their thoughts/feelings to their spouse or significant other. They learn to be better listeners, to be less judgmental, more accepting of their partner's flaws, while learning how to encourage their partner to treat them better.

Ben Gordon Center Offers Tips On Understanding School Phobia across the age span

A look at Pre-School to High School

All children experience periods when they don’t want to go to school. This has challenged parents and caregivers when they miss school usually for vague reasons. The child does not act happy or well with symptoms common to anyone who is worried. These symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea, fatigue, headache, stomach, and dizziness. Parents may also witness behaviors that resemble oppositional defiant and other avoidant behaviors.

The Experts at the Ben Gordon Center suggest that the reason that the child finds it difficult to leave home may be adjusting to a new classroom or teacher, a class bully or an embarrassing experience. The reason behind these superficial issues is the child lacks the self-confidence to leave home and develop on their own without the family or parents. Some children who seem to show the highest risks for this behavior are an only child, the last child or a child with chronic illnesses.

The Ben Gordon Center offers a few definitions that distinguish Social Phobia from other behavioral health concerns. School Phobia (or social anxiety) is a fear of being with groups of people, both strangers and family members. Social phobias may also fear all strangers. If a child avoids or seems ill at ease in family gatherings of five or more people, or won't go out of the house alone, won't go into a well known store alone, or won't play with groups of children, socialize with peers, he might have social phobia. If a child or teen is okay with groups, is able to go outside alone, or will do an errand in a nearby store, the problem is NOT social phobia. To learn more click here.

Counseling services are now available at Kishwaukee College

Flexible appointment times on Wednesday & Thursday
Licensed Clinical staff offer individual & group counseling options.
Call (815)-756-4875 to schedule your appointment

View Brochure (PDF)

Suicide prevention: Getting Help Just Got Easier.
Call 1-866-BGC-0111

Did you know that, in the United States?

Suicide is the second leading cause of death among 25-34 year olds.
Suicide is the third leading cause of death among 15- to 24-years-olds.
Suicide is the fourth leading cause of death for adults between the ages of 18 and 65.
Suicide is the fifth leading cause of death among children who are 5-14 years old.
More people die by suicide each year than by homicide; and Over 1,000 people die by suicide in Illinois every year?

When suicidal behaviors are detected early, lives can be saved. If you or someone you know is thinking of suicide call the Ben Gordon Center Response Line at 1-866-BGC-0111 and talk to a mental health professional right now or walk in during regular business hours or call 911.

Free Mental Health Screenings available on line or walk in. No appointment is necessary.

Help is just a phone call away. Make your first call the right call:
TRUST THE EXPERTS IN BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ™

Suicide Prevention Week 2011 (PDF)
Lets Talk About it - Fact Sheet - Suicide (PDF)
Lets Talk About it - Fact Sheet - Teen Suicide (PDF)
Know the Protective Factors for Suicide.pdf (PDF)
What To Do If You Think a Person Is Having Suicidal Thoughts (PDF)
Survivors Fact Sheetf (PDF)
Supervivientes De Suicido (PDF)

Mental Illness Leading Cause of Disability in Young People: World Health Organization

Mental health conditions such as depression account for nearly half of all disability among young people between the ages of 10 and 24, according to a new study from the World Health Organization. Researchers, whose findings are published in the journal The Lancet, looked at data from 191 countries and estimated the number of years of good health lost to disability resulting from disease and injury (known as disability-adjusted life years). Among adolescents and young adults, 45 percent of disability was related to depression, bipolar illness, schizophrenia, and other mental disorders, including alcohol abuse. (CNN, 6/6/11)

If you or a young adult you know is experiencing a mental health concern, call the Ben Gordon Center at 815-756-4875 to arrange for a confidential and caring evaluation or walk in today, no appointment is necessary.

If you are in crisis call 1-866-BGC-0111 24 hours a day 7 days a week or walk in to our office at 12 Health Services Drive during regular business hours and a caring professional can meet with you now.

Mental Health Awarness

The Ben Gordon Center is calling on the community to help the one in four American adults who live with a diagnosable, treatable mental health condition and to boost awareness of how important mental health is to overall health.

"It is our belief that community members seeking care should have access to services. We want to ensure that there is no wrong door for care. We have seen a trend over the past several fiscal years of increased demand in outpatient Mental Health and Substance abuse services at the Ben Gordon Center," he added.

Ben Gordon Center is offering Free Depression Screenings everyday between the hours of 8:30 and 5:00 p.m. No appointment is necessary. For more information call the Ben Gordon Center at 815-756-4875.

Or take a Confidential On-Line Depression Screening now.
Note: When prompted for keyword, please enter bengordoncenter.

Resources
May Is Mental Health Month: Where To Go For Help

BGC Offers Services for Autism Spectrum Disorders

Facts & Statistics:

1 percent of the population of children in the U.S. ages 3-17 have an autism spectrum disorder
Prevalence is estimated at 1 in 110 births
1 to 1.5 million Americans live with an autism spectrum disorder
Fastest-growing developmental disability; 1,148% growth rate
10 - 17 % annual growth
$60 billion annual cost
60% of costs are in adult services
Cost of lifelong care can be reduced by 2/3 with early diagnosis and intervention
In 10 years, the annual cost will be $200-400 billion
1 percent of the adult population of the United Kingdom have an autism spectrum disorder
The cost of autism over the lifespan is 3.2 million dollars per person

The Ben Gordon Center provides services for children and adults in this specialized area of need. Please call 815.756.4875 to learn more.

Resources
Autism Facts & Statistics

Free eating disorders screenings available at the Ben Gordon Center

Free Online Screening
To take a free online eating disorder screening, click here.
When promted for keyword, enter "bengordoncenter".

Resources
Eating Disorder Awareness Packet (PDF)
Factors That May Contribute to Eating Disorders (PDF)
Every Body Is Different (PDF)
10 Will Powerers for Body Image (PDF)
What is an Eating Disorder? (PDF)
Body Image (PDF)
Eating Disorders and Oral Health (PDF)

Captain America: A Little Help

In this free digital comic book, a boy, who is about to commit suicide gets help after he sees Captain America battling a villain and assists him by throwing him his shield.

View Comic Here

Survey: Nearly 1 in 10 Americans Have Depression

Nearly 1 in 10 Americans suffers from clinical depression and 3 percent have major depression, according to a survey of 235,000 adults. That represented a marked increase from a study conducted in 2001-2002 that reported a rate of 6.6 percent. The survey, conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, asked participants to answer questions, including eight of the nine criteria for depression. Researchers found that depression rates were much higher among unemployed individuals. About 6 percent of those with jobs reported symptoms of depression, compared with 21 percent of unemployed people who were surveyed.