Depression, anxiety, panic attacks, stress, obsessive-compulsive behavior, family or relationship problems, and marital conflict can diminish a person's quality of life. Through professional counseling services, many clients have learned the necessary coping skills to make the positive changes that improve quality of life. Counseling Services Include:

• Individual, couples, marital, family and group therapy
• Adult therapy groups include:
  • Women's Issues
  • Mixed gender groups for depression, anxiety, anger, relationship problems and assertiveness problems
  • Attention Deficit Disorder
• Psychiatric Evaluation
• Psychological Testing

Consumers with long-term mental illness, such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, are treated in a psychosocial rehabilitation, or "club house," model at Reality House, one of Ben Gordon Center's satellites. Onsite Services:

• Individual, family and group therapy
• Psychiatry services
• Offsite Services
• Living skills development
• Transportation
• Accessing healthcare
• Hours 9:00 am - 8:00 pm Monday - Friday 9:00 am - 5:00 pm Saturday Closed Sunday Daytime skills groups cover both mental health issues and activities of daily living.
• Anger management
• Conversation skills
• Grocery shopping
• Employment readiness
• Family group
• Work group
• Money management
• Symptom management

Contact  Reality House 631 South First Street DeKalb, IL 60115 (815) 756-8501 The Consumer Advocacy Council of DeKalb County Located at Reality House Meets monthly (815) 748-4066

For those who have been temporarily displaced from mainstream society due to chronic substance abuse or psychiatric disability, vocational rehabilitation can be a vital part of the total treatment program. Consumers who are ready for work may be referred to BGC's Community Employment Placement Services. Services include:

• Vocational assessment
• Competitive job placement
• Supported employment

Contact Community Employment Placement Services 631 South First Street DeKalb, IL 60115 Phone: (815) 756-8501 Fax: (815) 756-5849

When the alcohol or drug use of someone you care about is cause for concern, our substance abuse treatment professionals can provide a thorough clinical assessment and recommendation for further treatment. Treatment Services:

• Comprehensive assessment of alcohol/drug use and recommendations
• Variable intensity outpatient treatment services
  • Intensive outpatient program
  • Outpatient treatment groups
  • Individual therapy
  • Education about alcohol and other drugs
• Family education and support
• Residential support for women in recovery and their children
• DUI evaluation and risk education
• Urine chemical screening for clients in treatment

Treating the emotional and behavior problems of children and adolescents as they relate to family circumstances is the specialty of our Family Solutions staff. Through individual, family, and group therapy, we offer services for:

• Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
• Anxiety
• Anger and aggression management
• Depression
• Delinquency
• Divorce and blended family adjustment
• Family and peer conflicts
• Oppositional and defiant behavior
• Parenting skills and strategies
• School performance, behavior, and social adjustment problems
• Sexual and physical abuse
• Suicidal feelings

Eating Disorders are treatable medical illnesses in which certain maladaptive patterns of eating take on a life of their own. Eating disorders frequently co-occur with other psychiatric disorders, such as depression, anxiety, or substance abuse. There are many disorders that involve symptoms related to food, weight and eating, however, there are 3 diagnosable eating disorders in the DSM IV:

1. Anoerxia Nervosa
2. Bulimia Nervosa
3. Eating Disorder NOS

Anoerxia is defined by:

• a refusal to maintain a body weight that is healthy for age and height
• an intense fear of gaining weight or becoming fat, even if underweight
• disturbance in the way that one sees or experiences their body; undue influence of body weight & shape on self-evaluation; denial of the seriousness of low body weight
• In females the low body weight may contribute to a lack of menstrual cycle for 3 consecutive months.

There are 2 subtypes of anorexia: Restricting type & Binge-eating/Purging type.   Bulimia is defined by:

• Recurrent episodes of binge eating in terms of 1) eating a large amount of food in a 2 hour period; 2) a sense of lack of control over eating during the episode.
• Recurrent inappropriate compensatory behavior in order to prevent weight gain- such as self-induced vomiting, laxative use, diuretics, other medications; fasting or excessive exercise.
• Binge eating and compensatory behaviors occur on average, at least 2x per week for 2 months.
• Self evaluation is unduly influenced by body weight and shape.
• This disturbance does not occur during episodes of anorexia.

There are 2 subtypes of bulimia: Purging type and Nonpurging Type (fasting or excessive exercise) Over-exercise is becoming increasingly common as a form of purging. Some signs include:

• Forced exercise when not feeling well.
• Preferring to exercise instead of being with friends or family.
• Becoming upset if a workout is missed.
• Exercise with an injury.
• Basing the amount of time to exercise on how much has been eaten that day.
• When exercise is the most important part of the day.
• Obsess or have anxiety on days without exercise.

  Eating Disorder NOS:

• This is for someone who meets some of the criteria for either Anoerxia or Bulimia, but not all. Also this includes: Binge Eating Disorder and Atypical eating disorders
• It's important to remember that Eating Disorders are NOT ABOUT FOOD. Instead, Eating disorders serve as way of coping with negative, difficult emotions and expression of these emotions. When someone is engaged in eating disorder behaviors its their way of expressing where they are psychologically. For example: Some may use their eating disorder behaviors as a way of self-soothing or comfort; a way of distracting; seeking attention or asking for help; expressing anger or sadness; avoidance of intimacy; self-punishment. At the core of most eating disorders, individuals experience a low self-esteem; perfectionism; need for control and power; difficulty in expressing feelings & emotions; need to escape and search of safety; difficulty coping and lack of how to cope; fear of failure or letting others down.

  Prevalence: (According to ANAD- The National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders)

• Anorexia occurs in about 1-3.7% of the female population in their lifetime.
• Bulimia occurs in about 1-4.2% of the female population
• Binge eating disorder is estimated at up to 5% percent of the population
• Subclinical eating disorders can be estimated at up to 13% of the general population.
• An estimated 11 percent of all college students are suffering from an eating disorder, and an ANAD study found that 86% reported an onset of their illness by age 20. Men:
  • An estimated 5-15 % of people with anorexia or bulimia are male.
  • An estimated 35 percent of those with binge eating disorder are male.

  Treatment offered at BGC: We offer a wide range of treatments, as we follow a multidisciplinary model. This treatment includes: Individual therapy; Group therapy (General Eating Disorders and Binge Eating Disorder focus); Family/Couples therapy; Nutritional Counseling; Medication monitoring services- including blind weigh ins and vitals taken each week; Coordination of care with primary care physician.

• In individual therapy, we follow a specific program to help our clients:
  • Reduce body image disturbances
  • Reduce disordered eating patterns, behaviors and rituals related to food.
  • Reduce mood and anxiety problems by increasing their ability to cope.
  • Increase tolerance to uncomfortable feelings/experiences/sensations.
  • Improve physical self care.
  • Improve social functioning- increase willingness to obtain positive support.
  • Increase ability to practice assertiveness by learning effective communication strategies.
  • Improve overall view of self- increase understanding of personal values and encourage clients to make efforts to live life and make decisions in accordance with their personal values.
• Our group therapy program currently offers two groups. Eating Disorders/ Body Image Group & Binge Eating Group
  • We are excited to also offer, a new Multi-family eating disorders group - in which family/friends can attend the group with their loved one who is in treatment and working towards recovery.
  • We also have established a connection with ANAD, or the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders, and we will be offering a FREE support group for those with an eating disorder beginning this fall. The group will meet the first Thursday of every month at 7:00pm beginning in September at BGC (12 Health Services Drive in DeKalb.
  • Please call 815.756.4875 or email Fran@bengordoncenter.org if you are interested in attending any one of our groups.

  If you know someone who you think might have an eating disorder: It is important that you share your concern with your friend or family member. Let them know what specifically is concerning you. Be honest and straight forward, and make sure you are not accusing them of doing something ‘wrong’. Look into possible treatment options so you can provide them with the information and offer to help them make that first phone call or appointment with a professional. Most often, people are fearful to get help especially if they feel alone. The sooner an eating disorder is recognized, the easier it is to treat. When you confront someone with an eating disorder, you begin to break down the walls of denial and secrecy and allow the person to accept help.

When the alcohol or drug use of someone you care about is cause for concern, our substance abuse treatment professionals can provide a thorough clinical assessment and recommendation for further treatment. Treatment Services:

• Comprehensive assessment of alcohol/drug use and recommendations
• Variable intensity outpatient treatment services
  • Intensive outpatient program
  • Outpatient treatment groups
  • Individual therapy
  • Education about alcohol and other drugs
• Family education and support
• Residential support for women in recovery and their children
• DUI evaluation and risk education
• Urine chemical screening for clients in treatment

View Welcome Flyer Employee Assistance Services (EAP) are purchased by employers to help employees and their family members with personal problems. The EAP provides assessment and brief counseling services to employees and their family members. Individuals with mental health and substance abuse problems requiring longer-term services are referred to an appropriate provider. The employee accesses EAP services confidentially and voluntarily, which encourages seeking assistance early in the problem, rather than later. Supervisors may refer an employee with affected work performance to the EAP. Common reasons for seeking help through an EAP include:

• Alcohol or other drug abuse
• Depression
• Emotional crises
• Stress-related disorders
• Financial difficulties
• Legal issues
• Family, marital or parenting problems

All information is strictly between the employee and the EAP's assessment counselor. The employer does not have access to the information, except in cases where access is required by law or when a life-threatening situation exists. Educating employees to help themselves through worksite wellness and prevention presentations is part of the EAP. Some topics are: preventing workplace violence, stress management, managing work and family, resolving workplace conflict, sexual harassment training, smoking cessation, effective communication, and strategies for keeping children drug free.

Community Education  Health fairs, community presentations at schools and service clubs, and a variety of printed materials all serve to educate the community-at-large about preventing behavioral health problems and accessing services. Contact us if you need a speaker at your organization's next meeting.

BGC's on-call therapists respond to behavioral emergencies that cannot wait for regular business hours. Such emergencies may include determining the need for psychiatric hospitalization or helping someone through an unexpected life crisis, such as a sexual assault, the sudden death of a loved one, a spouse who wants a divorce or children with escalating behavioral problems. After regular business hours and on weekends and holidays, services can be accessed by callingBGC Response at 1-866-BGC-0111.

BGC Response is a 24 hour, 7 day per week confidential assistance service for DeKalb County residents. The toll-free number enables callers access to professional assistance by Ben Gordon Center masters level therapists in the event of an emergency. BGC Response at 1-866-BGC-0111.