SPECIAL
POINTS OF
INTEREST:

April is Autism
Awareness
Month, Alcohol
Awareness
Month, Child
Abuse Awareness and Prevention Month,
and Sexual
Assault Awareness and Prevention Month

May is Mental
Health Awareness Month

June is Student
Safety Month

July is Purposeful Parenting
Month
Mental Notes
V O L U M E
I ,
I S S U E
A P R I L
Meet the
Therapist
2
Spotlight on
Services
2
Parent Uni3
versity events
EMDR…
What’s that?
3
Upcoming
Events
3
By: ABPS Intern
What is autism/Autism
Spectrum Disorder (ASD)?
According to the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC), ASD is “a group of developmental disabilities that can
cause significant social, communication, and behavioral challenges… [and] people with ASD
handle information in their brain
differently than other people.”
Unfortunately, there is no clearcut answer to this… yet. Research in this area tends to favor
both genetic and environmental
factors that, when occurring
together, result in the expression
of autistic symptoms. Some
people are thoroughly convinced
that a child has autism because of
certain foods, environmental
conditions (i.e. pollution), genetics, vaccines, prenatal care, allergies, toxins, abnormalities in
brain development, etc. However, the truth is that at this
Until researchers can determine
how to prevent ASD, the best way
to help your child is to intervene
early and intensely.
point, we do not know exactly
what causes ASD. There are
likely many variables to consider.
Until researchers can determine
how to prevent ASD, the best
way to help your child is to intervene early and intensely.
What interventions are
available for children with
ASD?
There are many interventions
geared toward remediating the
detrimental impacts of ASD and
maximizing the child’s strengths.
These include ABA therapy, DIRFloortime, Pivotal Response
Training, Relationship Development Intervention, Early Start
Denver Model, Verbal Behavior
Therapy, social skills groups, etc.
It is important to note that the
therapist’s skills, knowledge, and
relationship with the child are
vital for treatment effectiveness.
April is Autism Awareness Month.
What is Alcoholism?
By: Anastasia Domas, BA, ABPS Intern
Alcoholism is a disease that leads
someone to drink alcohol in
excess, regardless of the negative
impact on their physical, social,
emotional, legal, and/or professional life. This disease affects
10% of women and 20% of men
in the United States. Considering the prevalence of this disease,
BROTHERS
2 0 1 4
Common Questions about Autism
What causes ASD?
INSIDE
THIS ISSUE:
ALEXIAN
2
BEHAVIORAL
it is important not only to understand it but also to recognize
that recovery is possible.
There are various symptoms that
can arise due to excessive drinking. Two important symptoms
that distinguish abuse from dependence are tolerance and with-
HEALTH:
PARISH
drawal. Tolerance means that
more alcohol is needed to
achieve the same level of intoxication, and withdrawal means
that the person experiences
unpleasant symptoms that make
it difficult to abstain from using
alcohol.
Continued on p. 2...
SERVICES
(ABPS)
PAGE
2
Mandy Burbank,
therapist and
S.A.V.E. Coordinator
with ABPS
Meet the Therapist: Mandy Burbank
Mandy earned a Master of
Social Work (MSW) degree
from Aurora University. She is
a Licensed Social Worker
(LSW) in the State of Illinois
and completed 40-hour training in Domestic Violence Advocacy and Crisis Intervention.
She started with ABPS as an
intern in 2011 and has been on
staff since 2012.
Mandy also serves as the
S.A.V.E. (Stand Against Violence Everywhere/Everyone)
Coordinator for Alexian
Brothers Behavioral Health.
Her clinical specialties include
family transition issues, anxiety,
inner child healing, adolescent
adjustment, women’s issues,
and Domestic Violence. She
also provides group facilitation,
speaking/community education,
and program development
services at ABPS.
children, teens, adults, couples,
and families. She sees clients
ages 7+.
For more information about
counseling services at ABPS, or
to schedule an appointment
with one of our 11 highly
trained therapists, please contact us at (847) 981-3514 or
[email protected].
She currently practices at the
ABPS office in Schaumburg and
Church of the Holy Spirit in
Schaumburg, She works with
diverse populations, including
Continued from p. 1: What is Alcoholism?
Alcoholism is a
disease that
affects 10% of
women and 20% of
men in the United
States.
There is no single explanation
for why a person becomes
addicted to alcohol. It is hypothesized that genetic predisposition as well as psychological and environmental factors
all play a role in the development of alcoholism.
People who struggle with alcoholism can be good at hiding
their symptoms, which can
make it difficult for others to
recognize when there might be
a problem. However, some
red flags to watch for include
the smell of alcohol on breath
or skin, glazed eyes, changes in
mood or behavior, neglecting
hygiene, etc.
detoxification (detox), support
groups (i.e. AA), relapse prevention programs, and inpatient programs.
Prevention and early intervention methods are critical in the
treatment of alcoholism. This
is because chronic alcohol use
can have long-term effects on a
person’s mental and physical
health, and it can certainly be
life-threatening. Treatment
can include individual therapy,
In addition, addiction is a disease that impacts everyone
around the person who is
addicted. It is important to
know that support programs
exist for family and friends, as
well (i.e. Al-Anon).
April is Alcohol Awareness Month.
Spotlight on Services: Purposeful Parenting
Parenting is a tough
job, and having a child
with special needs
comes with its own
unique challenges.
Purposeful Parenting is a 4-week, educational/experiential
workshop specifically
for parents of children
MENTAL NOTES
who have been diagnosed or
are in the process of being
diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
and ways of navigating them;
and how to help their children
effectively interact with peers,
adults, and their environment.
The workshop will provide
parents with information on
the implications of this diagnosis (i.e. what it means and what
it doesn’t mean); some of the
challenges that may come up
For more information, please
contact Michelle Berkos,
LCSW, at (847) 230-3777 or
[email protected].
VOLUME
1,
ISSUE
2
-
APRIL
2014
VOLUME
I,
ISSUE
2
PAGE
Upcoming Parent University Events
OCD Answer Book
Tuesday, April 15 - 6:30 pm
Ridgewood High School - 7500 W.
Montrose, Norridge (new location)
Don’t Try Harder, Try Different
Patrick McGrath, PhD
Clinical Director of the Center for
Anxiety and OCD at the Alexian
Brothers Behavioral Health Hospital,
international speaker, and author of
Don’t Try Harder, Try Different and The
(sliding scale may apply)
Retreat-ing Into Summer: A
Retreat for Parents
ABPS Staff & Interns
Monday, May 12 - 6:30 pm
Queen of the Rosary School - 690
Elk Grove Blvd. (school gym), Elk
Grove Village
Positive Parenting (Saturday
Series)
Positive Parenting is an 8-week course
designed to provide positive parenting strategies and techniques.
Kari Mika, MA, LPC, NCC
May 3, 17, 31; June 7, 14, 21, 28; July
12
10:00 am - noon
ABPS - 25 E. Schaumburg Rd., Suite
106, Schaumburg
Fee: $40 up front or $6/class
Riding the Roller Coaster of
Adolescence (A Parent University WEBINAR)
Madelyn Burbank, MSW, LSW
Webinar will be available by May 15
at 7:00 pm.
All events listed here are FREE.
Registration is required
for all events, as space
may be limited. To
register, call (866) 2359426 or go online to
www.alexianbrothershe
alth.org/events.
For more information
about these or any
other Parent University
events, please contact
Kari Mika at (847) 2303746 or
[email protected].
DID YOU
KNOW: Studies
EMDR… What’s that?
When something disturbing or
traumatic happens, your brain can
continue to hold onto it in a way
that includes the original picture,
sounds, feelings, sensations, and/or
thoughts. Essentially, the memory
gets stored in the emotion center
of your brain rather than in memory storage. This means that when
you recall the memory, it can feel
like you are still there.
EMDR, or Eye Movement Desensi-
tization and Reprocessing, is a
therapeutic approach that was
originally designed to alleviate the
distress associated with traumatic
memories. It seems to stimulate
the stored information in order to
allow the brain to reprocess the
experience. In this sense, EMDR
helps your brain refile the memory,
moving it from the emotion center
to memory storage, where it belongs. Ultimately, it is your brain
have found
EMDR to be an
effective form of
that will be doing the healing, and
you are the one in control.
If you are interested in EMDR as a
treatment option and would like
more information, or to make an
appointment, please contact Kari
Mika at (847) 230-3746 or
[email protected].
April is Sexual Assault Awareness and
Prevention Month. May is Mental
Health Awareness Month.
treatment for a
wide range of
problems,
including
trauma/abuse,
PTSD, chronic
pain, and so on.
Other Upcoming Events
Purposeful Play / Social Sense
These social skills groups are designed for children who have been
diagnosed or are in the process of
being diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (Purposeful Play)
or Social Communication Disorder
(Social Sense) who experience
difficulties in the areas of communication, interpersonal relationships,
cooperation, and relational skills.
ALEXIAN
BROTHERS
Through various modalities (i.e.
stories, music, arts/crafts, etc.),
children will learn to enhance their
relationships and awareness of self
in a safe, compassionate environment. Parents will receive educational resources and support from
licensed therapists.
An initial intake ($30) is required.
Fee for this group is $180 for 8
BEHAVIORAL
HEALTH:
sessions if paid up front
or $25/session (sliding
scale may apply).
For more information,
or to set up an initial
intake, contact Michelle
Berkos, LCSW, at (847)
230-3777 or
According to the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention
[email protected].
(CDC), 1 in 88 U.S. children has
autism.
PARISH
SERVICES
(ABPS)
3
Alexian Brothers Behavioral Health: Parish
Services (ABPS) is an Alexian Brothers Health
System outreach into the community, providing individual, group, couple, and family counseling services to clients of all ages, regardless
of status, religious orientation, or income level.
ABPS also provides school counseling services
Alexian Brothers Behavioral Health: Parish Services
and can provide community and professional
25 E. Schaumburg Rd., Suite 106
education on a variety of topics.
Schaumburg, IL 60194
www.alexianbrothershealth.org/parishservices
ABPS carries out the healing mission of the
Phone: (847) 981-3514
Catholic Church as an Alexian Brothers minis-
Fax: (847) 230-3787
try by identifying and developing effective re-
E-mail: [email protected]
sponses to the health needs of those we are
called to serve.
Our Passion is Powerful Medicine™
Interfaith Counseling Services at ABPS
At different times in our lives, most
of us have experienced the stress of
personal and/or family difficulties and
have felt the need to seek help.
Cost for services is based income
(sliding scale). For more information
on our services, or to make an appointment, please contact:
Our staff consists of highly trained,
licensed professionals, and spirituality
may be discussed if desired. Services
are available in English, Polish, and
Spanish.
English: Kari Mika - (847) 230-3746
Some of our specialties include:
 Addiction/substance abuse
 Anxiety
 Art Therapy
 Attachment work
Polskie: Teresa Gielczynski - (847)
230-3749
 Autism Spectrum Disorders
 Behavioral concerns (children)
Español: Jenny Jarrin - (847) 230-3780
 Codependency
We currently provide counseling
services in the following communities:
 Depression
 Divorce support
 Addison
 Domestic violence
 Arlington Hts.
 EMDR
 Barrington
 Grief/loss
 Elk Grove Village
 Life transitions
 Parent education
 Inverness
 Pre-marital/marital counseling
 Schaumburg
 Relationship/family concerns
You do not need to live in those communities in order to receive services.
MENTAL NOTES
 Trauma
VOLUME
1,
ISSUE
2
-
APRIL
2014