The Power of Positive Thinking
Imagine this: You are heading to work for the day and are stuck in traffic due to an accident up ahead. A common human response may sound something like, “Ugh! I have places to be! This is just my luck! I’m going to be late!” Furthermore, we may notice more tension in...
“I Love You the Way That You Are”
Amy Schillinger, Clinical Director and owner of Balance Stress Management and Therapy in Elgin, IL I worked (and had since February of this 2011) in a private practice in Silicon Valley. I am from a college/farming community in Illinois and moved out to California for...
Communicating with Your Teenager
Most teenagers struggle with communicating with their parents because they are usually on their phones or computers talking to friends. Parents of teenagers usually hear responses like: “Mhm,” or “Sure,” or the teen favorite “Whatever,” or the parents simply get...
The Purpose Behind the Pain: Understanding Self – Injury
While the idea of using pain in order to provide a sense of relief might sound counter-intuitive, all behavior serves a purpose. Self-injury has been defined as the act of deliberately inflicting harm on oneself without the intention of dying. Statistics show that...
Depression and Neurofeedback
According to Scientific American one in six U.S. adults reported taking a psychiatric drug, such as an antidepressant or a sedative (data comes from an analysis of the 2013 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey). Antidepressants were the most common type of psychiatric...
Life S.A.V.E.R.S.
The idea of Life S.A.V.E.R.S. is not my own, but borrowed from the author of The Miracle Morning, Hal Elrod (link provided at end of document). In his book, Elrod talks about the dark place from which he came. A place of disability after a devastating accident, a...
Occupational Therapy: ADD/ADHD, Sensory Processing Disorder or Both?
As an Occupational Therapist working in Pediatrics over the years I have often heard a very common question, “Is what I’m noticing in my child ADD, Sensory Processing Disorder…or both?”. Parents find themselves scratching their heads trying to determine the root cause...
Maneuvering the Big (College) Transition
The summer before college can be one of the most carefree, exhilarating times for incoming freshman. It’s a time where reality hits pause as friends try to soak up their last remaining months with one another before being catapulted into their next big journey in...
Why do we automatically go to that place where we think others’ behaviors reflect our worth?
Someone cuts you off while driving on the highway. You get mad. Why? Because you received some message in your mind that reinforces a negative thought you hold about yourself. Every SINGLE individual (at least all the hundreds I’ve encountered) have a NASTY belief...
A Multimodal Approach for Treating Children with Pediatric Mental Health Issues – The Behavioral Aspect
At Balance – Stress Management and Therapy, we are developing a multimodal treatment package specifically for children that are diagnosed with a wide range of issues, including ADHD, depression, anxiety, autism spectrum disorder (ASD), sensory processing disorder, and...
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