Being a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) in Chicago means that you are allowed to open a private practice and bill insurance for your clients’ sessions. It also means that you have attained your master’s degree in social work, completed 3,000 hours of clinical work under a licensed supervisor (including unpaid but graded hours of […]
Tag: mental health
Do the winter blues get you down?
The winter holiday season is often considered a magical time of year—its festive lights, music, smells, and gatherings making some people giddy with glee. But for many people, the holidays and the long cold months that follow can trigger feelings of sadness and loneliness, or otherwise coincide with a decline in mental health. According to […]
Op-Ed: Referendum results show Chicago wants treatment, not trauma
In the midterm, communities voiced overwhelming support for public mental health centers and crisis responses that don’t involve police.
Suicide Prevention Awareness Month has come and gone, but its message continues all year long
National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month takes place every September, but it’s important to be proactive and keep the conversation about mental wellness going strong throughout the year. But if you know someone struggling with depression or thoughts of suicide, approaching them about it can feel daunting. With that in mind, Nature’s Grace and Wellness has […]
Pillars market, Mohawk Johnson, comic book theater, and more
From 3-8:30 PM, the Trans Chicago Empowerment Center (2753 W. Division) is hosting a Halloween edition of Pillars, its marketplace for trans BIPOC vendors. Along with tarot readings, poetry books, and handmade wares for sale, there will also be free gender-affirming nail services for trans individuals. Yecy, a local Latinx nail artist, will be providing […]
Mental health on the ballot
Voters in three wards will vote on a referendum that would send mental health workers to crises instead of cops.
Tough calls
When the police bring too many risks with them, where can you turn in a crisis?
Central Illinois police training for mental health cases questioned
Significant issues remain around police use of involuntary commitments.
September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month
Suicide is an important topic that people are often hesitant to discuss. But the more we talk about it, the more we can break the stigmas, and the more lives we can save. Misinformation surrounding mental health can cause us to downplay the severity of symptoms in friends and loved ones experiencing depression, and perpetuate […]
Cookies, dancing, Louder Than a Mom
No war but Cookie War! This afternoon’s Garfield Ridge Farmer’s Market includes a special competition by neighborhood bakeries, including Weber’s, Pticek’s, Talerico-Martin, and Borinken, to see who can reign supreme with the best tasting sweet treat of the season. The market is hosted in the parking lot of the Mayfield Banquet Facility (6072 S. Archer), […]
How does cannabis affect the body and how to avoid overdoing it
Despite the growing acceptance and accessibility of cannabis in states where it’s been legalized, many outdated stigmas surrounding the plant remain. That means that even people who use cannabis for recreational or medical purposes might know more about its associations with party culture or old-school anti-marijuana films that depicted it as a societal menace (remember […]
‘Little things make a huge difference’
Produced by Beti Films, Any Given Day follows the story of three Chicagoans struggling to succeed despite mental health challenges.
Films, discussions, and more
The city’s SummerDance series is well under way, and today’s fusion of live music, dance instruction, and outdoor activities takes place in Englewood’s Ogden Park (6500 S. Racine). The fun starts at 4:30 PM with a free poster and printmaking station run by the Hyde Park Art Center’s Youth Board 0f Artists (a group of […]
Maybe we’re crazy
Have you ever been playfully called “crazy” and laughed, only to cry silently in the basement bathroom for two hours? No? Just me? Well, if you’ve ever stared into the abyss and questioned your own sanity for more than a hot second, Kellye Howard’s latest one-woman show, Crazy or Nah?!, running this weekend as part […]
Conversation, creativity, and coping strategies
Chicago musician Mike Vinopal is the bandleader, songwriter, and guitarist of upbeat funk ensemble Local Motive, the lead guitarist of moody rock band Badcandy, and a pet dad. A former special education teacher, and mental health advocate and speaker, his lived experiences with mental health challenges have inspired his fierce dedication to bettering himself and […]