No one realizes before they have kids, how many “what do I do now?” moments are involved in being a parent.  There are so many parenting books that it’s impossible to know what to read (if you have the time and energy to read) and too many people are eager to tell you what your family should be doing. 

A generous grant, honoring the memory of Lawrence “Larry” Sherman, has been made to our Disruptive Behavior Clinic to subsidize children’s assessments funded through Medicaid. Larry was long active with the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago and has been a strong supporter of JCFS.

For many people the holiday season is a mad rush of spending too much time, too much energy, and too much money. Having a plan for the holidays means understanding and being clear about your expectations and coming up with a balanced approach to spending your time, energy and money.

The word “Hinaynee” is our fun, summer twist on the Hebrew “hineni.” Hineni’s meaning is closely tied to the English phrase, ‘Here I Am’.

For a family, going through the complex stages of divorce they often experience similar losses to those associated with the death of a loved one. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross introduced us to her five stages of grief decades ago to help make sense of the grief process.

Parents today are faced with raising their children in a society where school and neighborhood violence is not uncommon. You may be asking yourself, how do I help myself and my children make sense of these tragic events?

by David Lipschutz, LCSW, Director of Adult, Child and Family Services

Conflicts happen at school, at work, and in homes. Arguments, big and small, occur in all families. There are many causes for these conflicts. The pressures on families are endless. Financial, cultural, traumas, school, employment, and relationships are some examples of stressors that families face on a daily basis. All these stressors create a complex environment for raising children in our society. This article highlights the potential for growth and change by acknowledging that verbal conflicts occur in families and looks at ways to be less reactive in these conflicts.

by Tami Sollo LCSW, Divorce Specialist

When a family is going through a divorce, everything changes, including the comfortable tradition of how they spend the holidays. Thanksgiving may have been celebrated with one side of the family, and Hanukkah or Christmas with the other, or a blending of the two families. That very first holiday season is the most difficult. Often the divorce does not just affect the immediate family, but may include extended family and friends as well. If there are children, it is very important to find a way to establish a new sense of normalcy. This can be complicated by the loss of one side of the family, or the children having to spend different holidays with a different parent.

By: Shawna L. Solsvig, M.A., LPC, R-DMT, GL-CMA
Doctoral Clinical Psychology Extern, Psychological Services

At the intersection of science and art resides the ever-evolving field of dance/movement therapy. Dance/movement therapy uses body-language and non-verbal communication to support growth. Many people have heard of traditional talk therapy, or psychotherapy. Dance/movement therapy is a form of psychotherapy that, in addition to talking, values and incorporates the organic and authentic movement, or “dance” of an individual.

BY ROSALIE GREENBERGER, LCSW JCFS CHICAGO

When a loved one dies, the effects of loss are as varied as our loved ones. Our feelings of grief are influenced by our relationship with the deceased, the circumstances of death and the timing of the death. At times, grief is manageable. We may be sorry that our loved one has died and feel sadness, but overall, the death will not have a large impact on our lives going forward.