Childhood is often depicted as a stress-free period in life, full of playfulness, fantasy, and exploration. In-between those times or maybe in the absence of those times, exposure to traumatic events can elicit feelings of fear, danger, or shame. Processing those emotions is difficult enough for an adult; processing these feelings as a child easily overwhelms our ability to cope. This is childhood trauma.

When you hear the word “yoga”, what do you think of? A crowded, hot classroom of people wearing tight exercise clothes; their sweat flying onto the person next to them as they move quickly from pose to pose? A teacher humming and chanting before guiding their students into a meditation while they lay on their mats, covered in thick blankets? Or perhaps a class full of blocks, bolsters, and other mysterious props with that person going from a handstand into a pose you are not sure is humanly possible? While yoga can include all of these situations and more, it's important to know that practicing yoga can soothe, heal, and strengthen more than just the physical body: the deep wounds of emotional trauma and other mental health issues can be addressed in a safe way.

It is with a heavy heart that we respond to yet another mass shooting event, this one at our front door. On July 4th 2022 our Highland Park, Illinois community experienced the unthinkable. We also recognize that many in our Chicago community are impacted by gun violence and mass shootings daily. It is important to understand how these events affect our mental and emotional wellbeing. As we continue to process mass shootings and gun violence, there are symptoms of trauma we want you to understand so you know when to get extra help.

Do you ever find yourself thinking about a memory from childhood and go “wait a second.. that was really messed up!”? As adults we gain different perspectives on our childhood experiences. We wonder if our experiences as a kid classify as childhood trauma. Childhood trauma can impact us in many ways from our mental health, physical health, relationships, and even work performance.

Self-love is a state of mind in which we appreciate our own being: mentally, emotionally and physically. It means we respect ourselves for knowing what our needs are and how to take care of those. By loving ourselves, others may perceive us as selfish because we stop sacrificing ourselves or we simply stay true to ourselves by pursuing what is important to us or gives us joy. Self-love is a healthy respect toward ourselves, regardless of how it seems to others who might devalue the power of self-love. It holds the key to better mental health.

Connection with others has been on the minds of mental health providers, neuroscientists, and those that run social media companies for more than a decade. Prior to COVID, there were concerns about society’s mental health, the use of social media and its effect on real social connection. Now 18 months into a global pandemic, reasonable alarm about the effects of COVID shut-downs, separation from loved ones and time away from classrooms are at the front of everyone’s mind. What do we do now in order to heal from the global pandemic?

The Enneagram has generated worldwide interest in the last several years thanks to social media attention and popular podcast coverage. However, many argue that this personality type system has been around since ancient times. The Enneagram, or nine pointed figure, has a lot to offer the worlds of business, psychology, and self-help. Keep reading for an overview and introduction to the Enneagram, its history, terminology, and summaries of each personality type.

EMDR is a highly sought after, effective treatment solution for tackling difficult life memories or current upsetting triggers. The treatment of EMDR is utilized for anxiety, depression, performance anxiety and optimization, PTSD, and much more. It can be delivered both in-person and online with similar results. Read here to learn more about online EMDR treatment