How SMART are you?

If you have ever heard of CBT and DBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy), therapies based on both how we behave and how we think, then you have probably heard of SMART goals. SMART goals help provide hope for change because there is a structure that drives you to make things happen in a positive way. SMART Goals can help you compartmentalize problems and make them more manageable and less like trying to fight an invisible giant! Make SMART work for you.

SMART Goals

Specific: Provide enough detail so that it is clear what your plan is. A goal of: “Take some time for myself” is too general. A more specific goal could be: “I’ll work on my knitting, with my favorite music on, in my favorite chair, for 30 minutes after dinner, and ask not to be interrupted.”

Measurable: If your goal is measurable you will have some tangible evidence of its completion. A goal of: “I will eat healthier meals” is not measurable. A measurable goal could be: “I’ll eat a fruit and a vegetable with each meal” You know clearly whether you accomplished the goal or not.

Acceptable: Your goal should be set by you rather than by someone else.

Realistic: Start small with what you can do, experience the satisfaction of meeting your goal, and then gradually increase the amount of work that you ask of yourself. It is better to be realistic and successful than to be unrealistic and disappointed.

Time frame: Deciding how much time you will spend on a goal helps to increase your sense of control over a task. It also helps to manage time effectively and keep balance in a day.

If this kind of information seems interesting and feels like something that you can use and help you manage your recovery in a stronger, more effective way, then contact the Intensive Outpatient Program at 855-990-1900. The team at Lake Behavioral Hospital can help you “Get SMART”!

Call for a free, confidential screening to see if our program can help you make the changes you need to move forward in recovery.

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Have PRIDE in Mental Health

June commemorates PRIDE month. The month is for celebrating and remembering both the best and the worst in the histories of our LGBTQ+ families and friends. Our goal during PRIDE month is to honor and embrace all that it means to be affirmed as an LGBTQ+ person(s).

Even during a month of celebration and pride in the many contributions and accomplishments of LGBTQ+ individuals and groups, stigma and mistreatment of gender identity has not gone away. Discriminatory practices around sexual orientation and gender identity are still needing to be confronted. PRIDE month, unfortunately, has to be as much about that as about celebrating the very best of humanity.

It is known that the LGBTQ+ population challenges related to mental health far outweigh that of other populations. For instance, 40% of the adult transgender population have attempted suicide compared to 5% of the general population. Our bisexual teens, are 4 times more likely to have attempted suicide than their heterosexual peers (Discovery Mood and Anxiety). 60% of LGBTQ+ youth who wanted mental health care in the past year were not able to get it (Trevor Project).

Much of what is happening with the LGBTQ+ population is that the stresses surrounding issues like isolation, stigma-oriented treatment at work, home and in the community, and lack of safety in any number of environments, creates pressures that other populations do not experience at the same level. The idea of “coming out” to family and friends and not being able to predict the outcome is definitely something no other population has to experience. Issues like these combined over time is more than enough to de-stabilize one’s mental health and positive life balance. When feeling consistently unaccepted by others, it becomes increasingly difficult to accept yourself.

Being affirming and accepting, providing support and seeing each person as valuable in their own right is key to helping LGBTQ+ individuals achieve self-acceptance and appreciation and find mental health. Any one of us can be the change and make the difference for inclusion and an environment of trust and caring. Some things you can actively do are: Ask and seek to understand the pronouns and comfort in identity of everyone. Just talk to people! Get educated. Be genuine and ask questions. Ask about everything: identity, aspirations, interests, and what someone needs to feel safe. Don’t be an uninvolved bystander. If someone is being singled out and treated badly, step in, stay safe, but step in. This can mean speaking up or calling 911, then staying with the person until they are secure. Vote! Make sure that the candidates that win support equal treatment for all. Make sure the candidates elected know the struggles for insurance and healthcare for the LGBTQ+ populations. Take a course like Mental Health First Aid to learn how to help in a mental health crisis.

In general, be kind in thought and action. It is that simple to make a difference for someone.

If you know someone who is thinking of suicide or is feeling mentally unhealthy, please take a moment to help them contact the Screening and Referral team at Lake Behavioral Hospital. Our team is ready to provide a free, confidential screening to help find just the right level of care. Call us at 855-990-1900, 24/7/365. By walk in or appointment, we are available to help.

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There is Value in your Mental Health

Our health is valuable and mental health is a big part of our health continuum. Even if our body is healthy, if our mental health is unstable, nothing seems in balance. Feelings like depression and anxiety can make us unable to carry out even the simplest of daily tasks; tasks our healthy body should be able to do, but our thoughts and feelings just won’t allow them to be done.

If this describes you, don’t hesitate to explore treatment options that can help you feel better and get back to accomplishing tasks that are important to you, your family and your job. There are advantages to include outpatient as a part of your treatment options.

Outpatient programs allow you to keep your professional and personal life intact. Some programs provide virtual options which make things even easier. Outpatient programming is often about flexibility and is a good start for someone who wants to take a step toward positive mental health.

To learn more about Lake Behavioral Hospital and our Intensive Outpatient Program for adults and Partial Hospitalization Program for teens, please call: 855-990-1900.

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Lake Behavioral Hospital: Always Finding a Way

Wisconsin residents who need mental health services can now be treated close to home. In an unprecedented agreement between more than a dozen municipalities and taking more than 5 years to complete the process, the team at Lake Behavioral Hospital proudly announces a “GO Live” date of May 30,2023, for Chapter 51 patients to receive treatment just minutes across the Wisconsin/Illinois state line vs several hours from their homes and communities.

The benefits for this agreement are many. Previously, people in a mental health crisis in Kenosha would be transferred from their local Emergency Room via police transport to communities like Winnebago. Although patients could receive appropriate treatment, having the patient be so far from home and away from family and other support systems could be quite the emotional burden in an already emotionally charged situation. For the police providing transport, nearly a full day of transport time and the work hours for two officers were a burden to their home department. Those officers need to be closer to the communities who depend on them.

To explain, Chapter 51 is a way of creating a safety net for someone who is substantially at risk for self-harm or is a danger to themselves or others. Being transported to services allows for increased safety and a defined location for a program that can help. In the case of Wisconsin residents needing crisis services for mental health, being transported over several hours certainly would elevate fear and anxiety. A 20-30-minute transport time makes a world of difference and allows for much easier discharge planning closer to home.

Lake Behavioral Hospital is grateful to be a part of this life changing process and proud to have worked with a multitude of professionals from a variety of law enforcement agencies and Kenosha –local government officials.

As always, any person who is not in an ER in Kenosha, can still come directly to Lake Behavioral Hospital via appointment or walk-in for a screening for mental health services. One call to 855-990-1900 is the way to access the Screening and Referral Team who will identify the best level of care for the mental health concern.

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Lake Behavioral Hospital: Intensive Outpatient Programs

The Intensive Outpatient (adults) and Partial Hospital Programs (youth 13-17 years old) at Lake Behavioral Hospital are grounded in group therapy. Group therapy has proven successful in helping patients grow and learn, and thrive in recovery from mental illness and substance abuse. The following skills that are developed during our peer-supported programs are what makes our outpatient programs places of health and healing:

  1. By being involved in peer groups, a lifelong skill of learning to relate to others is naturally developed. The Lake Behavioral team then works to help patients explore concepts of sympathy and empathy which will cement relationship development and encourage kindness.
  2. Patients share their story. This is helpful in helping other group members fully understand that many people live with mental illness and thrive. They begin to understand that they are enough and that they are not alone. They also learn to listen non-judgmentally.
  3. The Lake Behavioral team ensures that patients have a clear understanding of who their support system is and how to development a solid foundation of support before they are discharged.
  4. Patients learn many levels of coping skills, social skills and communication skills. One of the big benefits of outpatient programming is that patients can practice these skills at home or work following programming and return the next day to group to re-report out on successes or struggles. This is learning followed by real time practice. It really makes a difference!
  5. Our patients feel a part of their group. They begin in outpatient, sometimes for the very first time, to understand the importance of feeling like they belong to something bigger than them. Discussing how to find this feeling after discharge is important to recovery.

If you would like to explore how you, a friend or family member, can benefit from IOP or PHP, please do not hesitate to call. We look forward to sharing program information with you. If you have already made the decision to be assessed for program, please call to schedule at 855-990-1900. You may walk-in for a screening, as well.

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Medication Management is Important

Managing medication can be tough; especially if you have medicines to treat both physical health and mental health conditions; or if you are taking several medications. For that reason, please allow us to help you learn more about your medications, hear any feedback about how your meds are helping you, and make sure that your prescriptions are just right for you. Allow us to help oversee the process of medication management.

Here are some benefits in allowing our team to support you as you navigate the world of medication and health:

  1. The team at Lake Behavioral Hospital cares about you. With that in mind, know that your medication management is all about you. We collaborate as a team and keep in mind that no two people experience the same medication in the same way. There are many things to consider and we are here to help. Medication management is more than just giving us a list and dosage information of all of your meds. To really make medication work for you, your Lake Behavioral Hospital team will pay close attention to your overall health, the number and kind of medications you are taking, and how your own personal lifestyle or work life may factor into having positive medication outcomes.
  2. Multiple medications, it seems, are the norm for many people. Our team pays attention to what you are taking so that risk of drug interaction is minimized. A comprehensive exploration of your medications will help make sure that you are living without unwanted medication side effects. We want to know what meds you are taking for what conditions, if you have any medication allergies, whether you take over-the-counter meds, and what impact each of these meds have had on you. If a new medication has been prescribed for you, we will make sure it is a match for you and your specific condition.
  3. Medication management will help you find a medication routine. Taking your meds consistently and on time is necessary. You will find that our program will help you develop a successful medication routine and you won’t have to worry about many different instructions and physicians to meet with to manage your meds. One team, in one location, is exactly what you need.
  4. With a busy lifestyle, it can be easy to mix up your meds like taking them on the wrong day or time or being forgetful and doubling up on a dose. Every day people misuse medications accidentally and take the risk of a real health problem like hospitalization. Routines and education are key to making medications that are life enhancing and life-saving. Medication management can help reduce adverse reactions and reduce the risk of hospitalizations related to these errors by ensuring that your medications don’t negatively interact, helping you learn when and how to take your specific medications, and identifying any foods to avoid while taking your medications.
  5. Medication management is an opportunity. Work with our Lake Behavioral Hospital medication management professionals. We can observe your progress and process your recovery. We can answer your questions and share information.

Let’s Get Going!

Call 855-990-1900 and ask to speak to our team regarding medication management. You will find increased comfort in knowing that we are helping you stay safe. Medication management is important. Let us show you how. We look forward to meeting you!

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Is IOP Right for You? Here are some facts.

Therapy is important. Therapy creates a foundational impact for health. Therapy saves lives. It is a step in recovery that should not be missed.

The Lake Behavioral Hospital Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) is one way to get support for a mental health condition in an environment that allows you to return too work and home, and practice skills as you learn them.

Other advantages of IOP are:

  1. IOP is based on peer groupwork. You will have an opportunity to have an immediate support group of people who can listen to your goals and help you. It is always good to be in a judgement–free zone where people are working together to find positive mental health.
  2. At Lake Behavioral Hospital, you can meet in IOP in person or we have the availability for you to join a virtual group. This makes it even easier for you to make the most of your personal time.
  3. Our IOP team wants to see you each day of program, so we provide transportation to and from your location. We even provide lunch and a snack!
  4. Our groups are approximately one hour long, so you have a chance to learn a skill and discuss ways to use it with your peers.
  5. IOP has a benefit unrelated to group that many people don’t even consider. IOP helps you establish a routine and routines are productive ways to get back to a healthy lifestyle.
  6. You will have an opportunity to learn what your community has to offer and learn how to access resources that will benefit your health and recovery.

The Lake Behavioral Hospital IOP will help you succeed and help you set long term goals. You will have the skills you need, resources that you will value, and a new way of looking at your potential for being your best.

To learn more or to receive a free screening to determine if IOP is right for you, please call us at 855-990-1900.

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Mental Health Month May Mean Making Changes

May has been the identified month for mental health since 1949. It means changing our beliefs about what it means to be unwell, making personal efforts to reduce stigma, and accepting responsibility for staying as mentally healthy as we possibly can. It may also mean making changes to become healthier and keeping our health in the front of our minds and our efforts.

Here are some ideas for choosing change and some ways to make those changes stick. Remember positive efforts often lead to positive results.

  1. Get motivated: Alert a friend to your struggle. Use their motivation to help too boost your motivation to move forward. Look for joy. Feeling better is more motivating than feeling down. Get outside; nature is a healer. Document the little changes you make and celebrate each one. It is hard to change and every effort you make is really a big deal!
  2. Stay inspired: Remember what caused you to consider making a change in the first place. Keep that thought. It will drive you to stay in the game!
  3. Expect temptation: There will be roadblocks. Expect them and, even better, anticipate them. Anticipation will help you be ready and you will have a plan in place for positive change to take over. Sometimes, you have to allow for a weak moment followed by a do-over. It happens!
  4. Know yourself: Have you set a meaningful, measurable goal? Is this something that will improve your physical and mental health? Is it important to your well-being?
  5. Stay the course: Positive change is worth it.
  6. Be kind to yourself: If you have a setback, try not to get caught up in negative self-talk. Make every effort to not see one day (or even two!) as a permanent failure.
  7. Sometimes the process is worth more than the product: As you develop your positive-change habits, know that you’re setting change in motion every time you follow your plan. The first few times may not be the exact outcome you had been hoping for, but you are on your way.

Mental Health Month will be the perfect time to set change in motion. The positive things you achieve may inspire others to do the same.

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May is Mental Health Month

May is Mental Health Month and no conversation in mental health is more important than one about suicide. Let’s start with some general information; some statistics about suicide in the US.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, suicide was responsible for nearly 49,000 deaths in 2021. That is one death every 11 minutes. In the same year, 12.3 million American adults seriously considered suicide, 3.5 planned an attempt and 1.7 attempted suicide. Suicide affects all ages and is among the leading causes of death for people ages 10-64.

Suicide is not easy to talk about and it certainly is not easy to tell someone you are considering suicide. Know that there is hope and help, even when you are feeling hopeless and helpless. Please make the bravest choice you have ever made and tell someone. Sharing your thoughts and feelings is very important. You do not need to struggle alone. There are lots of ways to get help. Here are a few ways to reach out at any time; 24/7/365:

  1. Text: HOME or HELP to 741741. A trained counselor will speak with you via text.
  2. Call 988 and a mental health professional will hear your concerns and be able to connect you with services in your own area.
  3. Dial 911. It is there for emergencies.
  4. Use your local ER by walk-in. Tell them what is going on with you.
  5. Call 855-990-1900 or walk-in to Lake Behavioral Hospital any time.

Know that you can call 211 to learn more about helping resources for all mental health and other issues, but the crisis numbers are listed above.

Please don’t think you are alone. There are helpers waiting to hear your story. You are worth it.

There are people ready to help you at any time of day.

  • Text HOME to 741741 for a free, confidential conversation with a trained counselor any time of day.
  • If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, text or call 988 or use the chat function at org.
  • If this is a medical emergency or if there is immediate danger of harm, call 911 and explain that you need support for a mental health crisis.
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Lake Behavioral Hospital: Partial Hospitalization Program for Teens

The challenges that teens face every day can prevent them from living their best life. Social media pressures, peer concerns and academic worries can all cause anxiety, stress, and depression. Teens, especially, have the potential for becoming unwell as they are making every effort to individuate and be independent, and don’t always share what is bothering them as they try to manage things on their own.

Designed to assist teens with their mental health in a peer group setting, the Lake Behavioral Hospital Partial Hospital Program offers group support in learning coping skills, improving academic success, relationship development techniques and discovering how to set daily routines that can make each day more productive. The program lasts approximately 3 weeks and teens attend 6 hours daily, 5 days a week, which includes a school program so teens do not get behind in their school work. Transportation to and from home is provided to make it easier for families.

Our team in our Screening and Referral Department will make sure that your teen is appropriate for the program with a free, confidential screening, and if not, help decide what level of care is the best match for your teen in the moment. One call to 855-990-1900 to schedule a screening or a walk-in at any time during the day may provide the teen with an opportunity for a valuable outpatient resource.

If the teen is not managing well at home or school, has relationship difficulties and is just not living his/her best life, the partial hospital program will be a good match. Treatment works! Partial hospitalization is often the choice for teens because they will get the help they need and still have the ability to leave the program at the end of the day and return to home and friends.

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