Behavioral Health Clinic

  I have a long standing history working with children in a variety of different contexts; I’ve always known my future career would involve helping children. It all started back in Bessemer, Michigan where I spent a lot of time hanging out with my “little” sister and the other kids in the neighborhood. They were all younger than me, but I enjoyed my time with them and I certainly enjoyed being the oldest (and in my mind, the smartest, obviously). My first job was working at a local church watching children during the service (if you don’t count babysitting) and this transitioned to a handful of jobs teaching infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and at the elementary school level. In recent years I have started to transition from teaching to providing therapy. Therapy brought forth my first experiences with adolescents, who I also fell in love with helping. Throughout the years in both career fields, I have been honored and blessed to meet many different children and their families and ...

  I have a long standing history working with children in a variety of different contexts; I’ve always known my future career would involve helping children. It all started back in Bessemer, Michigan where I spent a lot of time hanging out with my “little” sister and the other kids in the neighborhood. They were all younger than me, but I enjoyed my time with them and I certainly enjoyed being the oldest (and in my mind, the smartest, obviously). My first job was working at a local church watching children during the service (if you don’t count babysitting) and this transitioned to a handful of jobs teaching infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and at the elementary school level. In recent years I have started to transition from teaching to providing therapy. Therapy brought forth my first experiences with adolescents, who I also fell in love with helping. Throughout the years in both career fields, I have been honored and blessed to meet many different children and their families and ...

  WAUSAU, Wis. (WSAW) — After a perfect behavior day at school, your kids return home and let their walls down. That’s when the meltdown comes. What some parents may not know is that this is completely normal and common. “Parents are not alone, a lot of kids go home and they are acting out more there,” said Luke Severt, licensed counselor at Behavioral Health Clinic of Wausau. Learn more at https://wibehavioralhealth.com

  WAUSAU, Wis. (WSAW) — The United States withdrawal from Afghanistan may bring back past trauma for some veterans. That’s why a local licensed counselor, Luke Severt, wanted to tell them about an option for dealing with it. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing or EMDR, is a form of therapy that may be a good fit for veterans rehashing memories. If you’re interested in learning more about EMDR or scheduling an appointment contact Behavioral Health Clinic in Wausau   . Learn more at https://wibehavioralhealth.com  

  Where in the world have the past few months gone? Summer came and went before we knew it and Fall is ahead of us. Fall is my favorite time of year, not to hot and not to cold. The leaves change colors and everything pumpkin comes out. Yes, I am that girl, Pumpkin Spice Latte’s and let’s just be honest, anything pumpkin goes. This time of year, a lot changes, some good, some challenging. School is back in session, parents are running their kids from here to there and back again, attending sporting events and trying to keep up with the household chores. All on top of working, maintaining relationships, and trying to find time to make dinner and get enough sleep. Does this sound like you? Stress can create several changes to our personalities including irritability, lack of interest in taking care of our needs or appearances, social withdrawal and isolation, and procrastination or reduced work productivity. Stress can also create changes to our cognitive functioning including diffic...

  A bi-annual tradition since 1966 when the Uniform Time Act was enacted is happening this month whether we enjoy its benefits or not, changing our clocks to daylight saving time. The ritual when going to daylight saving time causes us to lose an hour of sleep, as our day will only be 23 hours long. That one hour we will lose will shift from morning to evening when daylight saving time begins. In 2007, our federal government specified that daylight saving time would apply from 2 a.m. on the second Sunday of March until 2 a.m. on the first Sunday in November. Those dates this year will be March 13th and November 6th. So how do our bodies cope with the changes in daylight saving time? Daylight saving time can affect many people, especially those who battle depression and anxiety. Other health effects from daylight saving time could even include heart attacks and increased headaches. With light changes throughout seasonal changes people have to try and adapt their schedules accordingl...

  As school begins, daylight lessens, and the weather changes, we encourage you to fall back into activities you enjoy this season. The goal is to do something enjoyable either by yourself or with your favorite humans, while enhancing your mental health. This is a challenge to you to engage in various activities that promote your wellness, especially as we begin preparing for the winter months ahead. Let’s discuss what this might look like for you. Physical wellness is focusing on your body’s wellbeing and health. This is beneficial for your mental health and helps keep you feeling well. Engaging in a physical exercise daily or at least 3–4 times per week can improve your overall mood. Be sure to choose something you enjoy. For those who love to run or go to the gym, think about switching up your routine to include things you haven’t tried yet. For those who like nature, take a walk outside, prep your garden for the winter, or rake some leaves. Try a new recipe with a fall theme in...

  WAUSAU, Wis. (WSAW) — Instagram implemented a “Take a break” feature on Tuesday. When scrolling too long, a break reminder pops up. “Too much of anything can be a bad thing,” said Luke Severt, licensed professional counselor at Behavioral Health Clinic in Wausau   . Severt said something many people find themselves guilty of with social media is procrastination. “You’re there all day and then suddenly you’re feeling bad because you didn’t accomplish anything,” said Severt. That’s what the new “Take a break” feature on Instagram aims to diminish. Unlike Tik Tok, which automatically gives these reminders to viewers, Instagrams’ has to be set up. Here is how to set it up. Go to your profile. Click on the three horizontal lines on the top right of the screen. Then click “your activity” and finally “set reminder to take breaks.” It will give an option of 10, 20 or 30 minutes. When you hit the scrolling limit you’ve set, a reminder that will pop up that suggests taking some deep ...

  I have worked with many individuals with chronic pain in clinics and in research studies. My father also lived with chronic pain. From my experiences with these individuals and communities and also based on what we know from the documentation in research is that a large percentage of people with chronic pain conditions, such as fibromyalgia or low back pain, experience mental health concerns such as depression. This means that the two conditions can co-occur, but we are not certain about which condition is more likely to occur first. Regardless, research has shown that the way people think and feel about chronic pain can negatively impact their emotions and stress. Conversely, being more mindful on a regular basis may help people to enjoy and live their lives well in spite of chronic pain. You might be thinking: what does being mindful on a regular basis mean exactly? Everyday mindfulness is described as a tendency to frequently focus on the present moment and to be open, curious...

  As 2021 winds down and 2022 looms, millions of people are motivated to make changes in their lives. Whether you are inspired to practice more good deeds or unleash yourself from undesired traits or practices, you are not alone. New Year’s resolutions are considered a sort of do-over from the prior year, and in many cases, the same resolution gets made year after year. How do you complete your year’s plan with the same motivation as you began? Are you ready, willing, and able? First, believe that change is possible. At the same time, realize it does not happen all at once. What is your desired outcome, and why? Is this outcome for your benefit or to make someone else happy? For example, do you want to lose weight so to be healthier and more energetic, or because you think someone will like you better if you are thinner? The motivation can set the tone for your success. Doing something for yourself, such as getting healthier, is a great way to not only achieve the goal, but build y...

  I have a long-standing history working with children in a variety of different contexts; I’ve always known my future career would involve helping children. It all started back in Bessemer, Michigan where I spent a lot of time hanging out with my “little” sister and the other kids in the neighborhood. They were all younger than me, but I enjoyed my time with them and I certainly enjoyed being the oldest (and in my mind, the smartest, obviously). My first job was working at a local church watching children during the service (if you don’t count babysitting) and this transitioned to a handful of jobs teaching infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and at the elementary school level. In recent years I have started to transition from teaching to providing therapy. Therapy brought forth my first experiences with adolescents, who I also fell in love with helping. Throughout the years in both career fields, I have been honored and blessed to meet many different children and their families and ...

I have a long standing history working with children in a variety of different contexts; I’ve always known my future career would involve helping children. It all started back in Bessemer, Michigan where I spent a lot of time hanging out with my “little” sister and the other kids in the neighborhood. They were all younger than me, but I enjoyed my time with them and I certainly enjoyed being the oldest (and in my mind, the smartest, obviously). My first job was working at a local church watching children during the service (if you don’t count babysitting) and this transitioned to a handful of jobs teaching infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and at the elementary school level. In recent years I have started to transition from teaching to providing therapy. Therapy brought forth my first experiences with adolescents, who I also fell in love with helping. Throughout the years in both career fields, I have been honored and blessed to meet many different children and their families and to get...