Behavioral Health Clinic

  Introduction  Healing from Within: Empowering Women through the Treatment of Postpartum Depression. The birth of a child is often celebrated as a joyous occasion, filled with love and hope for the future. However, for many new mothers, the postpartum period can be accompanied by feelings of overwhelming sadness, anxiety, and exhaustion. This condition known as postpartum depression (PPD), affects approximately 1 in 7 women worldwide. In this article, we will explore the various treatment options available for postpartum depression, shedding light on the importance of early diagnosis, effective interventions, and the vital role of social support in the healing process.  Understanding Postpartum Depression  Postpartum depression is a serious mental health disorder that can affect women shortly after childbirth, typically within the first six weeks, although symptoms can manifest up to a year after giving birth. The condition goes beyond the commonly experienced “baby...

  Postpartum depression (PPD) impacts many women Research shows that one in seven women develop and experience postpartum depression (Mughal et al., 2022). Pregnancy and labor can be very impactful experiences for many women. Hormones and other factors can lead to many physical and emotional changes throughout pregnancy and labor. Due to this, some women experience “baby blues” which can last for a few weeks after the baby’s birth. However, when the waves of sadness and gloom continue and affect everyday life that is when it becomes PPD. PPD can highly affect the way a women functions and feels daily while trying to take care of a new infant. Due the stigma surrounding PPD, it goes highly undiagnosed because women are afraid to show sadness after having a baby. Treatment for PPD is so important for women so they can return to their normal ability and function Treatment and support will allow them to enjoy the new journey of being a parent. According to Mayo Clinic, psychotherapy or...

 You don’t have to struggle with emotional health alone. Get Started . Get the Help you Deserve Coping with emotional health or learning issues is difficult for everyone and it is important to remember that you are not alone. If you or a loved one is struggling with mental health issues, Behavioral Health Clinic is here for you. We have a number of experienced licensed psychologists and counselors ready to help you develop a get-well plan that works for you! Our mental health professionals each focus on different specialties so you can find the best fit to get the personalized care you deserve. Conditions we Address ADHD Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder that can affect attention, impulsivity, memory, and other cognitive functions. Many associate ADHD with kids, but adults are also affected. ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder; as such, it is impossible to “grow out of” ADHD with age. Additionally, there are many adults who re...

  When facing the devastation of an infertility diagnosis, it is important to remember you are not alone. Often this can feel isolating, confusing, frustrating, and be anxiety provoking. Fears stretch wide around your purpose and meaning of life, family, and connection to others. Stages of this grief include denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. The hope is that as individuals and couples move through these stages, they will be able to be stronger and more resilient on the other side and find a new purpose for their lives. The first of the grief stages is denial, which often occurs after finding out from a medical provider that there is no viability for a pregnancy. This can set individuals and couples into shock and disbelief of this outcome. An example would be for someone to receive this diagnosis and say, “NO. This is not happening to me.” For most, denial is a stage that is shorter than other stages. The second stage is moving into feelings of anger. This occu...

  When facing the devastation of an infertility diagnosis, it is important to remember you are not alone. Often this can feel isolating, confusing, frustrating, and be anxiety provoking. Fears stretch wide around your purpose and meaning of life, family, and connection to others. Stages of this grief include denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. The hope is that as individuals and couples move through these stages, they will be able to be stronger and more resilient on the other side and find a new purpose for their lives. The first of the grief stages is denial, which often occurs after finding out from a medical provider that there is no viability for a pregnancy. This can set individuals and couples into shock and disbelief of this outcome. An example would be for someone to receive this diagnosis and say, “NO. This is not happening to me.” For most, denial is a stage that is shorter than other stages. The second stage is moving into feelings of anger. This occu...

  There are many reasons that can help explain why someone of any age is forgetful. I wish I could pin point it exactly and say “this is why,” but the truth is it is a little different for each person. There are some common difficulties that can contribute to forgetting things. These include symptoms of ADHD, depression, anxiety, trauma, bereavement… the list goes on. Working Memory is also known as short-term memory. These are things you hold in memory to complete a task. For example, you are packing up your child for school and need to send them with snowpants, boots, hat, gloves, and a lunch and mid-way through your list, your child reminds you that it is their snack day. They end up going to school with the snack, but you forgot to pack their gloves. Or you’re on the way out the door and you cannot recall where you left your keys. After all, they were right here, right? ADDitudemag.com says that research demonstrates that young children can only hold one or two items in memory....

  The transition to motherhood brings with it many changes. This can be a very difficult time for many. Mothers are expected to be happy. Joyful. Ecstatic. Immediately ready to be a mother and care for their child. When a mother does not feel this way, it can be scary and confusing. According to Babycenter.com, 40 to 80 percent of new mothers will experience what is called the “baby blues.” This is when during the first few days after delivery, a mother feels tearful, unhappy, is worried, experiences self-doubt, and is fatigued. This can be explained by many different factors; hormones, adjustment, lack of sleep, lack of self-care, and others. The “baby blues” will typically go away within a few weeks. When these blues persist, increase in severity, lead to feelings of despair or hopelessness, significant behavioral changes, intense worry, feelings of inadequacy, and/or thoughts of harming oneself and/or the infant, it indicates that the mother may be experiencing Postpartum Depres...

  Judy Lemke, MS, LPC, LCSW Judy Lemke is a Licensed Professional Counselor and a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with a wide variety of experience in Mental Health and Substance Abuse issues. She completed her Master’s Degree in Counseling at the University of Wisconsin –Stout and her Bachelor’s Degree in Comprehensive Social Work from the University of Wisconsin — Eau Claire. Clients who counsel with Judy will find her to be engaging, patient, thorough, and genuinely interested in them as individuals with unique strengths and abilities. She has extensive experience in assisting individuals with co-occurring disorders, relationship issues, mood disorders, anxiety, depression, grief and loss, change of life events, trauma, self-esteem issues, and post-divorce co-parenting struggles. Cognitive-behavioral therapy, person-centered and solution-focused interventions are an integral part of her approach in encouraging her clients to become confident in their creation of achievable goals...

  Everyone can agree that we’re not in tip-top shape without a good night’s sleep. Unfortunately, it’s on-trend for our population to miss out on the amount of sleep we really need to be able to function effectively during the day. It can also be difficult to differentiate these symptoms from mental health disorders in diagnostic testing. According to the CDC, approximately 35 in every 100 people in the United States report having a short-sleep duration (less than 7 hours of sleep per 24-hour period.) Additionally, those who reported sleeping less were more likely to report substance abuse and chronic health conditions — including depression, heart attack, and stroke. For mental health, there are prevalent complications that come with a lack of sleep, as well as a consistent connection between those who have mental health disorders and significant sleep disturbances. Americans in general are sleep-deprived, but chronic sleep problems affect 50–80% of patients in a typical psychiatr...

  Group therapy can be an equally effective and powerful form of treatment. Our interactive “skills group” therapy sessions provide our patients with helpful strategies and tools that they can use in their everyday lives. These group sessions offer a mini classroom format with a more interactive approach, personalized for each individual member’s needs. Our “process groups” are more unstructured and focus on discussion and interaction among the individuals within the group. Additionally, Behavioral Clinic offers single-session appointments and short-term group classes for other “everyday” challenges. Patients will feel safe, comfortable, and at home during either one of these group sessions. Each group member will take with them important lessons and life skills they can use for the rest of their lives in order to manage their mental illness. Whether you’re struggling with anxiety and fear, weight and self-esteem, depression, or any other issues, individuals, couples and families c...

  We have providers who have an awareness of the unique challenges  Autistic   individuals and their families are experiencing. Autistic children, adolescents, and adults can benefit from behavior therapies to address functioning and co-occurring mental health disorders like depression, anxiety, and ADHD. We also provide services to family members (parents, siblings) to help address the unique stressors of loving Autistics. We are  LGBTQ+   friendly and recognize the individuality of those we provide services to. We consult with Pediatricians and other Primary Care Providers, Occupational Therapists, Speech and Language Pathologists, and your child’s school upon request to ensure comprehensive support. Autism providers :  Dr. Stacy (assessment and counseling), Dr. Meggers-Wright (assessment), Emily L (counseling), Erinn M (counseling), and Judy L (counseling). If you’re interested in scheduling an appointment or you’d like more information, please  con...

  Counselors at Behavioral Health Clinic   in Wausau noticed that seasonal affective disorder is setting in sooner than usual this year for many. With darker and colder days people with Seasonal Affective Disorder or S.A.D for short are feeling fatigued, depressed, and withdrawn socially. With the time change, the lack of daylight confuses your body. “What’s happening is it’s really messing with our circadian rhythms and so our sleep-wake cycle really changes and it’s an adjustment period to that,” said Luke Severt, Professional Licensed Counselor. This type of depression is normal and has a large impact on those in Central Wisconsin. States with less sunlight at certain times of the year are more affected than people in states that have more consistent sunlight. But, there is another factor making things worse for many people this year. “If we’re working from home that seasonal affective disorder can set in even harder or more quickly like we are seeing right now. Because peo...