Let's Catch-up: September 2022

Our mission is to empower families to foster resilience and prioritize mental health and emotional wellness in their children through educational programming, access to resources, and peer support.

Visit our Website

Are you prioritizing what matters most? Are you parenting to your values?

From the pandemic to this summer's shooting in Highland Park, we have all experienced an enormous amount of trauma. All of that is in addition to the stress and pressure our kids already felt in relation to school, activities, social media... the list goes on.

We believe it's time for a reset, and we are partnering with others in the community who agree. Together, we are hosting William Stixrud, PhD and Ned Johnson, Founder, Prep Matters, to lead a Community Conversation for Parents who want to empower their kids to lead meaningful lives.

Join us for this incredible opportunity to hear from two best-selling authors who understand the challenges facing families today.

Invite your family and friends. Bring your neighbors. This marquee event is for everyone. (Details below.)

With all of our mental health in mind,

The CATCH Team

In this Issue

It's Time for A Reset: A Conversation for Parents
Lunch & Learn: Tech Transitions
My Red Said Mental Health Awareness Campaign
Parent Support Network
Coffee Talk: Off to College
Parents Connect: Join a Group
Parenting the Mental Health Generation: Dinnertime Conversations
CATCH in the Community
Why Fidgets?
One last laugh...

A Community Conversation for Parents

It’s Time for a Reset

Speakers:

William Stixrud, PhD & Ned Johnson

Best-Selling Authors

The Self-Driven Child

What Do You Say?

October 20, 2022 @ 7pm

Glenbrook North High School

Center for Performing Arts

Stixrud and Johnson will teach us how to better communicate and connect with our kids, help them develop resilience, and find a path beyond academic success. Earlier in the day, Stixrud & Johnson will speak to all GBN students.

Buy their books from The Book Bin at the event!

Presentation sponsored in part by members of the

GBN Community Mental Health Partnership:

Pick up The Self Driven Child and What Do You Say? at the Northbrook Public Library.

Lunch & Learn Tech Transitions

Helping Kids Manage Screen Time

Tuesday, October 11 12pm-1pm

Via Zoom

Just about every parent will tell you the technology battles are intense. Kids are on screens constantly, and getting them to take a necessary break is no small task.

Join Kevin Lanham, LCPC, Skylight Counseling Center, and learn what's really going on with our kids from a developmental perspective.

We'll also practice exercises to help children turn off tech and develop better emotional regulation and communication skills in the process.

Coming up in our Lunch & Learn series...

November 15: How to Find Joy with Your Kids When They Aren’t So Enjoyable

Speaker: Susan Milner, LCSW

Watch Previous Presentations...

Recordings of all of our Lunch & Learn programs, including the most recent talk on social anxiety, are available on the CATCH website. Watch here.

CATCH Lunch & Learn programs are supported by a generous grant from the Northbrook Woman's Club.

What does your red say?

Start the Conversation. Share a message.

Join a community-wide conversation about mental health!

CATCH is once again proud to present My Red Said, a mental health awareness campaign designed to make it easier to talk about our emotional wellness.

My Red Said stations are open at the following locations:

Basu Coffee Bar & Vietnamese Eatery
The Book Bin
Family Service Center
Landmark Inn
Northbrook Public Library
Northbrook Village Hall
North Suburban YMCA
Swanson's Blossom Shop
Trattoria Oliverii

Stop by to write and read messages of hope and compassion on hearts that will be displayed on red ribbons from September 10th-October 10th.

What does your red say?

My Red Said at School

Stations are open at:

Glenbrook North H.S.
Glenbrook South H.S.
Field Middle School
Maple School
Northbrook Junior High
Wood Oaks Junior High

If your child is a student at any of these schools, make sure to ask: What does your red say? #starttheconversation

Thank you, Northfield Township!

My Red Said stations at schools are sponsored by the Northfield Township Non-profit Service Agency Grant.

Learn more: My Red Said

Parent Support Network

Parenting is hard, but it can feel more manageable when we support one another. And that's why we created the Parent Support Network.

It offers parents and caregivers access to personalized resources as well as opportunities to connect with other parents and learn from peers in small, confidential groups.

Join one of our programs listed below, visit our website for resources, or reach out for individual help.

We are here for you.

Coffee Talk

Join other parents who can relate to what you're going through in open and honest discussions, where no question is a bad one, and we all have something to learn.

We are meeting via Zoom for our health and because we know it's often easier to hop online in the midst of a busy day.

Off to College: Supporting your student from afar

Parenting a child who is away at college comes with a whole new set of challenges, especially if they have struggled with their mental health. Whether you have an overwhelmed freshman or a stressed-out senior, knowing how to manage expectations, recognize when your child is struggling, and give the right amount of advice can make their transition to adulthood a bit smoother.
Sept. 27, 10am-11am, Register

Prioritize your mental health with the self-care of a CATCH Coffee Talk. #TalkAboutIt

Parents Connect

If you're asking, What else can I do to help my child with their mental health issues? The answer is: Find support for yourself!

Parents Connect groups are made up of 4 to 8 adults who are caring for children of similar ages.

We meet weekly to provide a place where people can share their experiences in a confidential setting. Learn more.

CATCH Podcast

Parenting the Mental Health Generation

Dinnertime Conversations

Take the pressure off and enjoy family conversations at dinnertime with guidance from the first episode of our new season.

Our hosts, Lisa and Amy, talk with Jason Price, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Affiliates in Counseling.

Listen

Find the CATCH podcast anywhere you get your podcasts.

Parenting the Mental Health Generation, the CATCH podcast, is also available on the CATCH YouTube Channel.

CATCH in the Community

GBN Mental Health Awareness Football Game & Wellness Fair

Northbrook Farmers Market

Hickory Point

Family Night

What's the Purpose of a Fidget?

If you've seen our CATCH volunteers around town lately, you know we are passing out a variety of fidgets. Yes, they are are a lot of fun, and the kids can't get them fast enough, but they aren't just toys. They actually make a difference when it comes to mental health.

Fidgets are sensory tools that calm nerves, relieve stress, and serve as a distraction in an overstimulating environment.

Doesn't that explain why kids love play doh and the sand box? They are soothing.

Look around your house. You probably have a few items that work as fidgets, but you may not even realize it. And keep an eye out for our CATCH Team and grab a fidget. They work for adults too!

Mental Health in the News