Hello!

This newsletter is all about having fun and feeling good! If you or someone you know is not feeling their best, WE ARE CURRENTLY ACCEPTING NEW PATIENTS!

Read on for summer activity ideas and get a peak at some photos of our MFS team having fun outside of the office!

Relax, rejuvenate and enjoy!

All my best,
Dr. Pam McCaskill

734-416-9098
McCaskill Family Services Newsletter
Term: Summer | Issue 43| July 31st, 2023
Dopamine and Happiness

All of us want to feel our best. From the moment we wake up, to the moment we go to sleep, we spend our days figuring out ways to feel the most "happy" that we possibly can.

The ongoing search for happiness guides our behavior in a variety of ways. It causes us to change our daily habits: eat certain foods, get more sleep, get outside, and spend time with our loved ones and hobbies. It can also cause us to do more extreme things: risk our lives by jumping out of an airplane, elope on the top of a mountain, get an impulsive tattoo, or even move our homes. To each their own, the ways that we seek happiness are endless, and that makes sense when it's everyone's favorite emotion (by far!)

Dopamine is known as the "happiness chemical," and there has been a lot of buzz lately about how to increase dopamine in the brain. However, too much of a good thing can quickly become a bad thing, and we need to consistently monitor our dopamine levels for optimal balance and mental well-being. Read the article below from Jaclyn Rink, MSCP, for simple, daily habits that help enhance dopamine levels naturally. And no, they don't include getting a new tattoo....
At McCaskill Family Services, we specialize in working with adults, children, teenagers and families with various presenting issues. If you or someone you know could benefit from our services, please contact us. Our clinicians are trained in empirically-based techniques, and would be happy to promptly schedule an appointment in person or via tele-health. We can be reached by phone at 734-416-9098 or by email at office@mccaskillfamilyservices.com.
Join us for a 5K!
Summer Activity Ideas
If you're already hearing the phrase, "I'm bored"... here are some fun ideas for summer activities from A-Z.
Get to Know Our Staff
Clinician Spotlight
Jaclyn is a master’s level clinician specializing in the treatment of young children, teens, and adults who suffer from various types of anxiety, OCD, depression, trauma, eating disorders and self-harm.

Jaclyn is a certified SPACE (Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Experiences) provider, an empirically-supported treatment methodology which targets parent support and intervention for childhood anxiety. 

She co-runs the McCaskill Family Services Dialectical Behavioral Therapy group for teens, and frequently hosts webinars and presentations in the community, centered around mental health education and parenting.

Jaclyn believes in utilizing a variety of treatment techniques that include empirically based therapeutic interventions (e.g., Exposure Response Prevention, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy) to help facilitate personal change, symptom reduction and improve relationships.

Jaclyn also acts as the Social Media Manager and Social Director for McCaskill Family Services. 

In her time outside the office, she loves to travel and explore new terrains. She continues to work on her golf game, painting skills, and enjoys creative writing/poetry for stress relief.
What's DBT?
DBT stands for Dialectical Behavioral Therapy.

DBT is an empirically supported therapeutic approach that focuses on learning and developing vital skills for successful relationships and self-improvement!

We like to think of DBT as an emotional "tool box" that you can utilize to support your mental health! All ages and most mental health concerns can benefit from these skills.
  • Do you get frustrated easily?
  • Are you constantly thinking about the future & missing out on the present?
  • Do you frequently experience conflict in your relationships?
  • Do you suffer from panic attacks that seem to come out of nowhere?
  • Do you feel like your child can't solve problems quickly or effectively?
  • Are you struggling with motivation or not achieving your personal goals?

If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, DBT may be helpful !
At McCaskill, many of our therapists are trained in this method to provide you therapeutic support- backed by research. Additionally, DBT can be a helpful adjunct to include in your sessions if you are already in therapy. McCaskill offers an 8-week-DBT-teen-group, that includes parental support, several times throughout the year!

Please visit our website, give us a call, or ask your current therapist for more info on DBT.
MFS BBQ Summer Fun !
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