Bright Hope Counseling

10/10/2025

The world needs some more kindness, pay attention to who might need some today and pass along a smile and an encouraging word 😊
And as always feel free to reach out if you or your child need to talk with someone!

09/26/2025

Article on the link between mental health and exercise written by our very own counselor, Sandy Vree!

I’m honored to be a writer for Strength for Today’s blog this week! I have long believed that strength training will positively affect one’s mental health, and it often leads to a reduction in symptoms of anxiety and depression. I am a big advocate for exercise in my practice, and I also know ...

08/20/2025

Fall can often be a period of transition for many of us, with children starting school, kids heading off to college for the first time, programs starting up, fill in the blank. When big transitions or stressors happen in life, some people have challenges adjusting to their new situations, which may lead to adjustment disorder. Adjustment disorders are a very real thing and not abnormal. This can occur when going through a stressful time or event in your life either positive or negative, and it’s affecting you in a negative way, leading to anxiety or depressed feelings. Some possible triggers include:
1. Dealing with bullying
2. Changes in family situation such as divorce
3. Major life changes such as having a baby or moving
4. Ongoing stressors, such as medical challenges
5. Loss of a job or money problems
6. Relationship problems
If you find yourself having challenges with dealing with stressors or changes in your life, whether positive or negative, please reach out as we would love to help! Give us a call at 708-505-9663 to schedule an appointment today. Make sure to check out a future post with some ideas about how to cope with these stressors.

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06/05/2025

As we move into summer, it can be a great time to get a reset in our lives and explore strategies that can help us in dealing with our mental health. Following are some strategies that can help us increase mood and lower anxiety overall.

1. Make time for sleep: Sleep can be one of the best tools to help with mental health. Make sure you are getting enough sleep so that you feel rested.
2. Engage in physical activity: Physical activity can greatly reduce our stress, and summertime is a great time to utilize this strategy. Taking a walk outside or going on hikes can be a great way to engage in physical activity and take advantage of a Midwest summer.
3. Eating healthy foods: Summer in the Midwest is a great time to get fresh produce incorporated into your diet.
4. Get outside: Sunlight gives us Vitamin D, which can boost our serotonin levels. Increased serotonin is linked to decreased depression and anxiety levels.
5. Use stress management techniques: Summer can be a very busy time, so making sure you are taking time for deep breathing, meditating, yoga, or your choice of relaxation techniques.
6. Socializing: Being social and spending time with others can be a great way to help manage stress. Summertime provides so many options of ways to socialize with others, from going out to eat with friends to grabbing someone to go out on a walk with.
7. Journaling: While not for everyone, keeping track of your personal life can help to identify triggers and trends in our mental health.
8. Avoid substances that can harm our bodies: Substances such as alcohol, recreational drugs, ni****ne and caffeine can lead to an increase in anxiety.

If you or someone you know needs therapy, we are here to help! Please give us a call at 708-505-9663 to schedule an appointment today.

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05/07/2025

Spreading awareness about Mental Health! Feel free to reach out to Bright Hope if you or someone you know is interested in seeking counseling. Serving both youth and adults, we have counselors who would love to talk with you.

03/05/2025

Many people feel anxious, in fact, anxiety and worry are a normal part of life and are the body’s responses to potential threats. Anxiety can actually keep us safe by alerting us to danger and giving our bodies what it needs to protect us. Anxiety becomes an issue when it begins to interfere with daily life. Anxiety in children can be hard to recognize at times. Children don’t always have the words to say, “I’m anxious” or “I feel worried”. Anxiety can manifest as a number of symptoms, including but not limited to:
--Irritability
--Physical symptoms such as headache or stomach ache
--Trouble sleeping
--Eating too little or too much
--Restlessness
--Trouble focusing
--Clinging or refusal to leave the house

If you find your child experiencing any of these symptoms it may be time to find help by either reaching out to your healthcare provider or a therapist that may be able to help. You can reach Bright Hope Counseling either at 708-858-3223 or 708-505-9663 for an appointment.

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02/12/2025

Stress is often viewed as a negative, but some stress can be good. Here is a good video explaining how stress can affect our bodies and minds. If you or someone you know is dealing with stress in an unhealthy way, feel free to reach out!

Is stress always a bad thing? How does stress affect us? What happens if we experience too much stress? Braive is a company run by mental health professional...

01/24/2025

Bright Hope Counseling is excited to announce the addition of Allyson Walsh to our practice! Allyson will be seeing primarily children, adolescents and young adults. Feel free to message us if you know of anyone who is need of services.

Allyson is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and joins Bright Hope after working with elementary and high school students as a school social worker for the past six years. After graduating from Trinity Christian College with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, Allyson attended University of Illinois at Chicago with her Master’s in Social Work, Allyson’s professional experience is primarily with children and adolescence. She believes that building a good relationship with her clients can create a positive therapeutic experience that allows for growth to happen. Allyson uses combinations of Play Therapy, Insight-oriented Therapy and Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy depending on a client’s unique needs. Getting to know each client and their story is a blessing to Allyson, and she appreciates the opportunity to work with all of her clients. She is looking forward to this new venture and can’t wait to work with some new people!

Allyson is married to her husband, Kevin, and she has lived all over the Chicagoland area. During her free time, Allyson loves spending time with her family and friends, watching sports, reading a good book, and going out to eat great food.

Welcome to the practice Allyson!

09/09/2024

If you or someone you know is struggling, please reach out for help. You can call or text the crisis hotline any time of day or night. You can also reach out to Bright Hope Counseling at 708/505-9663 about the possibility of scheduling an appointment.