Register Now for Pathlight Therapeutic Summer Camp for Teens!

Register Now for Pathlight Therapeutic Summer Camp for Teens! Unstructured time is time for mental health issue to run rampant, particularly for young adults. Their depression may be telling them to stay in bed all day, or their eating disorder may be telling them to go to the gym for 3 hours. School is a way for them to spend time being accountable in a safe setting, and when that setting is not available, there is more opportunity for teens, especially those who struggle with eating, mood or anxiety issues, to resort to maladaptive behaviors or develop problematic symptoms.  In an effort to support teens during the summer, Pathlight offers an innovative summer camp for teens (ages 12 through 18) struggling with eating, mood and anxiety disorders. Learn more about the camps below. Do participating teens need to be current Pathlight clients? No, participants do not need to be current Pathlight clients to take part in this valuable summer camp experience. This camp is open to any interested teens that could benefit from structure and support during summer vacation. If parents or referring professionals suspect their teen is struggling, camp can be a good place to have them assessed without it feeling like a typical mental health assessment, as participants will be in the presence of professionals who are monitoring their behaviors and emotional functioning for a large portion of the day. Pathlight experts are able to observe and identify issues and make recommendations for what each young adult needs in terms of treatment services. Following participation in the camp, teens that were apprehensive about mental health treatment often have a completely different view of it, and may be more open to seeking ongoing support for their eating, mood or anxiety issues. What makes this camp different than a normal urban “summer camp”? This camp fuses fun activities with a therapeutic approach. While we will be out in the community doing enjoyable activities, including field trips to Chicago landmarks, scavenger hunts, yoga and art projects, there is an underlying skill-building curriculum so that participants come away from the experience not only with positive memories of fun activities and new friendships, but also with some new knowledge and tools for handling challenging situations. The specific skill bases covered include mindfulness, nutrition and self-care, emotion regulation, increasing positive experiences, distress tolerance, self-soothing, confronting anxiety and interpersonal skills (DBT). Who facilitates the camp? Pathlight teen summer camp is overseen by our experienced clinicians with varying specializations, from psychology externs to social workers to psychologists. Additional experts, including dietitians, yoga instructors and chefs, assist with various activities as well. The clinician-to-participant ratio will not exceed 1:4. How are meals addressed for teens struggling with eating disordered thoughts and behaviors? We provide a supported, balanced lunch every day, and the lunch is supervised by experienced clinicians. We will order healthful meals according to our general meal guidelines; however, we can accommodate a specific meal plan (including supplements) or verifiable dietary needs. Therapeutic support will be offered to anyone who is struggling with their meal. When/where are the camps offered during summer 2015? There are two camp sessions during summer 2015—teens may participate in one or both sessions:

• June 22-26, 10am-2pm
• August 24-28, 10am-2pm

The camps are held in Downtown Chicago at Pathlight flagship treatment center (333 N. Michigan Ave., Suite 1900). For participating patients and families from outside the Chicagoland area, Pathlight can recommend nearby housing options. How much do the camps sessions cost? Each camp session is $600 per week, which includes an assessment, meals and all activities. Camp tuition may be covered by insurance. Pathlight insurance benefit verification experts can help you leverage the full extent of your benefits to support participation in camp. How do I register myself or my young loved one for a camp session? To learn more about Pathlight summer camp in Chicago or to register for an upcoming camp session contact Mara Serafin, LCPC, at [email protected] or (773) 602-1236, or Danielle Zawadzki, LMFT, at [email protected] or (773) 321-2827.