Upcoming Training Events
Breaking the Stigma: Understanding Mental Health
May 30, 2025, 9-11am
Register for Breaking the Stigma: Understanding Mental Health
Join us for an engaging Mental Health Awareness Training designed to increase understanding, reduce stigma, and provide practical tools for supporting mental well-being. This session will cover key topics such as recognizing signs of mental health challenges, effective communication strategies, and resources for support. Ideal for individuals, professionals, and organizations committed to fostering a mentally healthy environment.
Objectives: • Recognize common signs and symptoms of mental health challenges. • Develop effective communication strategies to support individuals in distress. • Identify resources and coping strategies for promoting mental wellness.
What to Expect: • Interactive Discussions: Learn through real-life scenarios and group conversations. • Practical Strategies: Gain actionable tools to support mental wellbeing in personal and professional settings. • Expert Guidance: Facilitated by an experienced mental health professional. • Resource Sharing: Access helpful materials and local support options.
Strategies for Supporting LGBTQ+ Youth and Families in 2025
 June 27, 2025, 9-11am
Register for Strategies for Supporting LGBTQ+ Youth and Families in 2025
As we navigate a changing landscape, LGBTQ+ youth, parents and practitioners are navigating access to care and community. We welcome parents, youth workers, healthcare providers and community members to:
- Understand how to use affirming terminology
- Understand experiences of LGBTQ+ youth and adults in 2025
- Clarify rights and where to access affirming care
- Share resources and best practices
Carolyn Wahlskog, LCSW (she/they) is the Director of Operations and Programming at Youth Outlook, a youth services agency that works to meet the ever-evolving needs of LGBTQ+ youth and their families in northern Illinois. Additionally, Carolyn is the co-coordinator of Transformative Justice Law Project's Name Change Mobilization, serving trans folks across IL. She serves as an adjunct professor at Jane Addams College of Social Work at University of Illinois at Chicago. Carolyn works with educators, mental health professionals, and other youth workers to create safe, supportive and affirming policies and practices for working with queer and trans young people and their families.
West Suburban and Illinois LGBTQ+ Resource Guide, Created by Youth OutlookWest Suburban and Illinois LGBTQ+ Resource Guide, Created by Youth Outlook
Art in Therapy: Ethical Considerations for Non-Art Therapists
July 25, 2025, 9-11am
Register for Art in Therapy: Ethical Considerations for Non-Art Therapists
Art in Therapy: Ethical Considerations for Non-Art Therapists will help professionals who are interested in or are already incorporating art-making into their clinical work, as well as those interested in learning more about art therapy in practice.
Learning objectives: - A better understanding of the field of art therapy and the role of art in healing.
- Identify ethical issues and recognize key considerations when integrating art-making. - Recognize therapeutic limitations and complexities particularly when discussing and storing client art. - Increase confidence in your implementation of creative modalities in treatment. - Practical and effective exercises you can immediately integrate into your treatment approach.
For this training, please bring some paper and any art supplies of your choice! Use whatever feels comfortable for you—markers, colored pencils, paint, or anything else you enjoy creating with!
Peggy Carstensen, LCPC, ATR is an art therapist with 13 years of experience, holding a Master's in Art Therapy from Mount Mary University. She specializes in creativity-based techniques for trauma, with experience in inpatient, school, community, and private settings. Peggy also practices Equine Assisted Psychotherapy, Brainspotting, and traditional talk therapy. A published illustrator and mother of three, she is currently the Chief Clinical Operations Officer and clinical therapist at Graceful Therapy in Oswego, IL.
Recovery in Practice: A Personal and Professional Perspective on Addiction and HealingAugust 29, 2025, 9-11am
Register for Recovery in Practice: A Personal and Professional Perspective on Addiction and Healing
Get ready for an unforgettable and empowering presentation from Troy Green, BA, CRSS, CADC—a Recovery Support Specialist and Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CADC) at Gateway Foundation and part-time counselor at Stepping Stones in Joliet.
In this powerful webinar, Troy will take you far beyond the textbooks and into the real, raw, and human side of addiction, treatment, and recovery. With honesty and heart, he'll share his personal story of resilience—from dropping out of college and losing a 12-year career, to confronting substance use and mental health challenges, and ultimately reclaiming his life and purpose. Troy will guide you through the treatment process that transformed his life, reveal the tools that supported his long-term recovery, and highlight the critical role of connection and community in healing. You'll also learn how digital recovery apps and tools are revolutionizing access to care and accountability in today's fast-paced world, and why the eight dimensions of wellness are key to building a sustainable, fulfilling life in recovery. Whether you're a provider, peer, or simply someone who cares, this presentation will leave you inspired, informed, and reminded that recovery is not only possible—it's powerful. There is no one-size-fits-all way to recover, and the only way to fail is to try to do it alone.
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