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Play Therapy
Play therapy gives children the opportunity to create a world
they can master, practice social skills, overcome frightening
feelings and symbolically triumph over the traumas that affect
their well being. In the play therapy setting, a therapist understands
the metaphorical content of a child's play, helps the child express
his or her needs, and facilitates discovery of solutions in a
safe, therapeutic environment. The result is children use their
own imagination and creativity to heal and grow.
The Center has a special room designated for play therapy
which includes a sand tray, doll house, puppets, white board,
art materials, games, toys and other materials children use to
create the dramatic scenes they direct with their therapist.
 Marriage and Family Services
The Center offers a pre-marriage program several times a year
that is designed to prepare couples for marriage (either those
about to be married or those who are newly married). See Upcoming Events! for the specific
dates this workshop is offered. In addition, a Marriage Renewal
Program is currently under development, which will benefit couples
in their first five years of marriage.
Dr. Patricia R. Francis, O.P., is the Director of Marriage,
Family & Child Services. In addition to overseeing our marriage and
family programs, she acts as resource leadership to our affiliate
churches.
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Group Counseling
Therapy groups are designed to be a safe place for resolving
issues in a community with others. With the aid of a trained
facilitator, participants share mutual experiences and help one
another. The cost of group therapy is often less than individual
or family counseling.
Currently the Central DuPage Pastoral Counseling Center is
offering one therapy group:
Women’s
Issues Group
- Dr. Patricia Francis, O.P., facilitates an on-going group for women
that meets on Monday evenings from 8:10 to 9:10 p.m. Topics are surfaced
by the participants and have included themes of self care, spirituality,
anger management, assertiveness without blame and shame, recognizing
co-dependent behaviors, and communication.
The group is accepting new members.
Please contact
Dr.
Francis
at 630-752-9750, ext. 17
for consideration.
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Adolescent Services
We recognize that the experiences of youth are often unique.
Our staff includes counselors who specialize in working with
young people. Adolescent Services at the Center is focused on
helping teens make sense of themselves, their world, and/or their
experiences. Other services, such as group therapy provide a
safe place for young people to explore specific issues or areas
of struggle.
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ADD/ADHD
Assessments &
Counseling Services
The Central DuPage Pastoral Counseling Center has developed
a comprehensive program for the assessment of Attention Deficit
Hyperactivity Disorder and support of individuals who face the
challenges of ADHD.
What is Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder? We
may all have the occasional difficulty of sitting still, paying
attention or controlling impulsive behavior. For some people
however, the problem is so pervasive and significant that it
interferes with daily life. Family and social relationships,
academics and job performance are all affected.
ADHD has three main components: inattention, impulsivity and
hyperactivity. These components can be configured in three ways:
(1) inattention only; (2) hyperactivity and impulsivity only;
or (3) inattention, impulsivity and hyperactivity. ADHD affects
approximately three to five percent of school age children and
two to four percent of adults. Although individuals affected
by ADHD can be very successful in life, without identification
and treatment, the disorder can have serious consequences.
The Assessment Process. Because there is no
single test that can be used to diagnose this condition, determining
whether a child or an adult has ADHD is a multifaceted process.
A comprehensive, systematic evaluation is essential. The Center
uses several kinds of assessments to determine a diagnosis of
ADHD. These include a clinical interview, behavior rating scales,
visual and auditory attention tests, and psycho-educational testing.
After the assessment process is completed, a comprehensive
report is written. The client will then meet with the therapist
to discuss the results and a treatment plan is developed. A medical
consultation also may be recommended.
EMDR
(Eye Movement Desensitization
Reprocessing)
When used as part of a treatment plan by a trained therapist,
EMDR may be useful in treating complaints such as sexual abuse,
domestic violence, post traumatic stress disorder, panic attacks,
addiction, dissociative disorders and disturbing memories.
Scientists believe that painful or traumatic experiences are
stored in a different place in the brain than our pleasant or
neutral ones. Typically, we can work through negative experiences
by talking about them, dreaming about them, or journaling about
them and in the process, put them behind us. However, many traumatic
events or experiences seem to get stuck in the brain despite
therapeutic intervention. The emotional pain may remain unchanged
years later. EMDR triggers a physiological mechanism that activates
the information processing system. This activation seems to impact
the understanding that accompanies the event. Instead of being
forever locked in the conclusions and understanding that were
made during the traumatic event, a new, more adaptive conclusion
is spontaneously achieved.
Several of the Center's therapists are trained to practice
EMDR.
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507A Thornhill
Drive ~ Carol Stream, Illinois 60188 ~ (630) 752-9750
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