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You are Not Alone – A Note from our CEO, Andy Duran

You are Not Alone – A Note from our CEO, Andy Duran

by admin | May 9, 2020 | Exec Director's Note, Featured, Homepage Portfolio, Latest News, Main, Parents

Dear Friends, There’s no question that this is an incredibly challenging time – especially for our youth – and many people are experiencing an increase in isolation, fear, and anxiety. If this is you, please know you are not alone! Unsurprisingly, we...
Op-Ed from Andy Duran on the Preventing Online Sales of E-Cigarettes to Children Act

Op-Ed from Andy Duran on the Preventing Online Sales of E-Cigarettes to Children Act

by admin | Apr 28, 2020 | Exec Director's Note, Featured, Latest News, Main

Last year, eighteen-year-old student athlete Adam Hergenreder from Gurnee, Illinois made national news after landing in the hospital with what doctors described as lungs like a “70-year-old’s” from vaping nicotine and THC products for a year and a half. After...

A Note from our New Chief Advancement Officer, Nicole Quick

by admin | Feb 12, 2020 | Featured, Homepage Portfolio, Latest News, Main

Dear LEAD Community, I am honored and energized to join LEAD as the Chief Advancement Officer. Born and raised in Lake Bluff, my passion for LEAD and its mission to prevent high-risk behavior and provide positive alternatives runs deep. As my husband and I raise our...

A Note from our New Chief Operating Officer, Nate Biggs

by admin | Feb 12, 2020 | Featured, Homepage Portfolio, Latest News, Main

Dear LEAD Community,   Since joining LEAD just over a year and a half ago, I’ve had the joy of being able to bring my two favorite skillsets together. Technology and prevention don’t often go together, but they do in my life and they do at LEAD. In...

Executive Director’s Note – August 22nd, 2019

by Andy Duran | Sep 3, 2019 | Exec Director's Note, Featured, Latest News, Main, Parents, Youth

...

What You Need to Know about the Proposed Marijuana Legalization Bill in Illinois

by Andy Duran | May 21, 2019 | Exec Director's Note, Featured, Latest News, Main

...
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We’re participating in the Target Circle program We’re participating in the Target Circle program! You can vote for us and help direct Target’s giving to benefit LEAD. To cast your vote, see link in bio.
Self Care Hobbies New and fresh can shake up you Self Care Hobbies New and fresh can shake up your mental health and your life for the better. Along with a new routine you can pick up a new hobby or refine your hobbies. What are your hobbies?
Fresh Air Create a new routine. Being a creature Fresh Air Create a new routine. Being a creature to habits can be a great way to stay focused and complete goals.  Every once in a while, the daily task can turn to feelings of mundane and we lose our motivation.  You may have a goal you want to crush and feel stuck getting there. Take some time to re-evaluate your routine.  Finding a new routine can help you shatter that goal!  Spend some time thinking of ways to achieve your goal by changing up a routine.  Keep your eye on the finish line but find a new way to get there!
Q & A Friday Ask us some mental health questions. Q & A Friday Ask us some mental health questions. We would be happy to give you some tips to a healthier you! Comment below or send a DM! What have you tried this week to promote mental health. Have you tried any new self care or coping skills?
Helping Others Listening to someone When we get Helping Others Listening to someone When we get stuck in a rut and our mind is too noisy with our thoughts, sometimes, reaching out to others can be the intervention we need to find our inner calm.  Helping others, when we are also in need, helps us feel emotionally connected and less isolated.  Being a helper can cultivate a sense of purpose for ourselves.  If you are emotionally stable enough, reach out to someone who you know is in need, and ask them how they are coping.  Be a listening ear for someone.  You don’t have to have a solution for them or know the right words to say.  Sometimes, being a friendly ear for someone is all that they need and all that you never knew you needed!
Last week's Ask Us Anything event went so well And Last week's Ask Us Anything event went so well Andy and Audrey decided to make it a WEEKLY occurrence. Starting tomorrow, 5/28 they will be on Zoom every Thursday from 11am-12pm to answer all of your questions. Nothing is off limits! Raising a teen can be hard, so let’s talk! Visit: www.golead.co/zoom or click the #linkinbio to register for tomorrow. It’s FREE!
Healthy Friendships Throughout middle school and Healthy Friendships Throughout middle school and high school friendships change often throughout the year. Friends drift apart or grow closer together. Friends impact our mental health for the better or worse. They can shape our self worth, our decision making, and how we treat others. Here are some healthy friend qualities you should look for in a friend. Honest- not only with you but with others friends and adults Accepting- of other's differences Low Maintenance- they shouldn't need your attention all the time and when you come together after time apart it should be easy too be with them Non-judgmental- friends should be able to see your side of a situation Loyal- they can and should have different friends but they wont talk negatively about you Respect- friends should value your time and keep your secrets unless you are in danger Trustworthy- they should stick to a set of moral principles developed through respect and honesty.
Emotions Self Harm Many adults do not understand Emotions Self Harm Many adults do not understand the mindset behind self harm. It is hard to think of why someone might deliberately hurt themselves. When someone intentionally harms ones self it is due to emotional distress. These emotions often grow when someone continues to use self harm as a coping skill. Self harm often brings feelings of shame trying to hide the scars or skipping class or family activities to continue to harm self.  It is often developed when someone does not learn to deal with negative emotions or learns as a child to hide their emotions. Self harm often feels like a release and can produce endorphins. For teens and young adults it often develops into other self destructive behavior in adulthood like excessive drinking or drug use. How to treat self harm. It is really important to talk to a trusted adult, specifically a professional who knows the subject. A treatment plan is essential to overcoming self harm. Developing healthy coping skills, understanding the reason behind the self harm and working through those difficult emotions with a safe person. Reach out to a professional today if you or you teens are using self harm as an unhealthy coping skill for emotional distress.
C O P I N G  S K I L L Talk it out Do you feel C O P I N G  S K I L L Talk it out Do you feel overwhelmed? Pent up? On edge? Talking it out is a necessity in life. Having a trusted friend to help you debrief is good. Having someone who is outside of the situation and offers no judgement can be even better! Reach out to a therapist or trusted friend and talk through your stress and anxious feelings.
S e l f  C A R E  Relaxing Have you organized a S e l f  C A R E  Relaxing Have you organized all of your drawers? Caught up on chores? Meal prepped for the week? Completed all of your To-Do List?  If you answered Yes to all of those questions, or even just one of those questions, then kick up your feet and relax!  Relaxing doesn’t have to be a bubble bath with soft music (even though that does sound great). Relaxing can be any activity that helps you feel calm and lowers your stress.  One person’s hammock on a secluded island is another person’s off-roading adventure.
F R E S H  A I R  Learn Something New There is F R E S H  A I R  Learn Something New There is a saying that goes, “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” Good thing we aren’t dogs!  No matter your age or your skill level, you can always learn something new!  Learning something new creates a renewed sense of purpose and curiosity. The possibilities are endless.  And, if you think that you have learned all there is to know, try teaching your mastered skill to someone else.  There is joy to be found in watching someone else learn something new.
Q & A Friday Ask us some mental health questions. Q & A Friday Ask us some mental health questions. We would be happy to give you some tips to a healthier you! Comment below or send a DM! What have you tried this week to promote mental health. Have you tried any new self care or coping skills?
H E L P I N G  O T H E R S Volunteering your tim H E L P I N G  O T H E R S Volunteering your time is a great way to give back to your community. As we have discussed before, giving back is a good way to improve your mental health and moods. Many teens have a heart for helping their friends. You can help a friend do their chores, offer free tutoring, mow lawns in your neighborhood, help at an animal shelter, or offer free baby sitting. After you volunteer notice the emotions not only in yourself but those around you. Has anything changed for the better?
Toxic Relationships and how to be a good friend I Toxic Relationships and how to be a good friend It is easy to find yourself in a toxic friendship in high school. Here are some simple ways to tell if you are in a toxic relationship. If your friend... •Reaching out only when they want something •The conversation is always one sided •They put others down. Make fun of someone in front of people •You feel bad about yourself when you are around them •They are aggressively competitive and cannot celebrate your successes •They are not happy for you when good things happen to you •They bring drama into your life •They talk negatively about you behind your back •They constantly don't follow through with plans they make with you •They use your secrets against you and share them with others •They encourage you to do bad things that will get you in trouble •They talk negatively behind their friend's back •They exclude you from things with mutual friends Do these sound like one of your friends? Or maybe it sounds like you? Be a better friend by not engaging in these bad friend traits, encourage your friends to be better too. Make friends who lift others up and encourage you.
A N G E R Anger is a secondary emotion, this mean A N G E R Anger is a secondary emotion, this means that there is some emotion lying beneath the surface when you see anger in yourself or your teen. Some emotions that come before anger include: pain, sadness, depression, frustration, embarrassment, anxiety, disappointment or hurt. A few ways to tell what is lying beneath the surface is to respond not react to others. Take a deep breath, count to 10 and reflect on what is happening in your body before you say something that will hurt someone else or something you will regret. It's okay to be angry but how we express that anger can be harmful to others or ourselves.
C O P I N G  S K I L L S Get Creative Being cre C O P I N G  S K I L L S Get Creative Being creative is a great way to release some emotions and to process through them. Writing a poem, short story, or song can give you some outside perspective to your current circumstance. Drawing and painting can release pent up energy and blocked up emotions. It provides a constructive outlet to your emotions. Learning how to do wood working, sowing, cooking, or baking can give your mind a rest while you work with your hands. This is a great time to learn something new, to become a crafter or learn how to play an instrument or even a new language.
S E L F  C A R E  Getting Ready for the day. Ge S E L F  C A R E  Getting Ready for the day. Getting ready for each day may start earlier than the morning.  Prepping your day may start the previous day or at the beginning of the week.  If putting your feet on the ground each day is a struggle, try planning out your outfits during the weekend for the upcoming week.  Set your coffee to brew the night before and wake up to fresh smelling coffee.  A perfect “go-to” or signature style look to your grooming which can help your daily morning routine.  Having a simple start to your morning can help you feel fresh and confident to tackle the day!
F R E S H  A I R  Deep Breathing Exercise A way F R E S H  A I R  Deep Breathing Exercise A way to stay calm is to process your emotions and reduce anxious feelings. To do that you can do some deep breathing exercises. It allows oxygen to fill our brain which gives you some more perspective and keeps you calm. Not only does deep breathes help our mental health but also our physical health. To practice: lay down or sit up straight, close your eyes, take a long deep breath in (inhale for 4 counts), hold your breath for 4 counts, then exhale for 4 counts. On the exhale notice your body is becoming more relaxed. Repeat for 4-6 times. Notice how different your body and mind feel after this exercise. Do this daily so that when you need to do this, it comes to mind quickly.
Q & A Friday Ask us some mental health questions. Q & A Friday Ask us some mental health questions. We would be happy to give you some tips to a healthier you! Comment below or send a DM! What have you tried this week to promote mental health. Have you tried any new self care or coping skills?
H E L P I N G  O T H E R S When we focus on our H E L P I N G  O T H E R S When we focus on our own circumstances and feelings we can get overwhelmed and our mood can spiral down. Reaching out to others generally makes us feel good, we see someone else's perspective and hardships, we as humans generally enjoy and feel happier when we help others. Today's challenge is to say "Hi" and make eye contact to someone (wear your mask and stay 6 feet away). Show some human kindness today, it is contagious. If you can do more than saying hello to someone do so, help someone at the grocery store, help an elderly neighbor, offer to buy someone's groceries, give to local charities, buy someone a meal from a local restaurant, make masks and donate them. There are so many simple ways to make today a little brighter for someone around you! Stay safe.
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  • You are Not Alone – A Note from our CEO, Andy Duran
  • Op-Ed from Andy Duran on the Preventing Online Sales of E-Cigarettes to Children Act
  • Attending the Gala? Here are a few things you need to know!
  • A Note from our New Office Administrator
  • A Note from our New Chief Advancement Officer, Nicole Quick

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270 E. Westminster Avenue, Suite 200
Lake Forest, IL 60045
(847) 295-9075
[email protected]

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