Anxious about Coronavirus (COVID-19)?

Americans who are suffering from anxiety are experiencing more and often debilitating symptoms in response to news about the coronavirus pandemic. The Center for Disease Control reminds us that that stress during an infectious disease outbreak can include:

  • Fear and worry about your own health and the health of your loved ones
  • Changes in sleep or eating patterns
  • Difficulty sleeping or concentrating
  • Worsening of chronic health problems
  • Increased use of alcohol, tobacco, or other drugs

These are good reasons why we should continue with our mental health treatment. We need to watch out for an increase in frequency, duration and intensity of our symptoms. 

We don’t want you to come in to see us if you are sick. You can meet your therapist using Telemental Health. At ICLLC, we use HIPAA compliant software to communicate with you across the internet using a smartphone, tablet, laptop or PC. It’s easy. 

If you are struggling with coronavirus anxiety, any fears or feeling helpless, give us a call. 724-256-9881 Stress weakens our immune system. This makes us more prone to illness – this is the opposite of what we need right now.

[email protected]

Nationally Known

Amy Swigart leads the team across the United States to train parents, law enforcement, attorneys, adoption and foster personnel, families and therapists about REACTIVE ATTACHMENT DISORDER. Amy is available to consult via ICLLC’s HIPAA compliant TeleMental Health system.  She connects with individuals, families and groups who have seen her presentations and would like more information, or to consult about a personal issue.

Click here to get in touch with Amy

Cities Visited So Far

Here is Amy’s Speaking Engagement Schedule for 2016:

Allegheny Juvenile Court Services

March 9, 2016 – Pittsburgh, PA

2016 Adolescent Conference

April 20-21, 2016 – Rosen Centre Hotel, Orlando, FL

2016 Response to Recovery Connecticut Children’s Alliance

May 11-12 2016 – Bloomfield, CT

PA Association of Probation, Parole and Corrections: 2016 Annual Training Institute

May 15-18 2016 – Sheraton Erie Bayfront – Erie, PA

The 24th Annual Pennsylvania Permanency Conference, sponsored by the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services

June 15, 2016 – Kalahari Resorts & Conventions, Pocono Manor, PA

National Association of Social Workers (NASW-FL) 2016 Social Work Conference

June 16–18, 2016 – Florida Hotel and Conference Center, Orlando, FL

Allegheny Juvenile Court Services

July 15, 2016 – Pittsburgh PA

Pennsylvania Juvenile Court Judges Commission

September 8-9 2016 – Best Western Penn State, State College, PA

Madison School District

September 30, 2016 – Rexburg, ID

Turn On the Light Conference

October 19, 2016 – West Palm Beach FL

Western Regional Tapestry Conference

October 21, 2016 – Wexford PA

National Federation of Families for Children’s Mental Health

November 10-13, 2016 – Hyatt Regency, Phoenix AZ

Video Chat

VIDEO CHAT

ICLLC offers the use of technology to communicate with your therapist, because not everybody can make it to the office. Through the use of your computer with a microphone and camera, or your smartphone or tablet we can communicate with you using VSee.  VSee is a simple and secure software that has used for over 20 years by major medical systems, NASA, US Congress and the Navy Seals.  This HIPAA compliant software is encrypted on three levels for confidentiality and safe communication.

Not sure that this is for you?

A 2008 meta-analysis of 92 studies, for example, found that the differences between Internet-based therapy and face-to-face were not statistically significant (Journal of Technology in Human Services, Vol. 26, No. 2). Similarly, a 2009 review of 148 peer-reviewed publications examining the use of videoconferencing to deliver patient interventions showed high patient satisfaction, moderate to high clinician satisfaction and positive clinical outcomes (Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, Vol. 16, No. 3).

 

Will my health insurance pay for TeleMental Health?

There is a wide disparity between private insurance companies and Medicaid in the state of Pennsylvania as to whether or not they will pay, or under what circumstances they will pay. Call the phone number on the back of your insurance card, or contact us to find out if your insurance covers TeleMental Health.

Click here to learn more!

Mental Health Therapy

Traditional Face-to-Face therapy in outpatient office setting

Direct face to face counseling happens in the therapist’s office at a prescheduled appointment.   Phases of treatment include: relationship building, gathering information about personal history; developing treatment goals and asserting evidence based treatment modalities. Your therapist can help you decide if individual, couple, family, group and or TeleMental Health is for you.

TeleMental Health: Video conferencing with your therapist

ICLLC offers the use of technology to communicate with your therapist. Our simple and secure software is compatible with computer, smartphone or tablet. We use the same HIPAA compliant system that NASA, US Congress and the Navy Seals have used for over 20 years.

Through the use of your computer, smartphone or tablet, you can communicate with your therapist using the same HIPAA compliant software that NASA, US Congress and the Navy Seals have used for over 20 years.

 

If you are thinking about TeleMental Health:

A 2008 meta-analysis of 92 studies, for example, found that the differences between Internet-based therapy and face-to-face were not statistically significant (Journal of Technology in Human Services, Vol. 26, No. 2). Similarly, a 2009 review of 148 peer-reviewed publications examining the use of videoconferencing to deliver patient interventions showed high patient satisfaction, moderate to high clinician satisfaction and positive clinical outcomes (Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, Vol. 16, No. 3).

Contact to learn more!

Reactive Attachment Disorder Support Group

Reactive Attachment Disorder Support Group meeting dates will be determined soon. Please check back!

Don’t feel alone when dealing with RAD

Parents connecting with parents whose children have been diagnosed with RAD, or parents who want more information.  All parents are welcome and babysitting is available – $5.00 per child

The kids who need the most love will ask for it in the most unloving of ways.

Connect with other parents who are going through or may experience the same behaviors

Share your story or just listen to others!

Support each other and learn more about RAD

For more information, contact Amber Grey at 724-355-6711

 

Presidential Proclamation

Presidential Proclamation — National Mental Health Awareness Month, 2016

NATIONAL MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH, 2016

– – – – – – –

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA A PROCLAMATION

Nearly 44 million American adults, and millions of children, experience mental health conditions each year, including depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and post-traumatic stress.  Although we have made progress expanding mental health coverage and elevating the conversation about mental health, too many people still do not get the help they need.  Our Nation is founded on the belief that we must look out for one another — and whether it affects our family members, friends, co-workers, or those unknown to us — we do a service for each other when we reach out and help those struggling with mental health issues.  This month, we renew our commitment to ridding our society of the stigma associated with mental illness, encourage those living with mental health conditions to get the help they need, and reaffirm our pledge to ensure those who need help have access to the support, acceptance, and resources they deserve.

2016 Speaking Schedule

We proudly announce our 2016 Speaking Schedule:

 

Allegheny Juvenile Court Services

March 9, 2016 – Pittsburgh, PA

 

2016 Adolescent Conference

April 20-21, 2016 – Rosen Centre Hotel, Orlando, FL

 

2016 Response to Recovery Connecticut Children’s Alliance

May 11-12 2016 – Bloomfield, CT

 

PA Association of Probation, Parole and Corrections: 2016 Annual Training Institute

May 15-18 2016 – Sheraton Erie Bayfront – Erie, PA

 

The 24th Annual Pennsylvania Permanency Conference, sponsored by the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services

June 15, 2016 – Kalahari Resorts & Conventions, Pocono Manor, PA

 

National Association of Social Workers (NASW-FL) 2016 Social Work Conference

June 16–18, 2016 – Florida Hotel and Conference Center, Orlando, FL

 

Allegheny Juvenile Court Services

July 15, 2016 – Pittsburgh PA

 

Pennsylvania Juvenile Court Judges Commission

September 8-9 2016 – Best Western Penn State, State College, PA

 

Madison School District

September 30, 2016 – Rexburg, ID

 

Turn On the Light Conference

October 19, 2016 – West Palm Beach FL

 

Western Regional Tapestry Conference

October 21, 2016 – Wexford PA

 

National Federation of Families for Children’s Mental Health

November 10-13, 2016 – Hyatt Regency, Phoenix AZ

 

Comments received:

 

Hi Amy,

I was at the conference in Connecticut last week and your presentation was fantastic. 

My regional resource group is incredibly interested to learn more about your presentation.

Thank you!

 

I wanted to thank you for your session at the adolescent conference. The information was so worthwhile and was really helpful in a residential setting. I appreciate your willingness and passion to get the word out about RAD. I know my staff enjoyed your session as much as I did!

 

Hello Amy,

This is your “Wing Man” from your presentation in Hawaii:-)  I hope that you made it home safely from Hawaii and that you are doing well. You did an AMAZING JOB, and I want to share your information with all of our Special Education Teachers in our district.

Thanks So Much!!
Good Morning Amy,    I just wanted to send you an email and thank you for coming to Keystone and presenting the RAD education that you provided to our staff and managers. As a Training Coordinator I have seen lots of instructors come into Keystone over the years and present their information, but no one has come in and kept the audience’s attention for the entire time, as you did on Friday. It’s refreshing to see someone who likes what they do as much as you do, too often trainers just go through their power point slides and teach the topic reading the slide info and not engaging their audience making sure they are understanding what is being covered before moving onto the next slide.
Thank you again,

 
If you would like the team at Inspiring Change, LLC to speak at your event or to your staff, please contact us through this web site.  We are continuing to schedule for the rest of 2016 and starting scheduling for 2017.

Remember, we are treating, educating and consulting about: ‘all kinds of therapy for all kinds of people’.

The Gift that Keeps Giving

Happy New Year!

Usually, we reserve gift giving for special occasions. We usually give gifts to others….do we think about giving gifts to ourselves?

Newsflash:  in 2016 we don’t need a special occasion to give gifts to ourselves or others every day!

Let’s start with ourselves… check out this link to learn about 23 things we can do to improve our mental health in 2016!

(WARNING: THIS IS EASY & FUN.)

23 things we can do to improve our mental health   

Call 724-256-9881 or email [email protected]  if you would like to find a therapist to work with in the New Year! You can also use our convenient Ask an Expert page! We provide ‘all kinds of therapy for all kinds of people’.

The Gift of Faith

The Gift of Faith by Amy Swigart.
I got a surprise on Facebook from a woman that I worked with over thirty years ago when she was just a little girl. Finding and contacting me could not have come at a better time. I was really questioning whether or not what I did made a difference, I was tired, run down, letting negativity creep in and just plain uncertain. Because of June contacting me, I was reminded that the work that we do, the time that we spend helping, does make a difference. We enter into people’s lives to assist. Sometimes we assume that it’s just a simple drop of water in a huge ocean. We question ourselves; do I really make a difference?
I would like to share this communication with you. My hope is to help individual service providers to know that what we do, no matter how small WE may think it is….DOES MATTER! We don’t get pats on the back, big raises, win academy awards or trophies. We don’t hear a stadium roar for what we do or have an audience scream our name. The work that we do is mostly unsung. That may be why we question our effectiveness or let our batteries run down. Sometimes we think that people don’t care about what we do.
I thought by sharing this, some batteries may be charged, and that we may be reminded that our work is very important! Every little drop that we contribute to that big ocean does MATTER!
As we celebrate the season of giving, myself and all of the professionals at Inspiring Change, LLC want to sincerely thank all service providers for the dedication, work, sacrifices, and expertise that they UNSELFISHLY provide to families.
My response is faith based and is strictly my view/practice as to how I perform. While this may be offensive to some, it is meant to show that even more than thirty years later, what we do does MATTER. Even though it may have seemed like our helping was only a little ripple in the huge ocean, what we do does make a difference. Thank you for reading this:

To Amy from June: I’ve wondered where this ANGEL went to…Many years ago…She was my caseworker. She saved my life. She did her job well. She actually cared for me. And for that I love her. I haven’t seen her since foster care. Been about 30 years. She took us to McDonalds for the very first time. We were so hungry. I can’t help but smile with tears in my eyes. She had to go into our home to find us clothes. We didn’t have any. Just what we had on. Which was rags. No undergarments. But she made sure we got some. Amy Swigart, if it’s the last thing I do on this earth I will hug u One more time. U see u were my angel.
Bless u
Juneann

To June from Amy: June what a wonderful surprise! I have to share something with you: Working as a Caseworker/investigator/therapist/probation officer takes a toll on us. We question, am I doing the right thing? Did I do that correctly? Did I ask the right questions to get the answers that I needed? Do I really make a difference? We second guess ourselves and question if we are truly helping and making a difference. What I continue to do every time I go into a home, interview a child, do a therapy session, I say a prayer:

Dear God, give me the wisdom, understanding, skills needed and the special Insight that I need to see what needs to be done to help this child and family. Bless me to say the words that this child needs to hear to know that it’s safe to talk and tell me their deepest darkest secret that they fear to tell anyone. Give me the courage and wisdom to say what is needed for the parents to hear and the courage to do what is needed to be done for these lost souls. Amen

I was an instrument of God that intervened for you. The Glory goes to God. Here is the real kicker June….when I recently let negativity enter into my mind and my heart I asked God for help, guidance and a sign. The next day when I checked my Facebook I could not have received a bigger sign or message from God. You said something that I needed to hear just at the perfect time that I needed. Wow! God really does work in mysterious ways!!!!

As we celebrate our faith during this season of giving: Please say a prayer to guide all professional helpers in their work and to know what they do does matter! Thank you for the service and work that you do.

If you would like to meet Amy Swigart or any of the other mental health professionals at Inspiring Change, LLC, please contact us using the form below, or send us an email from our ASK AN EXPERT page. As we continue to provide ‘all kinds of therapy for all kinds of people’, please know that YOU and our FAITH continue to INSPIRE us.

The Gift of Perseverance

This is the second in a series of messages from the people that we serve. This was written in response to the documentary that aired recently on 20/20. Thank you for reading: The Gift of Perseverance.

I’m a 17 year old girl who was diagnosed with RAD around age 7. It’s a very hard thing to deal with in parent’s lives and in the kids who have been diagnosed. I’ve been struggling with it and I’m almost done with services, therapy because I’ve been overcoming RAD.

Now, RAD isn’t something that goes away, it never does. People with RAD have to work extra hard in everything they do especially relationships… You can’t change a RAD child but you can help them overcome it at a distance away, their goanna have to want to change and you can’t make them want to it’s something they have to want to do on their own. If you are constantly close to them it’s going to make the child lash out and push you away because they are scared of being too close to people from previous things in their lives.

My adoptive parents have been married for 27 years and it really tested how strong their marriage was by having a RAD child come into the picture. I used to hurt my parents on purpose when they got too close, comforted me or anything of that sort because I was scared of yet more rejection. I used to turn my mom and dad on each other because if I was miserable and scared they had to be too.

My mother went to bed every night crying herself to sleep. But that was years ago, I have a stable loving family who I can get close too, to some extent without lashing them and hurting them there is light at the end of the tunnel and it will be forever before you get to see the light. But if you keep working and parents understand how to cope with a RAD child it will be beneficial in everyone’s lives. A lot of people don’t know much about RAD and we need to get the word out.

At Inspiring Change, LLC,  trained mental health professionals can help you or a child that you love to deal more effectively with symptoms of Reactive Attachment Disorder…If you would like to make changes in yourself or your family, please contact us through this web site. You may use the contact form below, or use our ASK AN EXPERT page. We will get back to you immediately. Thank You!

Susan Roop, Amy Swigart and Susan Johnson are trained mental health professionals who help families to deal with childhood developmental trauma. For adoptive or biological families with children or adolescents who may be experiencing difficulty attaching with caregivers, we understand the anguish that comes from realizing that ‘love is not enough’. Contact us today so that we may help you and your family members connect with one another for a more enriched and stress-free life.