Introduction to Mindfulness

One definition of Mindfulness is “ the way we use our attention”. The way we use our attention can impact how we relate to others, our selves, our problems our emotions and thoughts. This 4-week course lead by Daniel Binaei, LCSW will examine how to incorporate mindfulness practices into your everyday life. Dan has been leading Mindfulness groups for 10 years and offers an introduction to basic practices that can enhance relaxation, help manage stress, and help us gain insight into our thoughts and emotions. The series will be broken down into the following topics: 

I. Beginner's mind

II. Training the body to relax/progressive muscle relaxation 

III. Understanding and relating to anger and anxiety in a healthy way/breathwork

IV. Mindfulness and perspective on our lives 

The course runs Fridays from 6:30-7:30pm from July 20th-August 10th. The cost is $80. Space is limited, so book online, and contact Dan with any questions. 

New Psychotherapist

We are thrilled to announce that Daniel Banei has joined our team as a psychotherapist. Dan has a holistic perspective in his approach to Psychotherapy, rooted in his background and interest in spirituality, social justice, meditation, Chi Gong and Yoga. He has focused on working with clients with Anxiety, Depression, Life transitions, and Grief and Loss.
 
Before entering the field of Psychotherapy, Dan worked in Non-Profit Management and Consulting for 10 years. In addition to his Psychotherapy practice he has provided Clinical Supervision to masters-level therapists working in community counseling. 

Dan utilizes a mindfulness based integrative approach influenced by the work and perspectives of Carl Jung and drawing on 10 years of experience utilizing CBT/DBT approaches to provide immediate relief to people experiencing high levels of distress. Dan’s approach is humanistic, person-centered, and he feels compassion and understanding are at the heart of the healing process.

Dan is available on Mondays and Tuesdays from 2-8 pm. Sessions are $150, and he is in network with BCBS. Packages are available, and financial need can be considered on an individual basis. Dan can be reached at Daniel@fivepointholistic.com.

Intro to Mindfulness and Meditation Class

Five Point Holistic Health will be offering another 6-week Introduction to Mindfulness and Meditation course starting Monday, May 1st from 7-8pm. This course, lead by Kim Vachon LCPC, will introduce basic practices of mindfulness and meditation and examine how to incorporate these practices into your every day life. Basic tenets of mindfulness and meditation include sitting in stillness with your breath, practicing gratitude, bringing your awareness to the present moment and much more. Benefits of these practices range from feeling at peace and content with the state of your life, to improving concentration skills to sleeping more soundly at night.

Participation is limited, so we encourage you to reserve a spot online. The series is intended to be taken in full and costs $90 for the six weeks. Please reach out to Kim Vachon at kim@fivepointholistic.com  with any further questions. We look forward to your participation.

New Psychotherapist at Five Point

Five Point is excited to introduce Emmy Johnson, the newest member of our psychotherapy team. Emmy is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Certified Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselor with over 8 years of experience. She has worked in a wide variety of settings from homeless shelters to a group private practice. Emmy earned her MSW from the Jane Addams College of Social Work at the University of Illinois at Chicago and completed her clinical internship at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. She specializes in working with individuals struggling with depression, anxiety, addiction, trauma, grief and loss, relationship issues, stress and life transitions.

Emmy utilizes a client-centered, eclectic approach to therapy, drawing from both psychodynamic and behavioral theories. She believes you are the expert on your life and views therapy as a collaborative process between the therapist and client. Emmy has a particular interest helping people slow down and figure out ways to more fully engage in the life they are already living by integrating mindfulness when she can. When addressing mental health concerns, Emmy believes it is imperative to acknowledge the mind-body connection, and is excited to join the team at Five Point Holistic Health, where she can collaborate with practitioners of other disciplines to help individuals on their journey to improve both their physical and mental health.

Emmy's appointments are bookable online beginning Monday, January 25th. Her current hours are Mondays from 6-9 pm, but she will be adding Wednesdays 5-9 pm beginning February 10th. Her appointments last one hour for $90 and packages or sliding scale based on need are available. You can contact her directly at emmy@fivepointholistic.com.

Five Point Seeking Psychotherapist

Five Point Holistic Health is seeking a part-time psychotherapist to join our collaborative team.  We are a worker-cooperative clinic in the Logan Square neighborhood specializing in acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine.  Our integrative clinic also includes bodywork, chiropractic, and psychotherapy.

Minimum Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Social Work, Counseling, Marriage and Family Therapy, Art Therapy or related field
• Clinical Licensure as LCPC, LCSW, LMFT, or Licensed Clinical Psychologist
• Minimum 2 years experience

Desirable Qualifications  

• Expertise in at least one of the following areas: trauma and violence, LGBTQ populations, multicultural/multisystemic work, addictions, eating disorders, sex therapy, EMDR, creative/expressive therapies, DBT/ACT/mindfulness
• Bilingual in English and Spanish
• Experience conducting workshops
• Experience leading group therapy

Responsibilities

• Availability to provide individual, couples, family, and/or group therapy for a minimum of 8 hours/week over 2-3 days
• Attendance at one meeting per month
• Must have own malpractice insurance

Compensation

• Clients are charged $90/hour, sliding scale encouraged based on need
• 2/3 (you) 1/3 (Five Point) split on each client as an independent contractor
• Insurance is not accepted at this time

Benefits

• Administrative and billing support including easy online scheduling
• User-friendly electronic health records system
• Marketing and in-house referrals
• Discounted acupuncture treatments and herbal medicine
• Future opportunity for co-op member-ownership

Please submit resume, references and cover letter to celeste@fivepointholistic.com

Five Point Now Offering Psychotherapy

Five Point would like to proudly introduce and warmly welcome its newest teammate Kim Vachon, LPC. Kim is a Licensed Professional Counselor who provides therapy to individuals, couples and families. Kim’s areas of expertise include depression, anxiety, coping with trauma, and addressing issues that stem from relationships, work and stressful transitions. Kim holds a Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology from the Adler School of Professional Psychology and a Bachelor of Music in Music Education and Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Lawrence University.

Kim’s therapeutic philosophy is based on a psychodynamic perspective and incorporates a holistic worldview where mindfulness and awareness of mind and body help to facilitate change. The focus of her therapy is to bring awareness to patterns that may be negatively impacting the client’s life and to discover how the relationship with others and his or herself influences thoughts, emotions and behaviors. These therapy sessions are offered in a private room and may occur weekly or on an as needed basis. 

Kim is available beginning September 10th on Wednesdays from 9-12 and Fridays from 10-6, though other appointment times may be arranged. She offers an initial free 30-minute consultation and 1-hour sessions for $75. Appointments can be made on our website, by phone, or by contacting Kim directly at kim@fivepointholistic.com.