After three years since finishing up my stay at Yellowbrick, I continue to see the benefits of…read morebeing a part of the YB community in my life today. Since finishing YB, I've graduated college, moved to a new city, started a full-time job, successfully transitioned to a second job, and really have embraced adulthood. Life is not without its bumps and I'm still someone who deals with depression and anxiety. But that's a part of life and I'm not scared to face all the emotions and feelings that once derailed me and my family. I was talking with a fellow alumni from my time at YB and we continue to look back fondly at the experience. YB was a special place that fostered vulnerability and self-discovery. Again, in the moment, there were definite struggles. It was the most challenging work of my life. But I feel proud of the work I was able to accomplish and have so much love for my therapist, the other doctors, the staff, the patients, everyone who cultivated a community at YB that allowed me to be, well, me. I've taken this experience with me into other environments and settings that has allowed me to really thrive as a more confident and loving person. I sincerely hope young adults and families who feel hopeless take a look at Yellowbrick. It's an investment that saved my life and I will forever be thankful.

I'm still traumatized to this day because of yellowbrick and stand by what I said on google 7 years…read moreago. "The most traumatic experience of my life was my 10 months at this treatment center from hell. The staff full on engaged in psychological manipulation, to the point where I was hallucinating because of how much they messed with my head. Jesse Viner, the founder, has indirected killed 3 known individuals. Two from suicide, the other from a heroin overdose. You could say that what they did was graphically molest each patients psyche to the point where they threw all the fragments of each person's Self out of the window, and expected each and every one of them to jump and put them all together in mid-air. The manipulation and trauma caused by the staff upon the patients is most likely among the worst on the planet. The place is laced with pure malpractice and should be shut down immediately. That is all."

A truly wonderful place, I got accupuncture here while going through chemo many years ago and it…read morewas a huge support for a difficult process. Very caring, soothing environment.

Total hidden gem. No, really, it's actually hidden. There is a door, I think it's red, across from…read moreBennison's Bakery and this is Heartwood (upstairs). I didn't know this place existed until this summer. The yoga classes are great! The owner is welcoming and kind. Grateful Yoga, Nick and Lela Beem, teach here. Their classes are excellent and refreshing. I have not explored all of the services they have to offer but I hope to in the coming year.

I like this place because they charge on a sliding scale. I went when I was still a student and…read moredidn't have much income. Plus my insurance didn't cover mental health stuff. If you're on the bottom end of the scale you see a student which I was at first a little concerned about. Over the phone they do a consultation about what issues you would like to discuss and try to match you with someone to help. The girl they matched me with was very good. She did a very nice job of making me feel at ease and was sure to tell me that licensed professionals reviewed her sessions so I wasn't just at the mercy of a psych major! I think she was a doctoral student actually. Anyway, the price was right and I felt better after going. This obviously isn't a good place for people with serious psychological issues, but for a young adult going through a "quarter-life crisis" it was helpful.

My 15 year old child is under the care of this group- my ex wife misrepresented our relationship…read moreto them- they did not know that I have 50 / 50 custody over my daughter- when I asked them about it and get told to find information on the internet- great- could you at least provide me a hyperlink? I don't appreciate the lack of communication, professionalism and accountability.

I have been to various therapists in my life (run of the mill stuff: work/life balance, parenting,…read moremarriage, etc). The worst parts of going to therapy is 1.)finding a place that takes your darn insurance (or if they don't, someplace you can afford) and 2.)finding a therapist you actually like. Its like dating-it takes a few times until you find someone you want to spend time/money with. Enter Urban Balance. I stumbled upon Joyce when she did a presentation at my work and I was instantly drawn to her, not knowing how amazing she is and how well respected she is in this field. I was just drawn to her warmth and compassion. I approached her and she gave me her card. I emailed her that day. I quickly realized there were lots of kinks on my end with insurance, etc. She would not let that deter me from making this work. Her billing and insurance specialist is truly amazing. She made it impossible to not go to therapy. She took all the hard icky stuff out of the equation. I wish I could write a book about Joyce and her team, but I am forever grateful to have found Joyce. I feel like finding Urban Balance is like my karmic reward for any good deed I have done. Call them, email them. You will be better for it.

The care and administrative experience here were both disappointing. I had numerous billing issues…read morethat could have easily been resolved seeming that it was the same problem that repeatedly occurred. The therapist was often late or cancelled at the last minute. Overall, very disappointed in the treatment.

It saddens me that the poor care of the Albany care Evanston residents has led to so much harm. Our…read morefamily has found ourselves as the unfortunate recipients of most of the resident drug deals, directly outside of the front door of our home on the corner of Lee/Maple Streets in residential 4th Ward Evanston. It is directly related to these unfortunate incidents that we will be moving. Stop acting like people are a business transaction and give the proper care that is deserved of any human being! Feeling outraged @albanycare

Albany Care & Nine Affiliates: Not as "Unprofitable" as They Seem…read moreWarning: this is a true deep dive. If you are curious about what the heck is going on over at Albany Care, I think you'll benefit from understanding more about its business structure. To do so, anyone can access Albany Care's finances on IDPH's website via their annual cost reports. A quick glance and you'll see its net income in 2023 was a big loss of -$3,217,144. Ouch. And yet, as will be outlined through this post, the owners made at least $700k in profit from 2023 operations, not counting additional equity captured through $2.8 million in lease payments to related parties. The reality is that Albany Care and its nine nearby "sibling" Specialized Mental Health Rehabilitation Facilities & Nursing Homes are part of a united ownership group who pulled at least $6.3 million of total profit out of their 'unprofitable' Illinois mental health rehabilitation clinics in 2023. I'm not saying that these are shady community members egregiously stealing money - not at all. If anything, they have built an impressive system to care for patients and make money through Medicaid reimbursements. The reason I'm shining a light on this is because 82% of their $110 million revenue came from tax dollars (Medicaid/Medicare) and they provide vital health care to vulnerable populations --- they can handle a modicum of public financial scrutiny. My intention is not to disparage anyone. How do you make profit on a conglomerate of healthcare businesses that ran a $10.9 million net loss in 2023 via the IDPH filings? They do it through related-party rent payments, "consulting fees," and other line items IDPH flags as not related to patient care. It's legal and common in this line of work. This post is just one Evanstonian's attempt to unpack the financial operations that underpin Albany Care for community awareness. I'm happy to share the spreadsheet of data, links to IDPH cost reports, and will make edits if anything here is misstated or miscalculated. Who am I and why care: I live a few blocks away, have an MBA, and got curious when I saw Albany Care's 2023 cost report on the Illinois Department of Public Health (that's IDPH) site. The "related-organizations" page sent me down the rabbit hole. I pulled every 2023 filing for the ten linked organizations, stacked the numbers, and here we are. The complexity of Albany Care's organizational web: Via the public cost reports, Albany Care is part of at least 10 IL healthcare facilities that share owners / management companies (I'm leaving off the non-IL entity in my analysis b/c I can't easily research it): Albany Care - Evanston Greenwood Care - Evanston Decatur Manor - Decatur Generations at Applewood - Matteson Generations at Neighbors - Byron Generations Oakton Pavilion - Des Plaines Generations at Regency - Niles Generations at Rock Island - Rock Island Bryn Mawr Care - Chicago Wilson Care - Chicago The ownership map centers on a small circle of inter-locking family trusts. All are named in the IDPH filings. The Rothner family sits at the center. Close behind are the Wolff family, the Barrish family, the Giannini family, the Robinson family, the Vales family, the Matthew family, the Gesualdos, and the Winters. Scattered beneath the major blocs are a long tail of sub-one-percent holders. Those same families also control a lattice of related-party entities that channel money out of the operating facilities like Albany Care. Albany Care LLC and a collection of property-specific landlord shells (Neighbors Property LLC, Oakton Arms LLC, Bryn Mawr Care Inc, etc) own the real estate and receive roughly $15 million in total annual rent payments from all orgs. Over that sits Generations Properties LLC and SIR Properties LLC, master holding companies for multiple buildings, while Generations HC Network LLC and the legacy SIR Management LLC bill each facility for "administrative and consulting" services. Vertical integration extends to vendors such as MAC Rx LLC (pharmacy), LTC Lab LLC (lab work), and Big Ten Supply LLC (medical supplies), all disclosed as 100% related orgs. Together these affiliates absorb rent, management fees, and supply margins --- allowing the operating companies (like Albany Care) to show paper losses even as cash flows into the same ownership circle. It's a complex web and it's all openly viewable in the public record and legal. Its also not inherently "bad." It's just business. Method I used to create a financial summary of this conglomerate of related businesses: I opened 2023 IDPH cost reports for each separate entity, which conveniently lists every related business with overlapping ownership for public awareness, and dumped key lines into Excel. I added the numbers together so the 10 IL facilities look like one business. I wanted to see what the owners actually pocketed, so I added up three things: Cash paid to owners / relatives / board - this is literally listed in admin costs for each facili

Lilac Tree is amazing. During a very difficult time when you likely have no footing, LT can be a…read morelifesaver. Excellent offerings and access to resources. Everyone is kind and compassionate. Their network and support groups have been invaluable.

Divorce can be painful and something we never expected to have to figure out. One of the most…read moreuseful services The Lilac Tree provides is support groups, where you can share tears, tips, and even the occasional laugh with others going through similar issues. Be aware, however, that their counseling and legal referrals can be dated and rely on formulas that may or may not work for you. Take notes, consider, and then hunt for other sources that are more useful and supportive for your particular needs. For example, while consults with their recommended lawyers helped me understand what I was up against, a one-hour consult with my accountant / tax preparer was much more useful in figuring out how to deal with financial issues.

Individual Therapy at Living Well I highly recommend Jillian…read moreE.! I have worked with Jillian on and off for extended periods of time over the past 15 years. I have had several other therapy experiences and she is absolutely the best! High integrity, insight, excellent coaching skills, and deep compassion are what will keep me returning to Jillian al long as possible. She sees me in ways I do not or cannot recognize and helps me uncover what is behind my behaviors and the feelings. That helps me be more aware of what drives me and able to determine if I want to choose that way of being. She creates a space for me that is super safe and accepting. I definitely developed trust issues over my life and I trust her implicitly. She is engaging in therapy! I've had therapist who wait and wait for me to talk! I need a little help to get going, and I can become very emotional and find it difficult to step back so I can look at where my feelings or beliefs are coming from. She has many useful tools and techniques for use in session and to take away with me. She recommends and supports me to use these in session. They always move me toward understanding the roots of my feeling and calm my brain and emotions when I am getting overwhelmed. Jillian is simply amazing in my experience! I also have years of experience with Jillian in a group setting. She is excellent at ensuring everyone is heard and coaching behavior with kindness which is very important when others are watching. She also keeps everyone on topic. I always feel satisfied have more understanding and compassion for myself after any encounter with Jillian. Women's Workshops Highly recommend any workshops offered for Women at Living Well Anger Gym for Women is exceptional. The validation that anger is a common and acceptable emotion for women is extremely powerful. Like many I was subtly taught anger is not okay for me as a girl/woman. But I had, still have and am working through all of the anger I hold. I have specifically attended the Anger Gym co-facilitated by Ruth M. and Jillian E. I also have years of awareness and group experience of Ruth from various groups beyond this one event. Ruth is highly compassionate. She presents topics and themes clearly. She effectively guides groups through discussions and experiences which have helped me understand I am not alone or unique in my experience as a woman. Ruth fosters safe space for all and nurtures bonding between participants. While workshop bonds may not last far beyond the experience, they establish a kind of universal connection to all women for me. It breaks down the barriers I can fall into that hinder relationships with women - specifically that I am not and do not need to be in a competition with other women! I better understand that as women we all face similar challenges, even if I cannot see what they are for others. I learned to have compassion for myself and others and how important it is to mutually supporting each other. I more women friends than ever with whom I share both giving and receiving of affection and support.

From the owner: We care deeply about the growth and development of every individual we see. We seek to bring the…read morebest of psychodynamic, positive psychology, neuroscience, evidenced based practices like CBT, EMDR, IFS and body-based practices to work holistically with you. Our process is rooted in healing practices that work directly with your nervous system to address trauma, anxiety, depression, stagnation, and relational challenges. We connect deeply with your unique pain, facilitate healing, and growth to help you live your best life. Our clients don’t just heal their wounds and reduce their symptoms, they grow, transform, and increase their capacity to live fully in their lives, relationships, careers, and sense of purpose.

I wasted four months with Justin Lee and got nowhere. I originally sought help for ADHD symptoms…read morethat I've experienced since childhood, but instead of truly listening, he dismissed my concerns and disagreed with my self-assessment. Our meetings were short (15-20 minutes at most) and felt more like a way to bill me rather than provide real support. When the medication he prescribed wasn't working for me, I stopped taking it - but instead of discussing alternative solutions, he threatened to drop me as a client for not informing him first. Rather than working with me to find the right treatment, he made me feel unheard and unsupported. Thankfully, I've since found a real ADHD specialist who actually listens and provides meaningful help--no gimmicks, no pointless conversations, and no pressure. If you're looking for real ADHD care, I strongly recommend going elsewhere. ---- Sent me a bill for 100$ fee after 4 months of no services... with no description of the fee. Sent me ANOTHER bill for 75$ after 5 months of no services... with no description of the fee. Front desk never answer the phone. BE AWARE OF THEIR BILLING PROCESS AND ASK FOR IDOMIZED STATEMENT. ---

I experienced discrimination from Dr. Rahman. I had an initial point with Dr. Amera Rahman for…read moremedication management after being diagnosed with inattentive presenting ADHD by my normal therapist. The first appointment was canceled the day before. Things happen so I rescheduled for another day. During the initial appointment Dr. Rahman was dismissive when I addressed my concerns regarding ADHD treatment and options. She questioned the competence on my therapist and insisted that I was depressed even though I explicitly expressed that I was not. I had no feelings of depression or anxiety. She offered Wellbutrin and I declined. After a long drive to the Evanston Clarity Clinic location for a face to face appointment she reluctantly prescribed me 10mg of Vyvanse. After a week on the medication and doubling the dosage after a few days as she instructed, I had a follow up appointment were I explained how I hadn't noticed any change or experienced any of the previously mentioned side effects. At this time she responded "well maybe you don't have ADHD", and insisted again that I was suffering from depression or anxiety. She did not listen to me at all and showed a lack of consideration for what I was experiencing. I felt like this was a form of discrimination. I decided to see another psychiatric provider who gave me a formal evaluation that confirmed my original diagnosis. I have noticed a significant positive change since receiving proper medication management. It is unfortunate that Dr. Rahman made a diagnosis based on her personal biases without evaluating me herself or even adjusting medication.

Phenomenal. Simply phenomenal. Very kind, patient, and understanding. Willing to do the work if you…read moreare and genuinely cares about your progress which is a rare trait in this business. Most will care to an extent but he genuinely cares always.

A recent phone consultation with Robert Farra at Ross Therapy Group was deeply disappointing and…read moreuncomfortable. During what was supposed to be an intake consultation conversation, he laughed when health anxiety was discussed (later apologizing), asked probing and intrusive questions about past romantic relationships, made comments that appeared dismissive of mental health concerns, and made several judgmental and highly inappropriate remarks. Additionally, he made an entirely unrelated comment about the ethnicity/national origin of one of the therapists in his own practice. Due to the nature of this interaction, a formal complaint has been filed with the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation for review.