Displaying items by tag: Behavioral Health

Chief Population Health Officer, Jerrard Walker, RN, LCSW, CADC, SAP, CAMS-II joined PCC in 2020. He obtained his Master of Social Work from Wayne State University - School of Social Work. He also has a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Resurrection University and a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology, with a Minor in Social Work from Oakland University. Jerrard completed his social work training at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, MI. He was one of the architects who established the CCHHS CountyCare program. In his free time, he enjoys playing tennis, traveling, and reading.

Bianca Cervantes is a Licensed Professional Counselor at PCC. She received her Master's of Arts in Clinical Psychology from Roosevelt University in 2017. She completed her undergraduate degree at Chicago State University, majoring in Psychology. Bianca completed an internship at the Pediatric Developmental Center at Illinois Masonic Medical Center. She formed part of the Latino Mental Health Program at the center that provided individual therapy to children with Autism and other psychological disorders. Bianca co-facilitated parenting psychoeducation therapy groups and has experience working in a private practice providing therapy to a diverse population of patients. Her professional interests include autism, anxiety, depression, and ADHD. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time reading, traveling, and spending time with family. 

Join this confidential patient support group every Tuesday from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.

What is it? The group RISE will focus on psychoeducation and skill-building utilizing the four modules of Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT): 1. Mindfulness, emotional regulation, distress tolerance and interpersonal effectiveness. We do mindfulness at the beginning and end of each session. We cover a skill handout and discuss. 

When/Where is it? Tuesdays 1-2pm via Webex 

This group can help you:

• Increase awareness of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors
• Develop skills to manage difficult situations and emotions
• Feel more confident in your interactions with people

Consider joining if you are 18+ and experience:

• Anxiety
• Anger
• Worry
• Stress
• Irritability
• Relationship frustrations

Ready to join? Ask your provider or front desk staff for more info. Or call Bella Pecyna, Behavioral Health Consultant, at 773-378-3347 ext. 4252.

Angel Markin joined PCC in 2019 and brings a decade of experience as a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor in hospital, community, and substance use treatment settings.

Sarah Neugarten is a psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner who completed her Masters of Science in Nursing at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Nursing in 2017.

September 5, 2018—PCC has become aware of an increase in opioid overdoses due to the striking increase in patients presenting to West Suburban Medical Center for opioid reversals. PCC encourages people struggling with opioid use to enter treatment. Treatment is readily available at PCC’s Chemical Dependency Clinic.

Every Saturday--live and online!

10:00 a.m. to 11:15 a.m.

All YogaCare community classes continue weekly on Saturdays--just online! 

Wondering how to join?

Open www.yogacareus.org/classes in a web browser on your computer, phone, or tablet. Scroll down to the Saturday section and click on "Join PCC Yoga Class LIVE!". Enjoy your class! Feel free to send any questions or feedback to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Do you have to be a PCC patient to join?

No! All are welcome to join us for yoga. Friends, family, children, and neighbors, no prior experience with yoga is required. 

Reduce stress. Relieve pain. Build strength and balance.

Chicago, IL – PCC Community Wellness Center (PCC) is tackling the opioid epidemic with its unique treatment program. In PCC’s program, the treatment of heroin, prescription drug abuse, alcohol, tobacco and other substances is offered right in the doctor’s office.

A native of the Bronx in New York, Damaris Velazquez is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who attained her Master of Social Work from Loyola University Chicago in 2001.

Director of Behavioral Health, Joanna Trask is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor with Certification in Alcohol and Other Drug Counseling. She has been with PCC since 2018 in a variety of different roles and has extensive experience working in healthcare research. She's applied this experience to grant management and implementation of initiatives at PCC. Joanna specializes in care for severe mental illness and substance use disorders. She completed both her undergraduate and graduate education at the University of Minnesota in 2016. She holds a Masters of Professional Studies in Integrated Behavioral Health. Joanna completed her social work field instruction at St. Joseph’s Hospital in St. Paul, MN. She has served as a direct service advocate for survivors of sexual assault and relationship violence. Joanna has also worked as a health science researcher at the Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Health Care System, assisting veterans in transitioning from active duty to civilian status. As a Research Assistant at the University of Minnesota, she participated in projects on Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (FMRI) in adolescents with bipolar disorder, FMRI and the diagnosticity of color and emotion, and the effects of primacy and recency on learned object permanence. In her leisure time, Joanna enjoys cooking, gardening, reading, and spending time with her family.