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Dr. Jamelah Chatmon is a dedicated therapist that actively engages in offering both individual and group therapy while co-facilitating Intensive Outpatient Programs (IOPs).

Driven by a fervent commitment to fostering healing and empowering individuals to live purposefully, Jamelah integrates a diverse range of therapeutic perspectives into her practice. Her approach draws from existential, family systems, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), and psychodynamic frameworks.

Having graduated from Buffalo State College with a BA in Psychology and subsequently earning a master’s degree in psychology from Ashford University, Jamelah is currently a graduate of Calsouthern University, having recently graduated with her PsyD in Clinical Psychology. She recently completed a dissertation focused on infertility, mental health, and social relationships, slated for defense in early 2024.

Driven by a profound passion for addressing religious trauma, LGBTQ+ issues, and advocating for mental health inclusivity, Jamelah is dedicated to serving diverse communities, including communities of color. She remains deeply committed to enhancing cultural competence within mental health care and actively contributes to ensuring accessibility and support for all communities.

Her expertise lies in working with children dealing with behavioral disorders, ADHD, family and couples therapy, as well as internalizing and externalizing disorders.

In her clinical practice, Jamelah embraces a trauma-informed care approach, emphasizing a compassionate and collaborative counseling style. Her aim is to foster hope, resilience, unconditional positive regard, and healing within her clients.

To schedule an appointment with Dr. Chatmon please call 888-996-9374 or you can email her directly at jchatmon@behavioralwellnessgroup.com.

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becoming fearful, confused, and having no concrete plan on how to manage the next episode can dominate one’s thoughts. These thoughts are not easily subsided as a result of difficulty processing information in a healthy fashion at those times. However, there are ways that can help reduce the stress, stigma, and fear while living with bipolar. There are also things that you, as their loved one, can do to become a part of their supportive network.

To acquire a better understanding, it’s imperative to know bipolar is classified as a disorder of the brain and that there are two types. According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Health Disorders, 5th Edition, the two types of bipolar are:

• Bipolar I – manic episode, major depressive episode, lasting for at least 1 week
• Bipolar II – hypomanic episode, major depressive episode, lasting for at least 4 consecutive days

Simply put, having bipolar I or bipolar II means a fluctuation of a person’s mood, causing dysregulation which results in extreme highs and extreme lows. Moderately elevated highs may also be called hypomania. These episodes may result in hospitalization at times. You may be wondering, “What does a manic/hypomanic episode entail?” and “What does a major depressive episode look like?” To help you recognize the signs and symptoms when your loved one is having a manic/hypomanic or depressive episode, the National Alliance on Mental Illness lists the type of symptoms to look for:

Manic/hypomanic episode: (*manic episode last for 1 week, hypomanic last for 4 days*)

• Either an elated, happy mood, or an irritable, angry, unpleasant mood
• Increased physical and mental activity and energy
• Racing thoughts and flights of ideas that may be unrelated
• Increased talking and rapid speech
• Ambitious/grandiose plans
• Engaging in high risk activities that could potentially result in severe consequences
• Impulsive behaviors (Spending sprees, sexual behaviors, alcohol abuse)
• Decreased need for sleep

Depressed episode:

• Loss of energy
• Prolonged sadness
• Decreased activity and energy
• Restlessness and irritability
• Inability to concentrate or make decisions
• Increased feelings of worry and anxiety
• Loss of interest
• Feelings of guilt and hopelessness
• Thoughts of suicide
• Decreased/increase in appetite
• Decreased/increase sleep patterns

After recognizing the signs and symptoms of bipolar, knowing your role in supporting your loved one can be confusing. However, once a plan is created by both you and your loved one, managing an episode can be less stressful and prompt you to become proactive versus becoming reactive.

Being proactive means:

• Using empathy, understanding and compassionate support
• Accepting the disorder and remembering to separate behaviors/symptoms of the disorder from the person themselves
• Becoming aware of triggers (Observing unusual behaviors such as an elevated mood and risky behaviors. Write down frequency, duration, and intensity of symptoms. All symptoms may not look the same for everyone)
• Developing specific plans as to who will do what when these triggers are observed
  • Regularly communicating with psychologist, physician, therapist, family members (Gather names, numbers, addresses, treatment plans)
• Medication management
• Checking for alcohol and drug use (Due to amplifying symptoms and tendency to self-medicate at those times)
• Encouraging an appropriate sleep schedule with consistent sleep/wake times and minimum of 8-10 hours of sleep

It is our hope at The Behavioral Wellness Group to provide ways to educate the public on mental health, specifically when it comes to complex disorders such as bipolar. We also offer Intensive Outpatient Programs, Medication Management and Outpatient Therapy Services. If you are looking to gather more information on mental disorders, ways to support your loved ones or to seek individual therapy services/intensive outpatient programming/medication management, feel free to contact The Behavioral Wellness Group at 440-392-2222.

Ikeshia Smith, MSSA LISW
Psychology Trainee
The Behavioral Wellness Group

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Today’s generation will never know those times. What are the ramifications of this? Working with teens, I have seen how they get frustrated with not getting what they want when they want it. They don’t seem to understand that they sometimes have to wait to fix something or to get something. I have also experienced them be-ing frustrated because a teacher gave them a bad grade or a grade they did not feel they deserve.

Oftentimes, kids feel they should be given a cell phone, no questions asked. They want to be praised just for showing up for school or for doing a chore around the house. Many times, children are given awards for playing a sport. Not for winning, just for playing. Sometimes they still receive an award even when they lose. I’ve witnessed siblings receiving a gift when it is another sibling’s birthday, just so that they don’t feel left out. What is that teaching them? I’ll tell you what it’s teaching them: entitlement and instant gratification, and it’s not a pretty picture.

Have you ever thought about it before? Do you think you are raising an entitled and instant gratification seeking kid?

Here are some signs of entitlement from writer Tim Elmore from The Huffington Post (2014):

1. I want it now. Kids are impatient and who can blame them? We live in an instant gratification culture. And often we find ourselves living in fear of saying no be-cause our children are used to getting what they want.

2. I don’t want to work for it. Why work for something that will be given to you? When we constantly give to our kids without requiring any work, this fosters a cy-cle of laziness and poor work ethic. Kids need entry points to contribute to jobs or home chores.

3. I don’t have to clean up my mess. Adults must learn to choose their wars, but responsible living means that if you make a mess, you clean it up. You must live with the benefits or consequences of your actions.

4. I want it because everyone else has it. Society seeps in by telling us we need a gadget or some clothes because “everyone” has it. Instead of deciding if that pos-session (or grade) is appropriate or deserved, we fall into a comparison trap.

5. I expect you to fix my problems. We all love to help kids, but they often expect mom or teacher to make it right instead of learning to confront challenges on their own. This prevents them from learning about consequences or hard work.

Kids need to learn how to earn things, not just be handed them. I once had a young adult, age 20, come into my office and actually expect to be hired as a CEO of a local company that he had applied to. He had never worked a day in his life, had no higher education, no skill set or trade. He didn’t even own a suit to go on a profes-sional job interview, had he ever be called for one. Needless to say, the company did not call him, and he was upset and appalled that they wouldn’t want him. I didn’t know a lot about his background, but he was apparently given a lot in his life; enough to make him feel that he didn’t have to work for things. How sad is that? Similar kids and young adults like him will have a difficult road ahead of them unless we help them to look at the bigger picture and to put in effort, time and dedication to better themselves.

Help your child avoid this type of disappointment by not giving them everything they ask for. Let them earn it. If they want extra money, chores or some project can be assigned to them in order to earn that money. This way they can start to learn a sense of accomplishment and a reward for their hard work and dedication.

It would also be helpful to teach your kids that the good things in life often take time and that waiting for those good things to happen can be a positive experience, not a negative one. An example could be that college typically takes 4 years to complete. It takes time, dedication and hard work but the payoff is a degree, some- thing that was earned and can never be taken away. This also leads you to a better paying job and more security in your future. It isn’t handed to you and it isn’t in-stant but it’s worth it.

Source: Elmore, T. (2014, Feb. 26). From Entitled to Empowered: Eight Steps to Combat Entitlement in the Classroom. Retrieved from: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tim-elmore/from-entitled-to-empowere_1_b_4855109.html

Erin Pawlak, MS, LPCC Therapist and Adolescent IOP Director

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• Struggle with Depression/Anxiety/Emotional Issues and/or concomitant Medical Conditions/Pain, acute or chronic
• Are on Medical Leave from work or school, short or long-term
• Need Disability Forms Completed
• Struggle with Poor Coping
• Desire to Increase Health and Wellness
• Are Isolated from potential sources of support

Analyses of Pre and Post screenings show an average decrease of 75% in anxiety and depression as well as significantly improved quality of life. Pre and Post Pain Inventories show less impact of pain on enjoyment of life/mood/relations with others/ sleep/ ambulation/ general activity/ ADLs

Paperwork is often required of providers. I will complete disability and FMLA paperwork. I will also coordinate said paperwork with other treating providers.

Acute or chronic conditions include but are not limited to anxiety and depression, panic, pain, heart and arterial diseases, arthritis, disc/spinal/other orthopedic issues, MS, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, lupus, autoimmune disorders, diabetes, pre and post-surgical or bariatric issues, Crohn’s disease/irritable bowel/other GI disorders, endocrine disorders, nonadherence with medical/pharmacological regimens, needle phobias, smoking and weight management issues, somatization, cancer, hepatitis C, gynecological issues, sleep disorders and HIV.

Please keep the Health and Wellness IOP in mind for anyone who desires to focus on health and wellness and would benefit from that level of care.

Thanks for your continued confidence and support.
Sincerely,

John A. Glovan, Psy.D.
Clinical Psychologist Clinical Counselor
Director, Health and Wellness Program
Co-Founder, The Behavioral Wellness Group

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