Mental Health & Resiliency Programs
Intensive Outpatient & Partial Hospitalization Levels Of Care
Our mission is to transform the mental well-being of adolescents with the whole person in mind. We know that traditional outpatient therapy isn't always enough. Our resiliency mental health programs provide adolescents with increased access to the treatment, skills & support that they need to grow. We are dedicated to evolving mental health through our therapeutic expertise, resources, services, and programs like this one that allow us to provide quality care to our community.
Schedule Initial Assessment
What We Treat
Adolescent (Grades 6th-12th) & Family Primary Diagnosis:
- Eating Disorders
- Anxiety & Mood Disorders
- ADHD
- School Refusal
- Self-Injury
We Do Not Treat:
- Primary Substance Use Disorders
- History of threat and/or acting on physical or sexual threat to others

How We Do It
Our trained therapists and administration approach mental health with a trauma informed lens. We use the Growth & Resiliency Model© to organize our curriculum & treatment plans which include:
- Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)
- Radically Open Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (RO-DBT)
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
- Emotionally Focused Family Therapy (EFFT)
- Exposure Response Prevention (ERP)
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- GARM Parent Support Group

Why We Do It
We understand that youth need the proper guidance & support to truly recover and live a life worth living. We are motivated to help adolescents gain awareness, find self-acceptance, become a responder to life's demands and integrate back into their life with a profoundly different mindset.
Our goal is to give clients skills to live their lives on their terms and to help them 'simply bee' themselves based on their values. In order to achieve this goal, we will provide realistic, turn-key information that aids in reducing feelings of overwhelm, increasing the ability to cope during challenging times and ultimately cultivating a growth mindset and returning to daily living.
Client Testimonial
"Everyone was so welcoming and supportive to our whole family - parents, siblings. My adolescent loved yoga and was excited about different lunches and plans for exposures. The program took care of our adolescent. You all saved her life and we are forever thankful."
–– Program Parent
Schedule IOP/PHP Assessment
If you are looking to schedule an assessment for your child, please set up a 15 minute call with our Intake team below.
If this is an emergency and you need to speak with our on-call staff (available Monday-Friday from 9am-5pm) about scheduling a PHP/IOP assessment, please call 224-424-0808.
About The Growth & Resiliency Model©
The Growth & Resiliency Model© is a thought leader model that was created and copyrighted in 2021 by Simply Bee CEO Audrey Grunst, LCSW. It is the foundation of the work we do in this program. This comprehensive five-step model is designed to fuse theory, skill, and knowledge into people's understanding of their wellbeing and emotional development. Through this model, we provide adolescents with a toolbox of strategies and skills to overcome challenges and set themselves up for success.
The theory behind this model is that a growth mindset occurs when you are aware of your internal world, can observe it without judgment, know how to respond instead of react, and can integrate all that information into the external world effectively. The final step is to reflect on the process, celebrate what went well and learn from what didn't. Through the use of this model, we believe adolescents can learn to intuitively overcome life's daily challenges, while appreciating them as opportunities for positive change.
Learn More
Simply Bee has earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® by demonstrating continuous compliance with its performance standards. The Gold Seal is a symbol of quality that reflects a health care organization’s commitment to providing safe and quality patient care.
Quality ReportAvailable Programs

Intensive Outpatient Program
An intensive outpatient program (IOP) is a step above the traditional outpatient therapy setting. These programs are considered "intensive" due to the treatment time involved. With this increased treatment time, adolescents have access to more support and guidance in the forms of individual and group therapy along with a family component.
Details:
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Now Accepting New Clients
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Serving Adolescents Grades 6th-12th
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Vernon Hills Office
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Monday-Friday | 12pm - 3:15pm*
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Wednesday | 12:00pm-1:00pm Virtual Growth & Resiliency Model© Parent Group (Required)
*Individualized schedule

Partial Hospitalization Program
A partial hospitalization program (PHP) is a step above an intensive outpatient program and the highest level of treatment available in the outpatient setting. These programs typically run all day Monday-Friday. In this setting, individuals will experience treatment through individual, group and family therapy, medication support and other experiential activities.
Details:
-
Now Accepting New Clients
-
Serving Adolescents Grades 6th-12th
-
Vernon Hills Office
-
Monday-Friday | 9am - 3:30pm*
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Wednesday | 12:00pm-1:00pm Virtual Growth & Resiliency Model© Parent Group (Required)
*Individualized schedule
BeeConnect Alumni Network
The BeeConnect Alumni Network is be a place to maintain connection between Simply Bee and former clients and families. BeeConnect offers ongoing resources, events and support to clients and their families, aiding them in maintaining and growing along their mental health journey.
If you are a Simply Bee program alumni and would like to join BeeConnect to recieve bi-monthly communication on events & resources, please contact [email protected].
Our Treatment Team













Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if IOP or PHP is right for my child?
What makes your programs unique?
What is the average length of the program?
What does a typical day in treatment look like?
Do you accept insurance?
What do I do if my insurance is not in network?
How are parents and families involved in your programs?
What happens after the program is over?
What We Treat

Eating Disorders
Eating disorders are characterized by persistent and severe disturbances in behaviors, thoughts and emotions related to eating and body image. Treatment for eating disorders involves a combination of different types of therapy, psychoeducation and sometimes medication.

Anxiety & Mood Disorders
Anxiety disorders involve persistent and excessive worry or fear that interferes with daily activities. Mood disorders, such as depression, involve intense and persistent emotions such as sadness, irritability, and/or anger that get in the way of daily routine and functioning.

ADHD
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is characterized by a consistent pattern of inattention, hyperactivity and/or impulsivity that disrupts daily functioning. Some common symptoms include difficulty organizing, focusing, planning and coping with stress.

School Refusal
Teens avoid school when they struggle with emotions and thoughts about friends, classes, grades and other concerns. School refusal means they consistently have a hard time going to school or staying in classes. It is often fueled by anxiety or depression and treatment is focused on addressing the underlying concerns influencing the avoidance behaviors.

Self-Injury
Self-injury involves intentionally hurting a person's own body in order to cope with emotional pain or stress. Individuals may partake in self-injury as a means of relieving intense feelings, breaking out of feelings of numbness, or to achieve a sense of control. Treatment for self-injury is built around related mental health disorders and specific issues.
Treatment Modalities
Here at Simply Bee, we utilize a variety of evidence-based treatment modalities in order to provide clients with the type of treatment that works best for their specific needs. We combine the principles of all of the following treatment methods with our Growth & Resiliency Model© to create consistency and build a unique approach to healing and growth.

DBT
Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) is an evidence-based type of talk therapy. DBT is adapted out of cognitive behavioral therapy, which helps people understand the interaction between thoughts, feelings and actions. DBT more specifically focuses on teaching people its four main modules: mindfulness, interpersonal effectiveness, distress tolerance, and emotional regulation.

RO-DBT
Radically Open Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (RO-DBT) is another evidence-based practice that has been developed out of DBT. The main focus of RO-DBT is to treat overcontrol, or excessive self-control. RO-DBT teaches people how to be mindfully aware of their overcontrolled thoughts and behaviors in order to promote openness, flexibility, and social connectedness in their lives.

ACT
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a mindfulness based therapy that promotes nonjudgemental acceptance of difficult emotions and commitment to value and goal-based behaviors. ACT helps people be more flexible and emotionally open as they commit to taking concrete actions towards positive change. The goal is to encourage clients to redefine their relationship with challenging emotions.

CBT
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a common, evidence-based type of talk therapy. A central goal of CBT is helping clients become aware of negative or unhelpful thinking patterns and the way they influence emotions and behaviors. Through thought reframing and problem-solving skills, individuals will learn how to build confidence and more effectively cope with challenges.

EFFT
Emotionally Focused Family Therapy (EFFT) is a treatment approach designed to foster trust, emotional security, healthy attachment and strong and open communication among all members of a family. EFFT seeks to teach families the skills they need to create safe, emotionally aware and accepting environments that promote healing and shared growth for all.

ERP
Exposure and Response Prevention Therapy (ERP) is a type of therapy in which individuals are, in a controlled environment, intentionally exposed to the situations that make them feel anxious. By systematically building their tolerance to uncomfortable stimuli, the goal of this type of treatment is to help clients learn how to cope with their anxiety in more adaptive ways.
Our Facility
We are located at 175 E Hawthorn Parkway, Suite 325, Vernon Hills, IL 60061
Meet The Program Directors

Audrey Grunst, LCSW
CEO & Therapist

Jennifer McAdams, MA, LCPC, CEDS-S
Executive Clinical Director & Therapist
Meet The IOP/PHP Treatment Team

Rebecca Cho, M.D.
Medical Director

Dena L. Hinkle, DNP, APRN, PMHNP-BC
Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner

Bryan Simmon, LCPC
IOP/PHP Manager

Courtney Lewis, LCSW
IOP/PHP Coordinator & Therapist

Emily Nagler, M.Ed
IOP/PHP Education Coordinator

Gina Guerra-Sachetti, LPC
IOP/PHP Therapist & Coordinator

Grace Daun, MS, RDN
IOP/PHP Registered Dietitian

Magdalena Zelazko, BA
IOP/PHP Coordinator & Intern Therapist

Stephanie Bersh, E-RYT Certified
Yoga Instructor

Linda Lewaniak, LCSW, CAADC
Clinical Consultant

Rita Ekelman, MBA, RDN, LDN, CD
Registered Dietitian Consultant

Let's Connect
Are you a treatment provider looking to learn more about our programs & facility? Our Director Of Business Development, Cindy Brom, looks forward to sharing more about us & learning more about your services! Schedule a tour below.
Learn From Our Experts

Values Exercise
This activity and tutorial video is one of our most requested resources at Simply Bee. You will get an opportunity to establish your core values and learn the importance of using them to guide you through your life.

School Refusal & Levels Of Care Blog
Check out this blog post to learn more about supporting students through school refusal and the different levels of care available to aid in treatment. This blog provides both education and free resoures!

Mindful Body Image E-Book
Therapists Olivia Ritter, LPC & Kelli Segerson, MS created this resource to provide tools, strategies and a compassionate framework for adults to nurture positive body image and self-esteem in the young people in their lives.
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