D202 Parent Group Wants To Help 'Tame The Anxiety Monster'

PLAINFIELD, IL — A Plainfield School District 202 parent group wants to help families "tame the anxiety monster," so they're hosting a special program Nov. 10.

The free program will be held in the auditorium at Plainfield East High School, 12001 Naperville Road. Doors will open and community resources will be available at 6 p.m., and the program will start at 6:30 p.m.

Social workers Angela Solis and James V. Dyers will share effective and easy strategies to help children and parents manage overwhelming emotions in a healthy way, organizers said.

Solis is a licensed clinical professional counselor, certified alcohol and drug counselor and clinical trauma professional, while Dyers is a certified general psychiatrist with experience treating adolescents and adults both as outpatients and inpatients.

The anxiety program will include the following information:

• Ways to identify and manage risk when anxiety and overwhelming emotions are out of control
• Information about effective psychiatric medications and when it makes sense to take them
• A brain-based understanding of anxiety and how much anxiety may be too much

Presented by the 2016-formed Plainfield Parent Community Network, the event lines up with the group's mission, which is to support parents with common parenting needs. A committee comprising district administrators, principals, counselors, and community members oversees the PPCN.

The program, presented in English and Spanish, will also be streamed live for those who can't attend in person. The recording will be posted to the PPCN website.