Florissa

09/10/2026

🌟 Meet Our New Clinician! 🌟

We're excited to introduce the newest member of our team, Ms. Angela Snyder!

She loved the Berenstain Bears series growing up and now enjoys reading those same stories with her own children. 📚

As a fan of board games, choosing a favorite wasn't easy, but Sorry! and Battleship have always been at the top of her list. 🎲

One parenting strategy Angela's especially passionate about is emotional regulation and co-regulation. It's important for caregivers to remember children often take their cues from the adults around them. As she noted: "You cannot expect your child to calm down if you are not calm yourself." 💛

Outside of work, Angela loves cheering on her children at sporting events, spending time with friends, traveling when she gets the chance, and settling in for a good true crime documentary. 📺

Please join us in giving Angela a warm welcome! We're thrilled to have her on our team and look forward to the support and expertise she'll bring to our clients and community. 💙🎉

09/09/2026

Today is International FASD Awareness Day! For clinicians wanting to learn more, consider joining this Community of Practice! First meeting is September 24th via Zoom.

https://forms.monday.com/forms/b3031989a933aba5ed03b7d439737cbf?r=use1

09/08/2026

This made our day!

Want to know more about what we do? Check out our website: https://florissacenter.org/

09/01/2026

Join our Young Adult Group at Florissa!

When: Tuesdays, Sept 22 - Nov 10th
Where: Florissa, 144 N Court, Dixon, IL
Cost: Free of charge (Space is limited!)

To sign up or learn more, contact Janet O'Donnell at 815-288-1905 or [email protected].

Supported by The Autism Program of Illinois and the Illinois Department of Human Services.

08/24/2026

School is back in full swing … and we’re already dreaming about those long, summer days! ☀️

We had such a great time training in June with Reuter Counseling and Roots & Wings Therapy LLC on building an FASD-Informed System of Care here in Northern Illinois. We love getting together with other local professionals, learning from each other, and finding better ways to support kids and families. 💜

Interested in bringing this 1-hour CE training to your organization? Let us know - we’d love to connect!

08/18/2026

From the ever so helpful Child Mind Institute:

A lot of kids with ADHD, autism, or a learning disorder tend to think that to make friends they have to “mask” who they actually are — so they study everyone else, try to blend in, and hope it works. They conceal the fidgeting, agree with opinions they don't hold, or over-apologize for awkward moments. But as ADHD and executive function coach Caroline Maguire explains, the children who work hardest to hide their true selves are often the loneliest.

The problem, Maguire argues, is that this kind of masking — hiding who you are to seem more typical — doesn’t actually build authentic friendships. True connection comes from shared interests, a shared sense of humor, or shared experiences. But finding common ground is next to impossible when a child has buried the real version of themselves. Read on or listen to the Thriving Kids podcast for advice from Dr. Dave Anderson about developing a more workable approach, helping kids stay true to themselves while also learning the concrete skills that friendship requires.

08/17/2026

Free Webinar 8/19!

Communicating with teens can feel tough, especially when there is mood changes, pushback, or withdrawal. Learn how to reduce power struggles and increase openness in a Free Parenting Webinar on "Communicating With Teens: Evidence-Based Strategies That Work" on Wednesday, August 19th from 7:00-8:00 PM.

Communicating with teens can feel confusing, especially when mood changes, pushback, or withdrawal leave parents wondering what’s typical and what signals something more serious. Virgdant Breton, LCSW, will share concrete, research-informed communication strategies parents can use at home, along w...

08/13/2026

Is your child struggling with back to school worries? Following are tips for a successful school year:

How to help kids manage anxiety at the start of a new school year, and make sure anxiety doesn't cause disruptive behavior in the classroom

08/11/2026

BACK-TO-SCHOOL BINGO!

If you’ve already checked off several of our bingo squares, congratulations—you’re officially getting back in the school-year routine. 😁

The first few weeks of school can be a BIG adjustment for kids (and, honestly, grown-ups too). New teachers, new schedules, earlier mornings, more demands, and lots of transitions can make everyone a little more tired, emotional, or disorganized than usual. 😴

Give it time. Keep routines simple. Build in extra patience. And remember: you don’t have to have the whole school year figured out during the first week. 💜

One morning at a time. One backpack search at a time. 🎒

08/06/2026

Our very own Clinic Coordinator, Danielle Lawson. She’s exactly the kind of leader we need!

2026-2027 Cohort