Brandon Gimbel (00:00)

We talk a lot about traits like resilience, or grit. What does resilience mean in the context of CATCH?

Lisa Novak (00:07)

It is helping people know that they can survive whatever problems, whatever challenges they end up having to face. I think it's also about shifting the narrative on what's important. As a neuropsychologist in my day job, I'm always talking about how kids have to be emotionally available for learning. And we can put them in whatever kinds of rigorous classes we'd like to, but if they are so stressed out and so anxious and so overwhelmed all of the time, they aren't going to be able to have their own needs met. They're not gonna be able to be successful, however we're defining that. We're really trying to change things so that we don't get to that place where they've reached their cap.

Brandon Gimbel (00:54)

How do you do this?

Lisa Novak (00:55)

CATCH's mission is actually not about working directly with the children. It is about working with parents and caregivers. And so there's a few different ways that the org goes about helping to support these families. Some of it is about direct connection and support.  Parents Connect Groups are something that CATCH offers, which is a peer support group. Then there are programs like educational events where we teach and share out wisdom from providers in the community, from other experts in the field. And then there are other initiatives that we do as well, like Coping Kits, where we are giving these kits out to students in the third, sixth, and ninth grades in the Northbrook School Districts in particular, that have a variety of different tools in them that are meant to support mental health.

Brandon Gimbel (01:48)

This is fantastic. talking about identifying the family structure and the leaders of the family structure, the parents, as the most important starting point, and as the most important starting point, giving them education and support, and then educational resources.

Lisa Novak (02:01)

Exactly.