Alicia Hans LCSW LLC

09/12/2025

Thank you Fond du Lac County for promoting mental health resources and information on your social media page this month! 💜🩵💛

Our team partners with Fondy Cares and ROOTS school-based programs to increase youth access to mental health services.

If you're hoping to connect your child with a therapist, though are concerned about transportation or scheduling conflicts, consider asking your school care team about the school-based mental health services available at your child's school. 💜

***de

09/12/2025

Join our mission to break the stigma, end the silence, and spread hope! 💛💜🩵

September is Recovery Awareness AND Su***de Prevention Awareness Month - two important causes we are committed to supporting in our daily work and beyond.

Stop by our office to grab your awareness stickers and bracelets (available even during closed hours).

Wearing a sticker or bracelet might seem small—but it can mean a lot. 💜🩵 Whether you're honoring your own journey, supporting a loved one, or standing up for awareness, you're reminding others:
It's okay to talk about it, and no one has to go through it alone.
So wear it proudly. Speak kindly. Listen openly.
Together, we can break stigma and end the silence - one conversation at a time. 💛

This month we have teamed up to support NAMI Fond du Lac Step Up to Prevent Su***de awareness and fundraising campaign. Don't let our low mileage be a reflection of our dedication to the cause!😆💜 Our team will be Stepping Up to raise awareness and funding to support mental health education and supportive programming in the FDL community. Visit our campaign page to support our team! https://givebutter.com/wpUsBC/ms-alicias-step-up-squad

Looking for ways to connect with others in our community who support recovery? Meet us over at the Gratitude Club this Saturday, September 13th for the 3rd Stigma Awareness Event! 💜🩵 There's a raffle basket with your name on it (and mine 😉). 1-5pm.

Your story is not over. Your life matters. Keep going... one day at a time. 💜

If you or someone you care about is struggling, reaching out can make all the difference.

📞 In Fond du Lac County, you can call the Crisis Line at (920) 929-3535 anytime.
📞 Call or text 988 to connect with the Su***de & Crisis Lifeline, available 24/7.

It’s always okay to ask for help. 💛

***dePreventionMonth

09/04/2025

Celebrate Recovery!💜

08/28/2025

Let's talk about an incredibly difficult topic - the risks associated with media use.

In a few days, we will begin recognizing September as National Su***de Prevention Awareness Month.

Every day we have conversations with parents to educate them about the detrimental effects of unsupervised access to media and internet content. And every day, we learn that parents have no real idea what their kids are able to access and are exposed to, despite having parental control settings turned on.

The dangerous reality is that most of the media content kids are accessing are simply not safe. And not just in terms of "but I didn't tell them my real age or where I live" - which is a typical response we hear from kids when parents learn that they are talking with people in the chat rooms in Roblox games. "But I have the settings to disallow chat rooms, how is that possible? " we hear from parents who are shocked to learn the details of what's actually happening when their child plays Roblox. The sad reality is that the creators of these games are not invested in protecting your child.

The only way to really know what your child is doing online, is to see for yourself.

Handing a child a device that can connect to the worldwide web is like dropping your child off at a toy store in the Mall of America and telling them you'll be back in a few hours, driving home to clean your house, and returning to pick them up - and probably facing a tantrum when you say it's time to go because they just need a few more minutes (sound familiar?).

Kids lack the maturity, intellectual context, and judgment to recognize the risks and make responsibile choices. And when they do accidentally come upon inappropriate content, or get involved in a chat that takes a scary turn, they're afraid to tell their parents because they don't want to get in trouble. Their young, vulnerable minds (including teenagers, by the way) are carrying around images, ideas, fears, temptations, and pressures you would be shocked to learn - because of what they are walking into, often unintentionally or unknowingly - and they don't have the skills or maturity to cope. Nor the ability to restrict themselves.

Sit down with your child and ask them to open up Roblox and give you a tour. Watch the games - ask questions. Pull up YouTube and look at their video history. Ask what they are entering into the search bar and stay for a while to watch. Browse the internet history and visit sites your child accesses. ChatGPT, for example, saves all conversation threads by a single user. Entire transcripts that don't disappear after opening (cue our grumblings about Snapchat - another incredibly dangerous media free-for-all).

The attached article mentions the child having a paid subscription to ChatGPT - for which a credit card is required. Anytime your child is making purchases on a credit card for media use should be a red flag to pause and look closer - together with your child.

Parental control settings are simply not enough. Plus - most kids as young as 4 (yes, 4 - sometimes younger) know how to work around the controls and access forbidden content without you having a clue anything is wrong. Trusting that your child is going to "make good choices" using media is like trusting your 4 year old is able to walk a mile to school by himself. He may tell you he knows how to get there because you told him directions, but once he leaves the house, all bets are off.

We are begging parents to pay closer attention and be accountable for keeping their children safe from the detrimental effects of media access. If you choose to hand your child a device that has the ability to connect to the internet, you are responsible for keeping them safe.

You aren't alone and we aren't here to judge or shame. We are here to help parents better understand the complexities and dangers of what children are exposed to and getting themselves involved in online to better protect youth 💜 Because more times than not, we know (and your kids know) you have no idea. It's a very scary and sad reality.

To better understand the risks associated with media use, we recommend picking up the book, "The Anxious Generation" by Jonathan Haidt.

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/26/technology/chatgpt-openai-su***de.html?fbclid=IwQ0xDSwMb7oxleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHrc74CjnZwd-CgCQbhaT8J07mG6_1bzLZMIIa-Ctiom638Z01A-CIdmPPH3E_aem_3rgbDxRGNXNMKZqugWWuZQ&sfnsn=mo

More people are turning to general-purpose chatbots for emotional support. At first, Adam Raine, 16, used ChatGPT for schoolwork, but then he started discussing plans to end his life.

08/07/2025

Special News Bulletin 📣

Ms Madison is returning to our office September 2nd following her maternity leave - and we couldn’t be more excited!! 🥳

Back to School Season is in full swing. And while we are certainly sad to see the end of summer coming so soon, we are also very happy to have Ms Madison back in a few short weeks. :)

We also wish to express deep appreciation for Ms Leslie, who stepped into a Counseling Associate position this summer to provide services for Ms Madison's patients and extra support (and companionship) for Ms Alicia at the office. 💜

We are so grateful to have her on our team.

Join us in welcoming Ms Madison back this September! 🥰🥳

08/06/2025

We LOVE this advice from Synergetic Play Therapy Institute! 😎👏💙

Play. Play. Play!
Unstructured play is essential to your child's well-being. Play is how they process the world, how they develop emotional regulation, how they improve their fine motor and gross motor skills, how they have experiences that are worth flexing their linguistic skills about, how their sensory systems make sense of the world around them, how they experiment and reason and explore cause-and-effect and a bajillion other things.

08/04/2025

This summer🌞has been unprecedented in terms of addressing childhood mental health. When we typically see an ease of acuity and decreased need for services from June-August, we have instead seen an increased need for services*. 🥵💔

We have also seen a significant increase in families struggling to meet basic needs—like housing, food, transportation, medical services, and childcare - which, unfortunately though unsurprising, has a positive correlation with increased mental health needs.

Stressors associated with making ends meet undoubtedly affect the whole household, and impact kids’ sense of safety, emotional regulation, school performance, and overall well-being. (Think, Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs**).

When basic needs are unmet, mental health suffers.😔😵

As a team of Social Workers, we understand that treating childhood mental health involves supporting the whole family - with compassion and without judgement. And sometimes that means spending time connecting families with community services and resources.

When we support families in meeting basic needs, healing becomes possible.

With this in mind, we want to share a few resources that we use regularly to support families.

🔅 211 Wisconsin is a one-stop, free, and confidential connection to the local services people need, such as utility assistance, housing, food, elder care, crisis intervention, alcohol and other drug recovery, and much more. Talk with a live person who will listen with compassion and help connect you with services that will help. Or use the Search database online to find services avaliable to help with your needs.

📞 Dial 211 (or 877-947-2211)
📱 Text your ZIP code to 898211
💬 Chat online
🔎 Search for services at https://wisconsin.communityos.org

Whether you're looking for food pantries, housing assistance, mental health supports, or crisis help—211 can guide you.

🔅 ADVOCAP,Inc Opportunity Center in Fond du Lac is a new, in-person, "one-stop-shop" where individuals and families can get assistance navigating the complex service systems that tend to quickly become overwhelming. Parents, you can bring your kids with you if you don't have childcare (we called and asked!). Just make sure to call ahead so they can be sure there are staff available to provide childcare if needed. 💜

You are not alone.
Help is out there.
And you deserve to receive it.

*Our clinic data demonstrating increased need for services at this clinic location:
May 1 - Aug 1 completed patient appointments
2023: 223 (waitlist at 0 by Aug 1, 2023)
2024: 211 (waitlist at 6 by Aug 1, 2024)
2025: 279 (waitlist of 20+ on Aug 1, 2024)

**Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs: Someone struggling with basic needs—like food, housing, or safety—is unable to prioritize or address other needs, such mental and emotional health, school/academics, building relationships, or personal growth and responsibility.).

07/07/2025

Sharing a sweet baby picture I received this afternoon to remind you that you can still find happiness when your face is covered in food and boogers after a good sneeze! 🤣🥰💙

Stay safe and find joy in tiny moments. 💜🌞

Happy Monday!

05/30/2025

Anyone else singing, "Hooray, Hooray for the end of May!"?!

It's the month that flies in on hot wheels and tries to break us—but We’re Almost There. 💪🥳💚

May is the boss level of parenting.
Field trips. Class parties. Sports tournaments. Dance recitals. Costumes you didn’t know you needed. Snacks you forgot you signed up for. Emotional meltdowns (yours, the kids', mine, everyone’s). A calendar that looks like it lost a bet.

May is December’s chaotic cousin who shows up in flip-flops with a clipboard full of events like a drill sergeant with no mercy. My BFF said it's like the holidays without the cookies and presents and I FEEL THAT!

If you’ve:
✅ Fed your kid dinner from the front seat
✅ Forgotten what day it is
✅ Cried in the school pickup line
✅ “Attended” a Zoom meeting from the soccer field...

Congratulations, you have superhuman juggling skills and are doing May like a pro!

You’re crossing that finish line with unmatched energy, unwashed laundry, and a questionable grip on reality—and we’re running right behind you, cheering you on!

It’s messy. It’s loud. It’s a little bit beautiful.🌸☀️

And you’re almost through it! 🥳

Keep hydrating. Keep laughing. Take deep breaths.
The chaos will calm, and you’ll still be standing—probably in mismatched socks, but still standing.

05/21/2025

Spring Fever getting you down? 🌱😓
You're not alone!
Spring Can Be Hard on Mental Health

💚 If you, your child, or someone you care about seems “off” recently, it’s not just you.
We tend to associate spring with renewal—more light, more energy, more joy. 🌱 But for many (children and adults), spring can bring a surprising increase in emotional and mental health challenges - catching many of us off guard.

Research shows that rates of su***de and suicidal behavior tend to peak in April and May, making this a particularly important time to check in with ourselves and each other. This is also why Mental Health Awareness Month is recognized in the month of May —to bring attention to these often overlooked seasonal patterns.
May is our busiest time of year at the office! Which may surprise you?

What’s often called “spring fever”—that restless, agitated, or emotionally intense behavior—isn’t just a quirky seasonal phase. It’s rooted in real biology.
☀️ As daylight increases, our circadian rhythms shift. These internal body clocks regulate sleep, hormone release (like melatonin and cortisol), mood, and energy levels. Rapid changes in light exposure can throw off that rhythm, especially in sensitive individuals—both kids and adults. Changing our clocks for Daylight Savings Time to “spring forward”, likely feels more like a cruel catapult forward and there is a reason why parents dread it.

We suddenly begin to see increases in:
😴 Sleep disruptions, insomnia
🤯 Irritability or agitation
😭 Emotional overwhelm
😣 Increased anxiety or impulsivity
😵‍💫 Difficulty concentrating
Manic symptoms and behaviors for those with mood disorders, such as Bipolar Disorder (adults) or Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (children), surge.
Children, teens, and adults with mental health conditions, and/or those who are sensitive to sensory input, routine disruptions, or stress, feel these shifts more intensely.

By this time of year, kids and teachers are so over school. Many assume that the uptick in behavioral issues in school during spring are related to kids’ “no longer giving AF about the rules”. And perhaps maybe there is a bit of truth to that. However, these shifts in behaviors are substantially more likely related to physiological effects we experience during this seasonal change.

What helps:
✅ Validation that these experiences are real and based in science
✅ Consistent routines and sleep schedules
✅ Gentle transitions and more intentional sensory regulation
✅ Movement, connection, and support
✅ Compassion—for ourselves and others

Be patient with kids, your family, and yourself. If you are feeling overwhelmed, hopeless, or your day-to-day functioning is suffering, it may be time to connect with support.

If you are having thoughts about su***de, or are considering ways to end your life, please reach out. You do not have to suffer alone or in silence. There is help, and there is hope.

Ways to connect with support:
💚 Start a conversation with a loved-one - how to start? “Hey, I'm not doing great. Do you have some time to talk?” Sometimes just making the connection with someone who you know cares about you is enough to get through the moment, or the day.

💚 Call 988 - an anonymous hotline, speak with a supportive person anytime of the day. Even if your thoughts are “just thoughts”, or you are feeling particularly down and don't know how to talk to someone you know, CALL them. This is a preventative service, meaning, even if you aren't having active thoughts of su***de, but feel like there is no way out, nowhere to turn, or no one you can talk to who would understand, CALL them.

💚 Text 741741 - send a text and get connected with a live person who will message with you. Many people feel overwhelmed by phone calls. Texting is an option. Text anything - “Hey”, “Help”, “Hope”, “Talk”, “What up”. You will receive an automated response confirming receipt (your phone service will NOT be charged - even though you may receive a warning message - you will NOT be charged). After a brief few minutes, a live person will connect with you to chat via text.

💚 Call 911 - say you are experiencing a mental health crisis and need support. Ask if a Crisis Intervention Trained officer is available. City of FDL has several CIT trained officers AND a staff Social Worker available to respond to mental health crises.

💚 Call County Crisis - say you are experiencing a mental health crisis and need support.
FDL County Crisis: (920) 979-3535. Website to locate Wisconsin county crisis services: https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/crisis/talk.htm

💚 Visit an in-person Crisis Center - walk-in. Or a hospital Emergency Room. Say you are experiencing a mental health crisis and need support.
FDL County Crisis: 459 E. 1st St. FDL. (24/7 walk-in)
Ripon Community Hospital SSM Health (daytime hours only)

There is help. There is hope. 💚

***de

05/14/2025

We are honored by our nomination for the annual Community Choice Awards! 📣🥳💚

Thank you to our partners and those who support us in our work to extend access to quality mental health services for children and youth in the community!

Join us in our mission to break the stigma which prevents many children and families from receiving services. 💚


Vote now through May 15th
LINK TO VOTE: https://fdlreporter.gannettcontests.com/2025-Best-of-Fond-Du-Lac-Communitys-Choice-Awards/gallery/488436609?fbclid=IwY2xjawKDB5ZleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHv5i-zO-2D_7mevL38QUJx9jGer-_SlJ8AL25zNUnJa5_Ac8SnNVEt6KgIoL_aem_VP-92ZUa4kVKEb6WH4Mm-g

05/14/2025

Thank you Envision Greater Fond du Lac for celebrating Mental Health Awareness Month and for offering programming for businesses that promotes workplace wellness and preventing burnout! 💚🥳

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. This month, every Monday, we will highlight a member organization. Today, we recognize Alicia Hans, Licensed Clinical Social Worker

Alicia Hans, Licensed Clinical Social Worker, and her team are uniquely qualified and specialize in pediatric mental health. Treatment services are tailored to meet the unique needs of each patient, taking into consideration their age, developmental stage, cultural values, and individual circumstances. Learn more at https://www.facebook.com/aliciahanslcswllc or https://bit.ly/44u6Gyd