Lott Behavioral Health

08/25/2025

Meet the Team Monday: Sarah Masri, PA-C

This Monday, we’re spotlighting Sarah. Sarah brings a wealth of expertise in psychiatric care for adults & adolescents, specializing in depression, anxiety, substance use disorders, & perinatal mental health (pregnancy & postpartum support).

With experience in both outpatient medication management & intensive treatment programs at Linden Oaks Medical Group & Insight Behavioral Health, Sarah delivers compassionate, evidence-based care for a wide range of mental health needs.

She is certified by the NCCPA and holds a Certificate of Added Qualification in Psychiatry, showcasing her dedication to advancing psychiatric care. Sarah earned her Master of Medical Science in Physician Assistant Studies from Midwestern University in 2013.

In-person and online psychiatric care for anxiety, depression, & addiction. Located in Lisle, near Naperville, Wheaton, Downers Grove, & Chicago.

08/21/2025

When your head hits the pillow, your brain shouldn’t turn into a late-night highlight reel.

But for so many people, racing thoughts at night are the norm. That’s because your body may be resting, but your nervous system is still on high alert. Stress hormones, unprocessed emotions, and mental overload all keep your mind spinning when it should be winding down.

The good news? You can train your brain to feel safe enough to rest.
✅Grounding techniques (like 5-4-3-2-1 or deep breathing) help calm your nervous system.
✅Journaling before bed clears mental clutter and signals to your brain that it’s okay to switch off.
✅Therapy provides tools to work through the deeper roots of nighttime anxiety.

Think of it this way: just like you train your body to sleep better with a bedtime routine, you can train your mind to rest, too.

08/18/2025

Adult ADHD often hides in plain sight, especially in high achievers.

The polished planner.
The long to-do lists.
The packed schedule.
The late-night rewrites.

It can look like success on the outside… and feel like chaos on the inside.

Many adults with ADHD develop compensatory strategies so effective, they’re seen as "ultra-productive." But the mental load, executive dysfunction, and emotional exhaustion tell a different story.

💡If you’ve ever thought, “Why does this feel harder for me than it should?” you’re not alone. ADHD in high-achieving adults is often overlooked, misdiagnosed, or masked by perfectionism and burnout.

ADHD isn't just about distraction. It’s about focus regulation, task initiation, and time blindness, even when you’re doing "well" on paper.

Therapy, coaching, and proper diagnosis can help bring clarity and support to the parts of your success no one else sees.

➡️Save this post if it resonates and share with someone who might be silently struggling too.

08/15/2025

Think micro-wins don’t matter? Neuroscience says otherwise.

Tiny triumphs, like brushing your teeth or replying to a message, might feel small, but they trigger real chemical shifts in your brain. These actions release dopamine, boost motivation, & help reshape mental habits linked to depression, anxiety, & burnout.

At Lott Behavioral Health, we guide clients in integrating brain-based behavioral strategies alongside psychiatric care & therapy, because healing doesn’t start with huge changes. It starts with one doable step.

👉Follow us for more mental health tips backed by science
💬Tell us...what’s a micro-win you’ve had today?

08/11/2025

Meet the Team Monday: Suzette Papadakis,
LCPC, NCC, CGT

With nearly 30 years of experience in the mental health and addiction field, Suzette is dedicated to helping individuals, couples, and families heal and thrive. Her expertise spans addiction recovery, trauma therapy, domestic violence, parenting challenges, and relationship counseling.

As a Certified Gottman Therapist, Suzette specializes in treating couples navigating addiction issues, and she is trained in EMDR therapy (Levels 1 & 2) to support trauma recovery. She is also a certified facilitator of the Systematic Training for Effective Parenting (STEP) program, empowering parents with tools for stronger family connections.

Suzette’s dedication to mental health has earned her multiple honors, including Best Clinical Director of IL (2016), recognition from the American Psychiatric Association for DSM-5 research contributions, and acknowledgment from the American Counseling Association for her trauma work with NIU and VT students.

Her compassionate, evidence-based approach continues to make a difference in the lives of those she serves every day.

08/07/2025

Heading into a new school season can bring anxiety for students and parents alike, but you don’t have to face it without tools. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) helps you challenge anxious thoughts, reframe “what if” worries, and create calm in the chaos of school routines.

Whether it’s first-day jitters, work pressures, or overwhelming transitions, CBT strategies give you the skills to:
✔️Manage stress before it spirals
✔️Break free from negative thought loops
✔️Build confidence for a smoother school year

Ready to make this “back-to-school” season feel less stressful and more successful? Swipe through our latest post for practical CBT tips you can start using today!

08/05/2025

Feeling more anxious than usual this August? You’re not alone.
Transitions like back-to-school routines, shifting schedules, & the looming end-of-summer rush can spike anxiety, overwhelm, & even depressive symptoms.

Here’s why August often feels heavier on your mental health:
✨Disrupted sleep and meal routines throw your nervous system off balance
✨Anticipatory stress fuels worry about what’s ahead
✨Seasonal changes can affect mood-regulating hormones
✨Social and work demands pile up, leading to burnout

💡Pro tip: Consistent routines, grounding exercises, & mental health support can help you navigate these transitions with less stress and more resilience.

📌Your August reminder: Mental health symptoms often increase during periods of change. It’s not weakness, it’s biology. You’re not “too sensitive,” your brain is adapting. And help is always available.

07/29/2025

What you might not realize…executive dysfunction isn’t just “putting things off.”

It can also look like:
• Overthinking instead of acting
• Avoiding even things you enjoy
• Getting stuck on one step & ignoring the rest
• Forgetting what you were doing halfway through
• Feeling mentally “jammed” by decisions

And here’s the kicker:
Your brain has limited executive resources. Every time you cope with emotional stress, it drains those same resources your stage manager relies on.

That’s why you can feel “on top of things” one day and shut down the next, your backstage is already burned out.

The good news?
You can rebuild your stage crew over time. Even small, intentional changes help the whole show run more smoothly.

You’re not lazy. You’re human.

07/25/2025

☀️“It wasn’t just hot outside. It felt like the heat had taken over my mind, making everything heavier, harder, and more overwhelming.”

Sound familiar? You’re not imagining it.
Rising temperatures aren’t just a physical health risk; they can quietly wreak havoc on your mental health too.

From disrupted sleep and irritability to increased anxiety, mood swings, and even higher rates of ER visits, heat waves are impacting our emotional well-being in ways we rarely talk about.

In our latest blog, we dive into:
✔️What the research says about heat and mental health
✔️Who’s most at risk
✔️How to protect your mental well-being when temps soar
✔️Why climate change is now a mental health issue

🌡️Ready to learn more? Head to the blog (link in comments) to read “How Heat Waves Affect Mental Health”

💬And if the heat has you feeling off, mentally or emotionally, know that support is just a call away. We’re here to help.

07/21/2025

That’s what anxiety feels like when your vagus nerve isn’t regulating your nervous system properly.

When the vagus nerve has low “tone,” it struggles to send the signal that you’re safe. Your body stays stuck in a low-level fight-or-flight mode reacting to minor stressors like they’re emergencies.

It’s not just you. You’re not weak.

Your nervous system just needs help learning how to feel safe again.

And the beautiful thing?
You can train it.

Practices like deep, slow belly breathing, humming or singing, splashing your face with cold water, and even gentle yoga all strengthen the vagus nerve and teach your body to believe:

“I’m safe. I can relax.”

Have you ever felt like your body goes into panic mode before your brain knows why? Drop a 🙋‍♀️in the comments!

07/17/2025

If you’ve been struggling with treatment-resistant depression and feel like nothing helps fast enough, you’re not alone.

Research shows that traditional antidepressants can take 4–6 weeks to show results but that’s a long time to wait when you’re hurting. That’s why more and more people are turning to innovative treatments like Spravato® (esketamine nasal spray) and ketamine, which are shown to deliver rapid relief, sometimes within hours.

At Lott Behavioral Health, we offer evidence-based depression treatments, including Spravato® and ketamine, for people who haven’t found success with other medications.

No more waiting weeks to feel a little better. You deserve to feel better now.

Visit us at LottBehavioralHealth.com to learn more about Spravato®, ketamine, and other depression treatments that really work.

07/14/2025

Meet the Team Monday: Brian Sautter, PA-C
Brian is a certified Physician Assistant (PA-C) with a unique journey into medicine. He earned his Master’s in Physician Assistant Studies from Trine University, where he focused his research on su***de screening in the Emergency Department — blending his interests in psychiatry and emergency medicine.

Before becoming a PA, Brian spent a decade as an engineer, graduating summa cm laude from the University of Illinois Chicago. He also completed medical research at UIC, earned a National Science Foundation fellowship, and later pursued pre-med studies at Northwestern.

During his transition to medicine, Brian volunteered at a Chicago non-profit as a certified phlebotomist and worked on an ambulance as an EMT — proving his dedication to helping others every step of the way.

We’re thrilled to have his expertise, compassion, and diverse experience on our team! 💙

✨ Say hi to Brian in the comments below!