Envision Unlimited Blog

We are excited to have Whitney Rosier named Art Director for Envision Unlimited Community Day Services. Whitney has been with Envision Unlimited for almost 5 years. She started as a QIDP (Qualified Intellectual Disabilities Professional) program coordinator at Rose Center and transitioned to program director a year later. She previously worked at Anixter Center as an art therapist for four years, where she worked closely with Hannah Lowe, now director at Westtown Center, then music therapist.

Dear friends, self esteem is the confidence we have in our abilities and own worth. Every day we witness remarkable self-esteem building within our Envision Unlimited family. Confidence plays a big role in how our members achieve their greatest potential.

Members from Envision Unlimited Frick Center traveled to Galena, in late January, to compete against other Illinois athletes in three days of Special Olympics snowshoe racing. They had a wonderful time.

Making sure those in need know that someone cares and doing what they can to help is the mission of the Kindness Team at Envision Unlimited Westtown Center. Founded in March 2022, the idea started in one Westtown morning meeting when staff and members were discussing the war in Ukraine.

Do you have a friend or family member with a neurodivergent child and want to know how you can help? There are many ways you can provide support.

Stable housing is a fundamental human need. However, finding and keeping stable housing isn't easy for everyone. In particular, individuals who experience mental illness or live with intellectual and developmental disabilities often struggle to obtain housing, stay housed, and perform activities of daily living.

Mental illness is challenging to navigate, both for the people who live with it and their loved ones. Often, it can be difficult for friends or family members to know how to best help someone who is experiencing poor mental health. Should you give them space? Check in with them more often? Ask how they're doing, or offer a distraction?

With the recognition of Martin Luther King Jr. Day each year, we are always reminded of Dr. King’s support for a culture that protects and nourishes every community and every person. He had an important vision for a free and equal world and dedicated himself to expanding opportunity, ending all forms of discrimination, and pursuing social justice.

Creative outlets are beneficial for everyone. Whether it's crafting, cooking, dancing, or even decorating your home, creativity helps us relax, explore new perspectives, and express ourselves. Aside from their recreational benefits, creative activities can be exceptionally impactful and empowering for individuals with mental illness or developmental disabilities.

Also known as psychiatric rehabilitation, psychosocial rehabilitation focuses on restoring functional independence to people who live with mental illness. According to the American Psychological Association (APA), it is "the process of enhancing the recovery of individuals with severe mental illness by teaching or restoring psychological, behavioral, social, and vocational skills that will enable them to function in their community."