The Garden
Does Teletherapy Work for Counseling & Therapy? You bet it does!
GrowWell Personal Clinician Stories (Cathy Piehl, LMSW): Navigating Acceptance and Belonging for an LGBTQIA+ Individual
What our losses really look like during COVID-19: big and small
Article In the TheElephantJournal.com – The Impact of Uncertainty on Mental Wellness; By: Adam Ratner, MA, LCSW, MBA
The Impact of Uncertainty on Mental Wellness and What You Can Do to Navigate the Uncertainty of What Comes Next in the Time of COVID-19 and Thereafter; By: Adam Ratner, MA, LCSW, MBA
Grow Wellness Wisdom from Cathy Piehl, LMSW: We’re in this Together: Navigating COVID-19’s Tremendous Impact on Families & Children, and Understanding the Science Behind It
Project Patient Care’s Teletherapy Counseling Best Practices Interview with Grow’s Wendy Hayum-Gross
Worried about E-Learning – Don’t Be! One District 204 (Naperville, IL) Principal’s Perspective on E-Learning and Your Responsibilities as a Parent, By Tracey Ratner
NCTV17’s Interview with Grow’s Wendy Hayum-Gross: “Telemental-Health To Provide Online Mental Health Resources”
Naperville Sun’s Interview with Grow’s Outstanding Art Therapist, Rachelle Barmann: “Visualizing feelings through art can be good for your mental health”

Our proven and established Athlete and Athletic Club-Based Psychology and Performance Improvement Program was designed by our very own Kevin Barton, LPC, CMPC. Our mission has persisted since our inception: To empower athletes and performers across the globe to develop the passion to improve their mental well-being, reach their potential, and to pursue excellence on and off the field. We are committed on developing holistic and perseverant leaders, students, athletes, and performers through enhancing mental performance.
We have been delivering Sports Psychology and Performance Improvement Services through Empower Sports Performance for over 5 years to:
- Individual Athletes
- Individual Teams
- Coaches - Entire Clubs (Many teams in the same Club or Organization)
- Coaches - Across Many Clubs (Coaches Symposium)
- Open Club / Player Workshops - Within the Same sports Club or Organization
WHAT TO EXPECT:
Needs Assessment with Coaches & Club/Team Leadership/Athletic Director
Team Observation at Practice to see Coaching and Player behavior
Provide Introduction to Sports Performance & What Sports Psychology Is? (60 min; attendance open to players, coaches and parents)
Create Team Performance Plan & Recommendations based on outcomes of Needs Assessment and Practice Observation
Our son is a hardworking, young athlete with big, longterm goals. Despite his dedication to his athletic endeavors, he started to find that his physical preparation and skill work was not enough to achieve the success he was looking for. It wasn’t enough because he was missing an important part of the big picture…his mental training. Frustrations over training plateaus, the inability to let go of uncontrollable situations, or maintaining positivity during tough competition are just a few examples of things that were getting in the way of him achieving the most successful experiences possible. Enter Empower Sports Psychology & Performance Improvement.
They helped my son from the very first session. He has learned and practiced many skills in his sessions that have translated directly to the practice and playing field, as well as to his life in general, including schoolwork. Mental challenges that would have broken him six months ago, no longer phase him and, in some ways, make him even stronger now. He is building tools to manage everything from his goals, to his mindset before big games, to controlling his reactions to circumstances beyond his control, to being kind to himself while still holding himself accountable. He is most certainly mentally stronger both on and off the field as a result of his coaching with Kevin. His new found confidence, resulting from his strengthening mental skills, has enabled him to make the most of his physical and skills training, and has allowed him to also find the most enjoyment possible on the field. Not only that, he has become a leader, by example, amongst his teammates and peers. As a parent, it’s amazing to witness his progress and translatable successes from his mental skills training. I only wish we had found Kevin sooner. It has been a wonderful way for our son to invest his time and energy and he looks forward to each and every session. We are grateful that Kevin is supporting and growing our son in ways that will help him achieve his goals on the field and in life, and look forward to continuing our relationship for a long time to come.
- JM (Parent of youth Lacrosse athlete)
Meet Mary Ellen Taylor, Yoga Therapist, below and Join her for a brief guided yoga exercise.

Call us today if you think you would benefit from exploring yoga therapy as well as other therapeutic interventoins with one of our tremendously experienced team members.
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