The Millennium Counseling Center Podcast

Millennium Counseling Center
  • 5.0 (7)
  • Mental Health
  • Updated Weekly

Welcome to the Millennium Counseling Center Podcast! As one of the leading counseling centers in Chicago, our goal is to help people rise above shame and pain to reach heights they never thought were possible. In this podcast we will help people find a way out of the bondage of self-hate, shame and pain often caused by addiction, mental illness and trauma. We believe that with hard work and dedication, people can reclaim the hope that these diseases insidiously strip away. Come celebrate healing, hope, and recovery with us. Hope is yours, it’s time to soar.

  1. Jul 6

    Saying What Matters 6 | The Body Knows Before the Mind Does

    Real change does not happen by forcing someone into it. In this episode of Saying What Matters, Oren Matteson and Rahsaan Nurullah talk about presence, emotional work, and what it means to create enough safety for someone to say something they have never said out loud. Oren reflects on his role as a therapist and why trying too hard to fix or solve can get in the way of being fully present. Rahsaan shares how his own healing work has shaped the way he supports others, especially when someone is close to recognizing a pattern but still needs to arrive at it on their own. Together, they discuss the connection between the mind and body, the ways people are taught to ignore physical signals, and why listening to the body can become an important part of healing and change. Key Discussion Points from The Body Knows Before the Mind Does Why presence matters more than trying to fix someone How therapists and coaches hold space for deeper self-discovery The importance of letting people arrive at change on their own Why saying something out loud can reveal what has been hidden How the body gives signals before the mind fully understands them The damage caused by pushing through instead of listening inward Rebuilding trust between the mind and body Using breath, sensation, and body awareness as part of healing Related Episodes: When a Father is Not Fully Present Growing Up Without Praise Finding Compassion Without Erasing the Pain Knowing When Something Needs to Change  Changing the Patterns That Keep You Stuck Connect with us: Millennium Counseling Center: Website Oren Matteson: Millennium | LinkedIn Rahsaan Nurullah: LinkedIn More about Millennium Counseling Center and our hosts: The Millennium Counseling Center in Chicago specializes in mental health services with a strong focus on various forms of addiction, including their premier program, 3A, which is targeted towards alcohol addiction. They offer various counseling methods, including one-on-one, couples, and group counseling, alongside an intensive treatment program emphasizing personalized attention, accountability, and acceptance. The post Saying What Matters 6 | The Body Knows Before the Mind Does appeared first on Millennium Counseling Center.

  2. Jul 6

    Saying What Matters 5 | Changing the Patterns That Keep You Stuck

    Change often starts when something no longer feels right, even if you cannot explain why. In this episode of Saying What Matters, Oren Matteson and Rahsaan Nurullah continue their discussion about personal change, patience, and the patterns that shape how people respond to stress, relationships, and everyday life. Oren reflects on the ongoing lessons that keep showing up for him, especially around patience and the need to understand what is happening beneath the surface before forcing an outcome. Rahsaan talks about the people who come to him knowing that something feels off, but not always knowing what needs to change. He explains how old nervous system patterns can keep running long after they were first created, and why real change often means identifying the unmet needs, old programming, and childlike responses that still show up in adult life. Key Discussion Points from Changing the Patterns That Keep You Stuck Why patience can become an ongoing lesson in personal growth Learning to pause before forcing something to happen Recognizing that other people are having their own experience too Why successful people can still feel stuck, disconnected, or dissatisfied How old nervous system patterns can shape adult reactions The difference between knowing something needs to change and knowing what to change How unmet needs from the past can keep showing up in the present Reconnecting with the body to create safety and shift old programming Related Episodes: When a Father is Not Fully Present Growing Up Without Praise Finding Compassion Without Erasing the Pain Knowing When Something Needs to Change Connect with us: Millennium Counseling Center: Website Oren Matteson: Millennium | LinkedIn Rahsaan Nurullah: LinkedIn More about Millennium Counseling Center and our hosts: The Millennium Counseling Center in Chicago specializes in mental health services with a strong focus on various forms of addiction, including their premier program, 3A, which is targeted towards alcohol addiction. They offer various counseling methods, including one-on-one, couples, and group counseling, alongside an intensive treatment program emphasizing personalized attention, accountability, and acceptance. The post Saying What Matters 5 | Changing the Patterns That Keep You Stuck appeared first on Millennium Counseling Center.

  3. Jul 6

    Saying What Matters 4 | Knowing When Something Needs to Change

    Sometimes the moment that breaks your pattern looks smaller than the problem underneath it. In this episode of Saying What Matters, Oren Matteson and Rahsaan Nurullah talk about change, values, stress, and the moments that forced them to look more closely at how they were living. Rahsaan reflects on a stressful work period in 2018, when two very different professional environments left him feeling fractured, overwhelmed, and out of alignment. Rahsaan shares how a small reaction over a pair of shoes helped him realize the issue was not about the shoes at all. It was about stress, control, resilience, and the need to understand his own values. Oren also reflects on his own shift around work, ambition, and identity, including a conversation with a stranger in Chicago that helped him see the need to separate from old beliefs and become his own person. Key Discussion Points from Knowing When Something Needs to Change How stress can reveal where something deeper is out of alignment Why values matter when deciding what needs to change The difference between pushing through and recognizing a bad fit How operating outside your values can hurt the people you care about Seeing work as something meaningful instead of something to minimize Letting go of old beliefs about ambition, success, and availability Becoming your own person instead of living through inherited patterns Related Episodes: When a Father is Not Fully Present Growing Up Without Praise Finding Compassion Without Erasing the Pain Connect with us: Millennium Counseling Center: Website Oren Matteson: Millennium | LinkedIn Rahsaan Nurullah: LinkedIn More about Millennium Counseling Center and our hosts: The Millennium Counseling Center in Chicago specializes in mental health services with a strong focus on various forms of addiction, including their premier program, 3A, which is targeted towards alcohol addiction. They offer various counseling methods, including one-on-one, couples, and group counseling, alongside an intensive treatment program emphasizing personalized attention, accountability, and acceptance. The post Saying What Matters 4 | Knowing When Something Needs to Change appeared first on Millennium Counseling Center.

  4. Jun 25

    How Millennium’s Athlete Wellness Program Supports Athletes

    Athletes spend countless hours developing their physical skills, but performance is also shaped by stress, confidence, relationships, motivation, and life away from the field. In this episode of the Millennium Podcast, Derek and Oren discuss how Millennium’s Athlete Wellness Program supports club, high school, college, and professional athletes. They explain why struggles with performance are not always solved by practicing more or trying harder. Sometimes the issue showing up in a game is connected to anxiety, depression, communication problems, pressure, or challenges outside the sport. By looking at the whole person, athletes can better understand what is affecting them, reconnect with their love of the game, and perform from a healthier place. Key Discussion Points Why athletes may need different forms of mental health support The connection between life outside sports and athletic performance Why trying harder does not always solve motivation or confidence problems How stress has increased across youth, club, college, and professional sports The growing pressure athletes face from school, social media, coaches, and peers Why former athletes can bring important context into counseling How mental health support can help athletes enjoy their sport again Why success in one area does not mean someone has every area of life figured out The importance of supporting the whole person, not just the athlete About Millennium Athlete Wellness Millennium Athlete Wellness provides a holistic approach to mental health and performance enhancement for athletes. Our team comprises sports psychology experts and clinical mental health professionals dedicated to helping athletes at all levels achieve peak performance and overall wellness. Each athlete we work with is connected to a licensed counselor, many of whom have personal experience as Division 1 athletes. This unique insight ensures a deep understanding of athletes’ challenges, both on and off the field. Our mission is to support athletes’ mental well-being and performance through expert guidance and empathetic care. Related Content The Power of Mental Health Breaks Transitioning from High School to College Athletics with Scout Murray Life After Sport Series: Trusting the Journey Connect with us: Millennium Counseling Center: Website Derek Bylsma: Millennium | LinkedIn Oren Matteson: Millennium | LinkedIn More about Millennium Counseling Center and our hosts The Millennium Counseling Center in Chicago specializes in mental health services with a strong focus on various forms of addiction, including their premier program, 3A, which is targeted towards alcohol addiction. They offer various counseling methods, including one-on-one, couples, and group counseling, alongside an intensive treatment program emphasizing personalized attention, accountability, and acceptance. The post How Millennium’s Athlete Wellness Program Supports Athletes appeared first on Millennium Counseling Center.

  5. Jun 23

    Introducing Atlas: A New PHP and IOP Program at Millennium

    In this episode of the Millennium Podcast, Derek and Oren introduce Atlas, a new intensive mental health program developed by Millennium Counseling Center. They explain why Millennium is expanding its services to include partial hospitalization and intensive outpatient levels of care. Atlas combines structured group programming with individualized support from experienced clinicians who understand that treatment does not look the same for every person. Derek and Oren also discuss the importance of skilled group facilitation, responsive treatment planning, and a clinical team that has worked together for years. Their goal is to provide people with a strong option during periods when more consistent and intensive support is needed. Learn More About Atlas: The Atlas Model at Millennium Counseling Center Key Discussion Points Why Millennium created the Atlas program The need for more PHP and IOP mental health options How experienced clinicians improve group treatment Why effective care must adapt to each person The growing complexity of the challenges people bring into therapy How Atlas combines structure with flexibility The value of a clinical team that already knows how to work together How Millennium helps callers determine whether the program is the right fit Plans to begin enrolling clients for Atlas on July 15 Related Content Dating in Your 20s Series: Attachment Styles with Hilary Rosenberg Saying What Matters | Finding Compassion Without Erasing the Pain Understanding Anxiety Connect with us: Millennium Counseling Center: Website Derek Bylsma: Millennium | LinkedIn Oren Matteson: Millennium | LinkedIn More about Millennium Counseling Center and our hosts: The Millennium Counseling Center in Chicago specializes in mental health services with a strong focus on various forms of addiction, including their premier program, 3A, which is targeted towards alcohol addiction. They offer various counseling methods, including one-on-one, couples, and group counseling, alongside an intensive treatment program emphasizing personalized attention, accountability, and acceptance. The post Introducing Atlas: A New PHP and IOP Program at Millennium appeared first on Millennium Counseling Center.

  6. Jun 9

    Saying What Matters 3 | Finding Compassion Without Erasing the Pain

    Understanding why someone caused harm does not make the harm disappear. In the third episode of Saying What Matters, Rahsaan Nurullah reflects on reconnecting with his estranged father during a serious health crisis. After more than a decade without contact, Rahsaan chose to help him through the situation while repeatedly reminding himself to lead with compassion. During that time, Rahsaan learned more about the abuse, racism, and trauma his father had experienced. That understanding helped him see where some of his father’s behavior came from, but it did not erase the criticism, emotional abuse, anger, or sadness Rahsaan still carried. He and Oren Matteson discuss healing as the ability to hold several truths at once, make peace with what may never fully make sense, and seek support for wounds that are difficult to face alone.  Key Discussion Points from Finding Compassion Without Erasing the Pain Reconnecting with an estranged parent during a health crisis Choosing compassion without ignoring past harm How abuse and trauma can pass from one generation to the next Understanding why closeness may feel unsafe Building an identity in opposition to a parent’s behavior Holding anger, sadness, gratitude, and forgiveness at the same time Accepting that some experiences may never fully make sense Why healing does not require facing everything alone Related Episodes: Saying What Matters – Episode 1 | When a Father is Not Fully Present Saying What Matters – Episode 2 | Growing Up Without Praise Connect with us: Millennium Counseling Center: Website Oren Matteson: Millennium | LinkedIn Rahsaan Nurullah: LinkedIn More about Millennium Counseling Center and our hosts: The Millennium Counseling Center in Chicago specializes in mental health services with a strong focus on various forms of addiction, including their premier program, 3A, which is targeted towards alcohol addiction. They offer various counseling methods, including one-on-one, couples, and group counseling, alongside an intensive treatment program emphasizing personalized attention, accountability, and acceptance. The post Saying What Matters 3 | Finding Compassion Without Erasing the Pain appeared first on Millennium Counseling Center.

  7. Jun 9

    Saying What Matters 2 | Growing Up Without Praise

    What happens when the approval you need from your father never comes? In the second episode of Saying What Matters, Rahsaan Nurullah opens up about growing up with a father who dominated conversations, criticized his choices, and rarely made space for him to speak. Over time, staying quiet became a way to protect himself and avoid making painful interactions last even longer. Rahsaan reflects on never hearing his father say he was proud of him, even as he succeeded in school, sports, and his career. He and Oren Matteson discuss how that absence of praise fueled overachievement, overworking, emotional eating, and the need to prove his worth. Rahsaan also shares why he eventually ended contact with his father—and what happened when illness and a personal commitment to compassion brought him back into his life.  Key Discussion Points from Growing Up Without Praise How criticism and emotional control can teach a child to stay quiet The impact of never hearing a father say, “I’m proud of you” Why achievement and overworking can become substitutes for parental approval How childhood pain can affect self-worth, eating, and adult relationships Choosing distance when a relationship becomes harmful to your mental health Returning to an estranged parent through compassion rather than obligation Related Episodes: Saying What Matters – Episode 1 | When a Father is Not Fully Present Saying What Matters – Episode 3 | Finding Compassion Without Erasing the Pain Connect with us: Millennium Counseling Center: Website Oren Matteson: Millennium | LinkedIn Rahsaan Nurullah: LinkedIn More about Millennium Counseling Center and our hosts: The Millennium Counseling Center in Chicago specializes in mental health services with a strong focus on various forms of addiction, including their premier program, 3A, which is targeted towards alcohol addiction. They offer various counseling methods, including one-on-one, couples, and group counseling, alongside an intensive treatment program emphasizing personalized attention, accountability, and acceptance. The post Saying What Matters 2 | Growing Up Without Praise appeared first on Millennium Counseling Center.

  8. Jun 9

    Saying What Matters 1 | When a Father Is Not Fully Present

    What happens when a father shows love but is not fully present? In the first episode of Saying What Matters, Oren Matteson and Rahsaan Nurullah talk openly about their relationships with their fathers. Oren reflects on growing up with a dad who worked hard and showed affection, but whose career often seemed to come before family. They discuss how that absence shaped Oren’s relationship with work, achievement, approval, and romantic relationships. Oren also shares what helped him speak honestly with his father, move beyond blame, and stop depending on others to prove that he was enough. Key Discussion Points from When a Father Is Not Fully Present How a parent can be loving while still feeling emotionally or physically absent The belief that work is more important than family How childhood experiences shape ambition and professional identity Looking to parents and partners for approval Giving too much in relationships to keep someone from leaving Speaking to a parent about pain from an adult perspective Healing without needing acknowledgment or validation Learning to see and recognize yourself Related Episodes: Saying What Matters – Episode 2 | Growing Up Without Praise Saying What Matters – Episode 3 | Finding Compassion Without Erasing the Pain Connect with us: Millennium Counseling Center: Website Oren Matteson: Millennium | LinkedIn Rahsaan Nurullah: LinkedIn More about Millennium Counseling Center and our hosts: The Millennium Counseling Center in Chicago specializes in mental health services with a strong focus on various forms of addiction, including their premier program, 3A, which is targeted towards alcohol addiction. They offer various counseling methods, including one-on-one, couples, and group counseling, alongside an intensive treatment program emphasizing personalized attention, accountability, and acceptance. The post Saying What Matters 1 | When a Father Is Not Fully Present appeared first on Millennium Counseling Center.

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About

Welcome to the Millennium Counseling Center Podcast! As one of the leading counseling centers in Chicago, our goal is to help people rise above shame and pain to reach heights they never thought were possible. In this podcast we will help people find a way out of the bondage of self-hate, shame and pain often caused by addiction, mental illness and trauma. We believe that with hard work and dedication, people can reclaim the hope that these diseases insidiously strip away. Come celebrate healing, hope, and recovery with us. Hope is yours, it’s time to soar.

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