Lisa Schab - Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LSCW), Psychotherapist and Author
Lisa Schab
Lisa Schab is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LSCW) and Psychotherapist who helps teens battling overwhelming emotions by creating a safe and creative space to let these feelings free.
Lisa has a private counseling practice in the greater Chicago, IL, area, and she has authored seventeen self-help books and workbooks for children, teens, and adults, including The Anxiety Workbook for Teens and The Self-Esteem Workbook for Teens. Schab teaches self-help workshops and professional training courses on both anxiety and journaling, and is a member of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW).
She is also the author of Put Your Feelings Here: A Creative DBT Journal for Teens with Intense Emotions which was released in January 2020. Her new book focuses on reducing and managing debilitating emotions such as fear, frustration, stress and sadness. Unlike most journals designed for teens, Schab uses dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), an offshoot of cognitive behavioral therapy that targets emotional regulation and distress tolerance. With prompts that guide teens to finding fragrances they love, planning the ultimate party, and giving loved ones advice, teens will learn to stay calm, reduce intense emotions, and enter a state of mindfulness that they can use well beyond their teen years.
As Lisa shares, emotions are a normal, healthy part of being human—and emotions can be excellent fuel for art and writing. Let this journal be your special place for writing down your feelings, making your own rules, and expressing yourself. Go ahead and make it yours!
I’m so excited for you guys to connect with Lisa, check out her work, and follow along as she continues to help teens and adults find healthy inner anchors that steady and guide them on their personal journeys.
I'd love it if you'd introduce yourself, what you do, and what you're working on.
Hi, I’m Lisa Schab - psychotherapist, writer, speaker, wife, girlfriend, step-mom, grandmother! I’ve been a therapist for about 30 years and a freelance writer for about 40. Right now I’m working on launching my 18th book, Put Your Feelings Here: A Creative DBT Journal for Teens with Intense Emotions. I’m also treading in very new territory by developing a new website, author platform and online presence - which I’ve never done before!
How did you get started?
I’ve been writing since grade school - stories for my wonderful 3rdgrade teacher, Miss Wilke. Then high school brought diaries and poetry, college more poetry and journals upon journals. At some point in graduate school I realized that my years of journaling had been incredibly therapeutic. And based on that realization I wrote my first book - Writing It Out: Self-Awareness and Self-Help Through Journaling. As I went along in my social work career I wrote more extensively in the self-help field - articles, regular columns, and then books.
What inspired the work that you're doing?
I grew up in a family with many emotional challenges. It affected me in many ways, one being leading me into therapy as a young adult. My journey taught me a lot and got me interested in psychotherapy as a career. I still love this part of my life as I’m able to help others find their way to healing and growth.
Being a writer is just what I came in with. I never really took any writing classes, other than the required high school and college freshman English. But writing has been a way to express myself, heal and grow, and also I just love the art and craft of it. It’s like being a sculptor with words.
This particular book was an assignment actually. New Harbinger asked me to create this amazing unique guided journal which is a significant clinical tool, and at the same time an awesome space for teens to creatively help and empower themselves.
What is your biggest passion? Do you feel like you're living your passion and purpose?
My biggest passions are writing, teaching, inspiring, and helping to create hope and healing. And I guess people. I really love people! Yes, I absolutely feel that I’m living my passion and purpose. I feel tremendously grateful to for this.
What is your joy blueprint? What lights you up, brings you joy, and makes you feel the most alive?
Wow, long list here!
When I’m writing, reading over and over and changing words, moving phrases, finding the right words that create a feeling on the paper - when I get it the way I want it - when I get the feeling in my heart to appear as words that someone else can read and feel the same things I’m feeling. If that makes someone smile, or makes them feel good, or feel uplifted, or if it opens them to joy or healing - that really feels wonderful.
When I’m sitting with a client and I’m listening and responding and I feel the connection and can tell by the look in their eye that something has clicked, or something has sparked peace, or one minute bit of positive movement forward, one spot of healing has taken place in that moment - that’s the best feeling.
When I’m with my grandchildren and we’re sharing some awesome moment of life adventure - climbing rocks, meeting alpacas, letting them taste every ingredient we’re putting into the mixing bowl, swimming across the lake with them like my grandmother swam with me. This is great joy!
Laughing so hard I’m crying within 5 minutes of being in the presence of my long-time girlfriends who bring out the absolute deepest letting go and light-heartedness in me.
Laughing with my husband over a silly song we have made up or one minute of some goofy thought. This is such a wonderful connection between us.
Teaching. When I’m teaching, almost anything, I feel joy, and a connectedness to something deep within me yet deeper than I could possibly be.
Being in raw nature - in trees, sky, fields, rain, sun, cold, lakeside, oceanside, in the mountains - I feel tremendously connected to it all.
Dancing
Hiking
Driving through Wyoming where you can’t see anything at all for hours except distant mountains and spots of wandering cattle or bison.
I feel joy right now, just thinking about all of this and putting it into words.
How do you live intentionally? Are there tools/resources/practices that you rely on to help you stay mindful and grounded?
I meditate every morning to get myself centered. I read a lot in the self-help and inspirational genres. I use affirmations constantly throughout the day. I think about and try to live by my grandmother’s wisdom. I practice positivity always. I work with my thoughts a LOT. I practice gratitude a lot. I use all the tools that I teach other people! Sometimes when I’m really stuck or derailed, I ask myself, “What would you tell your client about this??” (Or sometimes, “What would my grandmother tell me right now??”) I also exercise in some way every day, eat pretty clean, and respect my sleep. These physical practices affect my emotional health and groundedness tremendously.
What would your younger self think about what you're doing now?
She would think, “Wow - look, it worked! You’re doing what you’d wanted to! And everything that happened - even the parts you hated - brought you to this wonderful place.”
Do you have a go-to mantra or affirmation?
Always. Affirmations are one of my greatest anchors, lifelines, coping skills. But there’s always more than one. And they vary over time, because my needs grow and change. Right now a few that are circulating include: “Thank you that I am well, thank you that I am all positive energy . . .” “Everything is exactly the way it’s supposed to be . . .” And borrowed from Louise Hay: “In the infinity of life where I am, all is well.”
What is your biggest dream?
Probably to be as peaceful as my grandmother.
To learn more about Lisa and her work visit her website www.lisamschabooks.com on Instagram @lisamschabooks and you can find her new book, Put Your Feelings Here: A Creative DBT Journal for Teens with Intense Emotions on Amazon here
Joy Corner is an interview-style blog series brought to you by Seek The Joy Podcast. Our mission continues to be a desire to share your stories, truths, joys and inspiration in your words. We invite you to join our corner, and share your joys, passions, and moments of inspiration as we continue to seek the joy, together. Join this series here