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Navigating Early Sobriety

August 21, 2018

Kaitlin Broderick, M.Ed., LCPC Early sobriety from alcohol and drugs can be a difficult time. When addicts and alcoholics begin to emerge from the dark and erratic experience that led them to hit their bottom, a stretch of clean living can make them feel like they’re floating on a “pink cloud.” This “pink cloud” is described by many to be a temporary phase in which the world seems to shine brighter with joy excitement and love that…

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7 Ways to Maintain Your Therapeutic Goals

August 15, 2018

Yes! You have completed and achieved your goals in therapy. Congratulations on this big milestone in your personal life that should be celebrated! Whether you have been in therapy for a month or a year, you now feel at peace that your goals in therapy are being implemented effectively outside your sessions. What now? This means it’s time to talk to your counselor and express to them you feel it may be time for termination. The termination…

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Managing Your Relationship With Your Roommate

August 13, 2018

A friend once told me, “I feel like I need couples therapy… but with my roommate.” Although she initially meant it as a joke, my friend felt she was no longer on the same page with how her home should operate, and what she began to describe was her growing resentment for her roommate. She was not sure how to approach her feelings without causing a conflict. I began to recognize these thoughts and feelings are comparable…

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3 Myths About "Healthy" Relationships

August 10, 2018

We are constantly being bombarded with messages about love and relationships in our culture. Whether it’s on TV, the radio, a magazine, or social media, we are always hearing about dating, relationships, and marriage and what is “normal” and “healthy”. It can be difficult to weed through what is not only helpful, but also what is appropriate and relevant for our own lives and relationships. Some input may be helpful for one couple but can be extremely…

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Is My Significant Other an Introvert or an Extrovert, and Does It Matter?

August 2, 2018

Have you ever wondered if you are an introvert or an extrovert? If your significant other is an introvert or an extrovert? The extrovert/introvert scale is actually a spectrum as some people are a blend of both. One way to find out where you might fall on the spectrum is by taking the Myers Briggs Personality Test. So, you take the test and realize that you and your partner are not the same type. Does it matter…

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The Basics of Dialectical Behavioral Therapy

August 1, 2018

In this video blog, Shannon Duffy talks about the basic modules of dialectical behavioral therapy. Follow along for our video series in which our team of experienced therapists in Chicago explains different therapeutic concepts that you may find helpful. As always, if you have any questions, feel free to reach out to connect with one of our counselors and we would be happy to help!  Dialectical behavioral therapy, or DBT, originated in the 80s as a…

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7 Tips on How to Cope with a Breakup

July 30, 2018

Going through a breakup with your significant other is not the easiest life transition. It can be very challenging, sad, stressful, confusing, complicated, and anxiety provoking. Whether you are the one who initiated the breakup or the one who was doing the breaking up, it can be a hard mixture of emotions to navigate. While a feeling of heartbreak is a normal response while going through a breakup, it is also an opportunity for some self-reflection. The…

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4 Warning Signs of Problematic Behavior

July 26, 2018

Andrew McNaughton, LCSW, CADC Are you worried that a certain behavior is causing issues in your life? Are you wondering how to address problematic behaviors in your life? If you aren’t sure whether or not you need a professional therapist to help you modify a behavior, there are certain signs that indicate it is time to get help. These four red flags can can serve as warning signs that a behavior is becoming problematic. Red Flag #1:…

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How Talking to Yourself Can Help You Manage Emotions

July 24, 2018

Amanda Gregory, LCPC, EMDR Practitioner Talking to yourself is often viewed as a sign of severe mental illness. Yet there are many people who to talk to themselves — both silently and aloud — and it’s not a predominant symptom of any mental illness. Talking to yourself can be a good method to refocus your attention, organize your thoughts, and facilitate action. You might ask, “What was I doing?” in order to bring your attention back to…

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Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) Basics

July 18, 2018

In this blog post, you will learn the basics of DBT. Following this post, there are two more posts that explain in a very brief way the 4 modules of DBT. Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, also known as DBT, was created by Marsha Linehan, who is currently still teaching at the University of Washington-Seattle. When DBT was first identified in the 1990s, it was originally known to help individuals with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), but now DBT is…

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