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Madissyn Fredericks, Licensed Professional Counselor, Symmetry Counseling Is your partner constantly blaming you for things that go wrong in the relationship? Do they mock you or try to control you? Emotional abuse can creep into any relationship and often leaves the object of abuse with feelings of insecurity, guilt, and a lack of confidence. Emotional abuse is defined as a form of abuse, characterized by a person subjecting, or exposing, another person to behavior that may result…
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Amanda Gregory, LCPC, Symmetry Counseling Chicago Sadness is a healthy emotion that we all experience sometimes. But depression is far from healthy. As a therapist who has worked with depressed clients for more than a decade, I know it can be difficult to tell if what you feel is healthy sadness or harmful depression. There are some common symptoms you can look out for that will help you to identify if you’re experiencing depression. Persistent Depressed Mood…
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The twenty-four-hour news cycle, covering what can feel like an increasingly violent and chaotic world, is enough to make anyone feel overwhelmed, depressed, and disheartened. This blog entry is written in the immediate aftermath of the Las Vegas mass shooting, yet it is entirely possible that by its posting, another tragic event will have unfolded. While some outlets do take special care to honor victims, a significant portion is often devoted to analyzing details about the horrific…
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Amanda Gregory, LCPC, EMDR Feeling anxious is a common experience—and at times, it’s even a good thing, helping us to increase our motivation, awareness, and competitiveness. But other times, anxiety can feel overwhelming and even unmanageable. How do you know when your anxiety has become problematic? As a therapist who specializes in the treatment of anxiety, I’ve seen many clients whose anxiety has grown into a life-changing problem. This can happen gradually over years or as quickly…
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Anne Brennan Malec, PsyD, LMFT I have worked as a couples counselor for about 15 years. In that tim,e I have found that there tend to be a few common problems that couples struggle with which bring them into the offices of Symmetry Counseling; poor communication is at the top of that list. Couples within a relationship are always communicating, even with nonverbal interactions when one or the other may be engaging in the silent treatment. I…
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Therapists often use “mindfulness” as a technique to teach clients how to be more present-focused and ultimately learn to be more attuned to one’s thoughts, emotions, and bodily sensations without judgment. Mindfulness is not a new concept; in fact, it has been around for centuries and is commonly associated with Buddhism and meditation. Studies tell us that practicing mindfulness can decrease the negative effects of stress; reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety; and can improve sleep, mood,…
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Madissyn Fredericks, Licensed Professional Counselor, Symmetry Counseling Divorce is often a painful and stressful life event that leaves many men and women feeling alone, wondering how to get back into the dating scene. These individuals may have been married 2, 10, 20, or even 50 years before they decide to end their marriage, and are now facing the difficult task of re-building their lives. After some time has passed and you have processed your divorce, the thought…
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On a recent episode of the tastytrade podcast “Connect the Dots,” Dr. Anne Malec visited the studio to explain financial therapy. As a leading financial therapist, Dr. Malec offers a wealth of information to listeners about what financial therapy can offer them. What is Financial Therapy? As Dr. Malec explains in the podcast, financial therapy is the unpacking of thoughts, behaviors, and emotions that can lead to poor financial choices through the use of a professional therapist. As…
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Last week, an article by Nathalie Lagerfeld was published in The Week that quotes our own Dr. Anne Malec as a financial therapist. This piece focuses on giving practical advice for having the “inheritance” talk with your parents. This is a common conversation that is becoming increasingly more important for adult children to have with their parents, as Social Security gradually depletes and more and more young adults have come to depend on inheritance for their retirement…
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Madissyn Fredericks, Licensed Professional Counselor, Symmetry Counseling In today’s world, social media makes it convenient to become invested in other people’s relationships and compare yourself to them. It is easy to start to panic when every day you open your Instagram account and you see a new engagement announcement. Feelings of discomfort, sadness, or anxiety may arise. You may start to ask yourself, “Why am I not there yet?” or think, “I should have found the one…
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