Posts by Admin User
A Relationship for the 21st Century
By: Anne Brennan Malec, PsyD, LMFT Do you want to have a relationship style that meets the needs of the 21st-century family? This is a style that is mutually beneficial and emotionally rewarding. This is a relationship in which responsibility, accountability, and decision-making are shared. Marriage counseling can help, if your relationship is not where…
Read More3 Ways to Keep the Spark Alive in a Relationship
It probably comes as no surprise that many couples have difficulty keeping their “spark” alive throughout their relationship. As time goes on, the “infatuation stage” wears off anywhere from six months to two years in, and often, desire decreases and stressors increase as a couple has children, more financial stressors, and more professional stressors that…
Read MoreAccepting Difficult Emotions
Many of us spend a lot of time, money, and effort into making our tough feelings go away. When someone says, “I’m feeling really anxious” (or sad, overwhelmed, depressed, etc.), a common response is to see your doctor for medication, talk to a psychologist to work through it, or go do something that will distract…
Read MoreMarriage in Modern Life: Putting in the Effort
By: Alexa Ehrlich If so many people crave a happy partnered relationship, why do so many struggle to maintain the relationship for a lifetime? According to Dr. Anne Brennan Malec in her book Marriage in Modern Life, “When infatuation inevitably diminishes and real life intrudes, your partner must remain a priority, or you will eventually run…
Read MoreVisualizing Your Emotional Landscape
By: Margaret Reynolds, LCPC Part 1 (Navigating the Terrain) What follows is a visualization exercise to help you find perspective and develop awareness, appreciation, and authorship for your life’s journey. This will involve painting a mental picture for yourself and then looking at it in three distinct ways to learn and grow from the experience.…
Read More5 Healthy Responses to a Loved One’s Addictive Behavior
By: Andrew McNaughton LCSW CADC A loved one’s addictive behavior can quickly become our own problem for which we make ourselves feel responsible. Whether the behavior involves alcohol, drugs, sex, gambling, pornography, eating, stealing, hoarding, or any other potentially destructive compulsions, when it becomes problematic for the individual, it will likely become a problem for their…
Read MoreKeys to a Successful Marriage: 8 Tips
In the July issue of Chicago Woman magazine, Symmetry Counseling founder and author of Marriage in Modern Life, Dr. Anne Brennan Malec offers a concise list of “Keys to a Successful Marriage.” This advice comes from her years of professional training and practice as a marriage and family therapist, as well as from her own…
Read MoreLearning to Heal Your Inner Child
Do you listen to your inner child? As adults, we often become preoccupied with our “adult” roles and forget that despite the aging process, we were all once children. Your inner child is within you no matter how old you are, and this part now depends on your adult self for nurturing. If you struggle…
Read MoreKnow Your Strength: Connecting the Physical and Emotional Coping Skills
Situational mood problems like a temporary break up, money issue, or argument with a friend can seem devastating but anxiety or depression treatment can seem unfit at the time. Mood problems in general can create various types of distorted thinking like tunnel vision, all or nothing, and black and white thinking. I like to call…
Read MoreWhen is “Close” Too Close?
Over the years, our culture has placed more and more emphasis on romantic love. Relationships and marriages used to occur out of convenience and obligation. As the times have changed for the better, marriages have become more about building a relationship with someone who you have chosen to be “your person.” Therefore, our society has…
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