Patience is Key!
Life rarely slows down on its own. Deadlines press forward, traffic drags on, and daily interactions stretch your limits more than expected. These moments often build tension that spills into relationships, work, and self-talk. Learning how to cultivate patience changes the way you respond, so frustration no longer leads the conversation. Patience becomes a skill…
Read MoreThe Ice Cube Trick
Matthew Cuddeback, LCSW When you experience trauma, there are a lot of ways that it takes a toll mentally. Frequently people experience agitation, mistrust, anger, depression, and many other symptoms. One of the most difficult results of trauma is often described as not feeling like yourself, feeling distant from your life and others, or a…
Read More5 Low-Cost Ways to Mark the Transition from Work to Home
For many of us, the transition from the workplace to home can be stressful and bring less relief than we’d like. For workers who feel unable to turn off a stream of negative thoughts, feelings, and memories from the workday, home may feel less relaxing than it should. Feeling as if you have no control…
Read MoreUnderstanding Your Anger
Getting angry is a normal part of life and, like it or not, it is also a normal occurrence in relationships. Anger can be caustic and harmful between two people if it is not handled well. It can exacerbate problems, prevent productive communication, and inhibit problem solving. Understanding your anger can help you to control…
Read More5 Simple Steps to Becoming a More Patient Person
I work with many clients who are stressed out for a variety of reasons, whether it is related to school, work, friends, family, or their romantic relationship. Some clients even discuss that due to feeling highly stressed, they have a tendency to become angry quickly and lose their patience with a coworker, friend, partner, or…
Read MoreNew Year’s Resolutions
Steven Losardo, LMFT It was November 28th, 2014, or Black Friday 2014, and somehow, I got an internal nudge to begin my 2015 New Year’s Resolution (NYR). Looking for any excuse to avoid shopping, I decided to stay home to review what drives me to sign up for NYRs each year, NYR planning, and benefits…
Read MoreFirst Steps: Try These 4 Tips to Get Your New Relationship Started Right
Amanda Gregory, LCPC, EMDR You’re entering into a new romantic relationship and you want to do everything you can to start on the right foot. You want to promote a relationship that is healthy, supportive, and thriving. How do you accomplish this? Here are four guidelines to consider in order to support a new relationship:…
Read MoreAn Inside Look: Self-Care Tips from Symmetry Counseling’s Therapists
Amanda Gregory, LCPC, EMDR In my blog An Inside Look: Symmetry Counseling’s Therapists Reveal Their Self-Care Practices, I spoke with five therapists who practice at Symmetry Counseling, Chicago’s mental health and relationship specialists, to discover how they practice self-care. This time we’ll hear from a few more Symmetry therapists to discover more of their personal…
Read MoreHow Not to Fight
All couples fight. In fact, the process of rupture and repair can actually be strength-building. The key as to whether an argument or difficult conversation makes a pair stronger lies in HOW a couple fights. Maladaptive Disagreement Strategies An eye for an eye This can also look like fighting to fight. Have you ever been…
Read MoreWhat is My Mind Doing Now?
Maggie Reynolds, LCPC, NCC We often talk about our creations, our decisions, our opinions, and our beliefs without looking further into the processes that led us there. Mindfulness has become a big part of mental health treatment and life for many people. An important component of mindfulness can be identifying and understanding the way your…
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