Shelter-in-Place Order Expected to Increase Domestic Violence
The Coronavirus pandemic impacts individuals in a multitude of ways. Some of us feel relieved not to have to change out of sweatpants for important business meetings. Others feel confined and anxious about what is to come in the near and distant future. For many, we feel a bit of both, but our response to…
Read MoreCombatting Corona with Connection: Why You Should Say Hello to Strangers on the Street
Bridgette W. Gottwald, LPC, NCC For the first time ever, the word Corona means more than a refreshing beer with a lime, that we can drink while bonding and connecting with others. This global pandemic leaves our world in fear of what the future holds. It’s natural for this uncomfortable time of isolation and “social…
Read MoreAvoiding Cabin Fever During Social Distancing
The definition of cabin fever according to The Miriam-Webster Dictionary is “extreme irritability and restlessness from living in isolation or a confined indoor area for a prolonged time.” Cabin fever is something we can experience during a particularly bad snow storm, during a hospital stay, or due to social distancing during this recent COVID-19 outbreak.…
Read MoreSleepless in Self Quarantine
Bridgette W. Gottwald, LPC, NCC It’s normal to have difficulty sleeping during this unprecedented time of transition and uncertainty. COVID-19 evokes emotions such as fear and anxiety, which clearly have a drastic affect upon our sleep quality and rapid eye movement (REM) cycle. Lately, I have passed along the following suggestions to my clients about…
Read MoreSemester Interrupted: An Interview with an Epidemiology Student (Part II)
Megan Mulroy, LPC Self-isolation and working from home has given me more time to check in on friends and family, which has been great. I’ve been checking in on my cousin, Maria, because she is currently in her last year of her master’s program at Grand Valley State University. She is getting a degree in…
Read MoreSemester Interrupted: Finishing Your Academic Year During the Coronavirus Pandemic (Part I)
Megan Mulroy, LPC Within the past month, colleges and universities across America have been forced to move to online learning platforms due to the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19). This brings a number of unparalleled challenges for college students. Graduation ceremonies have already been cancelled, and some are planning on having a virtual ceremony. Student’s licensing exams…
Read MoreQuarreling with Quarantine
Bridgette W. Gottwald, LPC, NCC I know I’m not the only one who is quarreling with quarantine and disappointed and shocked at how 2020 has turned out thus far. Watching people arguing in the grocery store about toilet paper is something I never expected to see. We’ve all been pushed out of our comfort zones…
Read MoreConfronting Corona: Mitigating Anxiety
Bridgette W. Gottwald, LPC, NCC Feeling anxiety related to coronavirus, also known as COVID-19? Well, it’s safe to say that you’re not alone! There are so many things to be anxious about – catching the virus itself, adjusting to a new routine during quarantine, financial burdens, school closures, cancelled events, and many other things floating…
Read MoreNavigating Stress/Anxiety and COVID-19
Uncertainty can be scary and can often increase symptoms of anxiety and stress. The end of this COVID-19 pandemic is not yet in sight, and I have been hearing from a lot of friends, family, and clients that their levels of stress and anxiety have been significantly higher since Chicago went on lockdown. It appears…
Read MoreWaking Up on the Wrong Side of the Bed
Kyle Lawell, LPC There are days where we wake up and know that something is “not right.” From the moment you woke up, there was something holding you back from being your authentic, happy, and caring self. Maybe you had troubling sleeping, maybe it was the shouting from your kids in the back seat of…
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