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Amanda Ann Gregory, LCPC, EMDR Certified Therapist Over the past decade, our society has become sensitive to the complexities of gender identity. This heightened awareness and advocacy has led to the wider understanding and usage of many different terms pertaining to one’s gender identity. Action Canada for Sexual Health and Rights provides definitions for the most commonly used gender-identity terms. Here is a summary of their glossary of terms: Gender: refers to the ways that masculinity and…
Read MoreNatalia DeSouza, LPC Dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) is a form of therapy developed by Dr. Marsha Linehan, Ph.D., ABPP. DBT is taught in four different modules: mindfulness, interpersonal effectiveness, distress tolerance, and emotion regulation. In this blog post, we will be discussing parts of the distress tolerance module, which focuses on skills to help navigate uncomfortable situations and painful emotions, along with managing the urge to react in unhelpful ways. The distress tolerance module focuses on teaching…
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By: Danielle Farmer LPC You’ve probably heard the term, but what does it mean to be a yes-man, exactly? A yes-man can be defined as someone who is constantly agreeing to plans, favors, or tasks without checking in with their own needs first. Although helping others can be beneficial to one’s mental health, if someone is taking on more than they can handle, it can become detrimental. There are several tips one can follow to ensure they…
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Andromeda Peters, LICSW How Can Therapy Help Us Navigate Disappointment in Our Close Relationships? Familial challenges are one of the leading reasons for seeking therapy. We are taught from an early age via societal norms and media that typically, our families and friends represent a safe space that should be reliable, nurturing, and grow with us as we develop into our adulthood, joining us during all of life’s phases. But what happens when our experiences do not…
Read MoreMary-Lauren O’Crowley, NCC, LPC The inner critic is an opinion or inner voice, that has a negative and critical pattern of thoughts about ourselves and others. Inner critics are the distressing and disturbing thoughts or voices that lead to self-destructive and maladaptive behavior. Inner critics are like dialogues in head that only criticizes and notices faults of own self and others. The gushing of self-damaging thoughts makes an anti-self that demoralizes and disheartens the individual from giving…
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Amanda Ann Gregory, LCPC, EMDR Certified Relationship closure is the experience of acceptance and resolution once a relationship has ended. Closure is an important experience, but it can be difficult to achieve if one or both partners are unable to participate in interactions that promote closure. There are many factors that determine whether former partners are able to achieve closure together. Here are a few components that need to be present: Safety. Both partners feel…
Read MoreAmanda Ann Gregory, LCPC, EMDR Certified Meditation is one of the most popular methods to improve emotional health. Yet, what if you don’t you have the time to meditate? In that case, you need meditations that are fast and simple: meditations that can be done anywhere – not just at home or in a quiet place – but on the train, at work, or waiting in a line at a store. Here are a few fast and…
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Abby Hauer, MC, LAC Self-Compassion and Mindfulness, Part II: How Do I Put It in Practice? More on Mindfulness Mindfulness does not have to be five minutes of silence or a guided meditation. Mindfulness can be incorporated into your life anyway that you see fit! The most important part of being mindful is bringing your awareness to what’s happening in the moment. Not thinking about what you could be doing in five minutes or what you did…
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By: Andrea Gargano, LCPC, Symmetry Counseling Chicago
Trauma is an event that causes psychological injury or pain. What is traumatic for one person may not be traumatic for another. Trauma is not always necessarily the effects of being in a combat zone, surviving a car accident, or suffering from physical abuse. While it can be those things, trauma shows up in a variety of ways. So it is best not to assume that something is traumatic but instead to look at the effects that the trauma has on the person; namely on their brain and nervous system.
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Written by: Meghan Emerson, LMFT
Being engaged to be married is an exciting time in an intimate relationship. Ready to move forward and actively commit to a life together, partners are soon swept into the wide world of wedding planning. One of the first and highly important decisions a recently engaged couple needs to make is setting a financial budget.
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