Counseling Chicago
By Andrew McNaughton, LCSW, CADC Gambling has pretty much always been popular since money has existed. Today, it is as immediately accessible as it ever has been through online lottery purchases and mobile apps for casinos and sportsbooks, where players can win and lose real money really fast. In Illinois, online sports betting became legal in 2020, just in time for the professional football season to start. Advertisements for titillating promotions make the lure of trying sports…
Read MoreI think it’s safe to assume most, if not all, of us are currently experiencing higher levels of stress than we may previously have been used to. We are living through “unprecedented” times, as I’ve heard people repeat time and time again. But what are we doing to account for these times? From my perspective, we’ve been expected to adapt to working from home, potentially home school our children, isolate from friends and family, and continue working…
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Erin Ameri, LPC There is no question that times are tough right now, and everyone could use some extra support. Therapy can feel like a daunting experience to those who have never done it before. Often we find ourselves in therapy once we’ve hit a breaking point, rather than as a preventative measure. In the past, therapy was a taboo topic to suggest to a loved one. Nowadays, I find clients wanting to suggest therapy to a…
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Steven Losardo, AMFT Schultheis et al. 2010 note that you may divert attention, give excuses, or justify when not being accountable for something you have done or are still doing. In a committed relationship, this often results in arguments or conflicts and, if not addressed, perpetual gridlock (Gottman, 2017). This blog will review a couple exercises that help highlight places where you have not been accountable or need help developing accountability, if not present. For the blog’s…
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By: Ashlee Stumpf, LPC While working in a men’s group for the past four years, I have heard of numerous hardships. One which continues to strike me is the number of these men who had suicidal thoughts or made previous attempts to take their own life. Unfortunately, this is not uncommon. According to the World Health Organization, suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the United States. As a result, much study has been done…
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It’s no secret that our mindset tends to dictate the way we interpret experiences throughout our lives. If we’re in a good mood we typically look on the bright side of things. Find the positives wherever we can. If we’re in a bad mood, everything’s terrible and nothing is going our way. During my sessions with clients, I find myself frequently discussing how we can shift our perspective. How we perceive things affects how we feel and…
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By: Danielle Bertini, LPC Are you the type of person who tries their best to be respectful and show compassion and concern towards others when they need it? Maybe you’re too pleasing most of the time. Or maybe you really connect with the Golden Rule, “Do unto others as you would have others do unto you.” But how often is it that you cater to others, but they often don’t return the favor? Learning to stand up…
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Hannah Hopper, LPC, NCC With so much loss in our world right now, many of those around us (and maybe even we) are struggling to cope. And yet, when others in our life come to us and are struggling, we often try to focus on the positive things and say something like “look on the bright side” or “it could be worse.” We are a “good vibes only” culture, and when others are truly struggling, we may…
Read MoreAshlee Stumpf, LPC It’s unlikely you will go to a doctor’s office and come out with a prescription of J.R.R. Tolkien, but that doesn’t mean it wouldn’t help. Storytelling is an art form as old as time. We grow up on stories to learn morals, culture, history, and the human experience. Sometimes they may take place in a fantastical world or have characters living lives extraordinarily different to our own, however that doesn’t mean we can gain…
Read MoreMary-Lauren O’Crowley, MA, NCC Despite what is often depicted in TV shows and movies, therapy involves much more than just laying on a couch and talking about your feelings. Widespread stigmatization of counseling can lead to misconceptions about what exactly therapy is and how it can be helpful. The fact of the matter is, therapy can be an incredibly powerful tool in helping to work through past trauma, better regulate and manage emotions, navigate grief and transition,…
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