Marriage Counseling Chicago
I recently read an article by Mandy Len Catron called, ‘What You Lose When You Gain A Spouse.’ I have decided to reflect some of my own responses to this article as a way to explore the concept of marital loneliness. As someone who has grown up in a hetero-normative family with a Mom and Dad that are still happily married, this concept of marital loneliness was new to me. Of course, society has imprinted in our…
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Steven Topper, LCPC Try a little game in the morning and see if you can go one whole day without blaming anyone, for anything. It may be harder than we’d think. Often in life we find ourselves wronged. It may be random strangers, friends, family, or significant others that have brought pain and wrongdoing. These experiences often lead to anger, frustration, disappointment, among many other uncomfortable emotions. It can be a painful and sobering experience, though our…
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Madissyn Fredericks, Licensed Professional Counselor Relationships can become toxic and trust can be broken very quickly. Engaging in toxic behaviors that seem normal or make you “feel better” in the moment are a big contributor to their downfall. Toxic behaviors are usually a result of one partner feeling insecure due to a history of betrayal or low self-esteem. The truth is we have all probably felt insecure at some point in a relationship and as a result…
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Relationships and the experiences that we have within them shape who we are as a person. Romantic relationships in particular can be very fulfilling yet complicated at the same time. A satisfying partnership requires a delicate balance of communication, selflessness, knowing how to pick and choose your battles, and knowing when you need to put yourself first. There is no single way or method to achieve a happy and healthy relationship, but there are certain guidelines that…
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After a review of the latest research on affair risks for committed relationships (those that are exclusive sexually and romantically), the most thought-provoking discovery was not the research itself. Instead, it was the presentation of the infidelity statistics as “highly variable” and having much “uncertainty.” As an example, when consolidating research findings, Gottman (2017) notes a “cautious conclusion” stating infidelity rates are “probably about 20% for men and 15% for women.” The author’s use of such vague…
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Madissyn Fredericks, Licensed Professional Counselor It is likely that most relationships could use some help when it comes to communication. No one always responds perfectly, always agrees, or listens the way they need to during every conversation and that’s normal. The thing is, many couples engage in unhealthy communication all the time and do not seek help to change it. It is difficult to change the way you have always communicated with others even though it isn’t…
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Steven Losardo Per a recent Harvard Study, 65% of over 3,000 young adults or high school student ages 18 to 25 years old desire information about LOVE (Weissbourd et al. 2017). Despite many learning about LOVE from parents, or a caregiver, educators and other adults the knowledge provided “tends not to engage young people in any depth about what mature love is” (p. 2). Additionally, the study adds that young people receive little or no guidance “about…
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Sexual intimacy and mental health are more intertwined than you may think. For many, sexual health and intimacy is a very important aspect of life. How we interact with our partner(s) sexually is largely influenced by how our mental health is doing. There are so many different life experiences that impact our mental health and our beliefs and values around sex and intimacy. For example, think of how one’s experiences with trauma may impact their mental health…
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Humans are social creatures, and most of us seek comfort and belonging through human relationships and connection. Through our lifetimes, we may experience amazing relationships and also unhealthy, volatile ones. But because our relationships tend to be important to us and we crave that connection, we sometimes are blinded from the signs and behaviors that may be telling us that we are in a toxic relationship or situation. Although it’s difficult to tell when we are in…
Read MoreMatthew Cuddeback, LCSW Conflict in relationships is not inherently bad. In fact, it can be a very helpful way to gauge the health of your relationship. However, how you handle that conflict can have a profound effect on the people around you. Specifically, arguing in front of your children can be damaging and can result in lifelong difficulties. If you do inadvertently find yourself arguing in front of your children there are a few key ways to…
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