Psychologist Chicago
Steven Topper, LCPC In her article on acceptance-based strategies and their long-term outcomes, Lila MacLellan asserts that the path to psychological well being is tied directly to acceptance. This may be something that has long been in the zeitgeist of Eastern cultures, as we can often cite ancient poets (MacLellan cites Rumi’s poem “The Guest House”, see below) for their depth of understanding around acceptance. Yet it’s mostly evaded our Western culture for a few notable reasons.…
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Danielle Bertini, LPC It can be hard expressing needs directly to someone, especially when our wishes aren’t aligned with the other person’s. Asking for what we need is the principle behind assertiveness (Gillihan, 2018). Being assertive often gets confused with being aggressive, as if being assertive means demanding that others give you what you want. However, according to Alberti and Emmons, being assertive actually falls between being passive or being aggressive. It’s a fine line to walk,…
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I work with many clients who are stressed and overwhelmed related to their jobs. My job as their clinical therapist is to better understand why the client is anxious at their job and then possible coping strategies to better manage their anxiety at work. One thing I often recommend to clients is utilizing a holistic approach in managing their anxiety, specifically using nature as a way to help reduce their anxiety. I recently read an article from…
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Danielle Bertini, LPC There are countless examples in the media, especially related to celebrities, in which a story is posted about something they are doing and make reaching judgments about what is going on. For example, a story was posted about Prince William in which he was “caught” giving the middle finger to onlookers. A journalist wrote, “You can even see a look of smug confidence on his face too.” Oops; that was actually a profile shot.…
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Shannon M. Duffy, MFT, LCPC When a former colleague writes a book, of course it’s exciting and a must read in support. However, this read is so much more and I feel I must share it and recommend it to all. In my private practice I work with disordered eating and eating disorders and this book really focuses in on how to look at your relationship food and find peace with it. It also presents what we…
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I work with many clients who describe feeling that midafternoon slump at their job. For those that work the 9-5pm Monday-Friday job, it is very common to feel the midafternoon slump around 2pm due to the simple fact that you likely needed to wake up by 7am at the very latest to get to your job by 9am. As a clinical therapist, I help my clients better understand contributing factors regarding their midafternoon slump; I then help…
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We often times meet individuals that feel more open and talkative and ones that are quieter and harder to have a discussion with. When we are trying to get people to open up, it can be hard to get them to talk. So how can we try to have a conversation with someone who is not going to talk? In this blog, I help you identify ways to help someone open up, but also to help you…
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Mental Health Professionals are in various settings, such as private practices, hospitals, psychiatric facilities, schools, mental health clinics, etc. Mental health professionals do various types of work and have similar, but yet different type of schooling. When searching for the perfect therapist for yourself, you might see a few different letters behind their name, such as LPC, LCPC, MSW, LCSW, LMFT PsyD, PhD, MD, or even Dr. before their name. What do those letters stand for and…
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The emotional stress of mounting student loans has become a rising issue in the last decade. According to recent studies, one in 15 students has considered suicide as a result of these mounting student loans. This is a range between 3-10 percent of borrowers who has contemplated suicide. There are 2.8 million people who owe $495 billion of student loan debt according to the Department of Education data (Tanze, 2019). This can leave a person wondering if…
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If you just had a baby, or you are planning to have a baby, it is important to understand the signs of postpartum depression and the baby blues. Keep an eye out for feeling: Sad, hopeless or empty Crying more than usual with no reason Overly anxious Angry Doubt in your ability to care for your baby Thoughts about harming yourself or your baby Having a baby is SO stressful. Not only are you sleep-deprived, but you…
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