Psychologist Chicago Archives
For many of us, the transition from the workplace to home can be stressful and bring less relief than we’d like. For workers who feel unable to turn off a stream of negative thoughts, feelings, and memories from the workday, home may feel less relaxing than it should. Feeling as if you have no control over the stress of work spilling into your evening at home is a sign that you need stronger boundaries in place to…
Read More
I work with many clients who are stressed out for a variety of reasons, whether it is related to school, work, friends, family, or their romantic relationship. Some clients even discuss that due to feeling highly stressed, they have a tendency to become angry quickly and lose their patience with a coworker, friend, partner, or perhaps even themselves. We live in a society where people move fast all of the time. I often encourage clients to practice…
Read More
Andrew McNaughton, LCSW, CADC Let’s face it, we all would benefit from improving our communication with each other. While I recommend therapy for anyone seeking to improve their communication skills, this blog will present a basic overview on some of the styles and techniques that can be used to improve your communication. The Four Communication Styles Passive communication occurs when we do not directly communicate our preferences and put the needs of others ahead of our own.…
Read More
Break-ups are never easy, whether it’s a romantic relationship, friendship, a work break-up, or even breaking up with your therapist. There are often mixed emotions of frustration, anger, sadness, happiness, not knowing what the future will hold, etc. A good cry can help, but also talking to a therapist to process what has occurred is helpful. Breaking up with your partner, no matter how long you have been together, is always painful. This blog post will help…
Read More
Maggie Reynolds, LCPC Mainstream media, right-wing media, political art, radio, social media…there is a lot of media available in our modern lives. With smartphones always in hand, our news diets can be to our brains what walking around with endlessly full plates of food hung from our necks would be to our stomachs: unhealthy and unproductive. It can wreak havoc on your mental and physical health, starting with your posture. Here are some of the costs of…
Read More
Madissyn Fredericks, Licensed Professional Counselor, Symmetry Counseling As many of you already know, “Everything in moderation”, is much easier said than done. It is common for individuals to struggle with moderation in at least one area of their life, if not more. Whether it be food, alcohol, emotions, sex, love, or gambling, it can be difficult to obtain a happy medium. When you look at it on a spectrum, some people fall in the middle and are…
Read More
If you read my recent blog post, “Creating Nightly Routines and Why It Is Important,” about how to implement an effective nightly routine, you may have been wondering what the morning routine you set yourself up for looks likes. As a therapist, I see many clients who struggle with starting their day off on “the right side of the bed” due to many stressors. If you had a productive evening routine the night prior, below is a…
Read More
Madissyn Fredericks, Licensed Professional Counselor, Symmetry Counseling Watching your partner battle the ugly symptoms of depression can feel like a devastating and helpless experience. They can’t seem to get out of bed, are irritable, angry, unmotivated, and sad all the time. Where do you even begin? While you try to help in the ways you know how, you may feel like every attempt you make is met with rejection. As their partner you may feel obligated to…
Read More
Shannon M. Duffy, MFT, LCPC Audio Version When discussing the approaches to take towards being open to dating, they typically entail setting expectations and addressing your wants and needs out of a relationship. This mentality can at times bring on anxiety, self-doubt, and feelings of desperation. Taking a different type of approach to dating by incorporating the Dialectic Behavior skill of Mindfulness can create a more present moment focus towards patience in the dating process. The main…
Read More
Madissyn Fredericks, Licensed Professional Counselor, Symmetry Counseling Wake up, go to work, come home, eat dinner, go to bed, repeat. Our days seem so full that we tend to repeat this cycle over and over again throughout our weeks, months, and even sometimes years of our lives. When we engage in such a consistent work-week routine, it can tend to feel like our lives have become “automatic,” “monotonous,” and “exhausting.” When this occurs, we tend to work…
Read MoreDo You Need Help?
Not what you were looking for?