Psychologist Chicago
Our attachment style is highly influenced by our early childhood and romantic experiences. There are many resources out there that explain attachment, the four core styles of attachment, and how each is displayed in individuals and in romantic partnerships. Interestingly, there is less research and discussion around how attachment influences our relationships with the deceased, and how our attachment to that deceased loved one will influence our grieving process. One thing to note about this is that…
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Matthew Cuddeback, LCSW Often times we experience something, think something, or identify with something and then take it and incorporate it into our story. The most obvious examples of this are when we were young and we heard a certain kind of music and suddenly decided that was a defining aspect of our character, we listened to Nirvana for the first time and went and cut holes in our jeans, stopped washing our hair, and got super…
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Matthew Cuddeback, LCSW When working in the field of mental health, we often utilize SMART goals. SMART is an acronym for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-Based. The reason we do this (as in many fields) is because we often have a great idea and a great goal and can’t wait to get there. However, it can be incredibly easy to get side-tracked, lose sight, or feel overwhelmed, when we have something big we want to accomplish…
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Cal Newport is a professor at Georgetown University and author who writes about academic and professional success, technology, minimalism, culture, and the intersection of these topics. In his 2007 book How to Become a Straight-A Student: The Unconventional Strategies Real College Students Use to Score High While Studying Less, Newport outlines a useful time management system. Not only is it applicable to the general public (it’s not just useful for young college students), it’s flexible and focuses…
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I work with many clients who are struggling with anxiety and/or depression. My job as their clinical therapist is to help the client understand possible reasons/triggers for their anxiety and possible coping mechanisms for it. Some clients have no idea if they have anxiety, but they know they are feeling burned out from their personal and/or professional life. They have simply had enough and need guidance on coping. I recently read an article from Fast Company, that…
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In today’s world, stress has become a chronic condition many of us struggle with. With how fast paced our lives are and the exposure we have to social media and the news, it’s no wonder this is becoming a growing issue. When we feel stressed or hear others say they’re feeling stressed what exactly does this mean? Stress is when your body feels an external threat and as a result enters “fight or flight” mode. “Fight or…
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Paula Gonzalez MA, LPC Did you know that sleep impacts not only your physical health but your mental health as well? Most of us have experienced the symptoms of lack sleep, such as red burning eyes, headaches, feeling sluggish, reduction of coordinated, increased clumsiness and poor balance. But the lack of quality sleep on mental health are of interest and the focus of this blog. According to the National Sleep Foundation, the amount of sleep the average…
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Amanda Ann Gregory, LCPC, EMDR Certified “How are you?” “I’m fine.” “Are you really fine?” “No, but that’s not what you want to hear.” Do you truly want to know about someone’s well-being? If so, the question “how are you?” may not be the best option. The question “how are you?” tends to invite responses that are short, inaccurate, superficial, and polite. If that’s not want you want, then you might consider a few alternatives. I came…
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In my previous blog post, Internal Family Systems and the Eight C’s: Part One, I briefly explained the basic idea of what Internal Family Systems (IFS) theory is and one of its tenets, which is the concept of the Eight C’s. As humans, we function as our most aware, centered Selves when we operate from the Eight C’s. I discussed the first four C’s which are calmness, clarity, curiosity, and compassion. In this post, I will explore…
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It’s no secret we live in a very fast paced, high stress world. With the influx of social media, news outlets, increasing expectations both personally and professionally, it’s no surprise many of us experience burnout, compassion fatigue, and just overall exhaustion. While there are many things we do have control of, we cannot control unexpected everyday stressors. However, we do have the ability to shift how we respond to these stressors and the impact we allow them…
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