Psychologist Chicago
Social media is a prevalent platform that many, if not most, people in our society participate in. Whether you use Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or Snapchat, or a combination of them, you know how easy it is to get caught up in the medias and the interactions that you have on them. Social media is perceived to be an outlet that allows us to stay connected with our friends and peers, as an easy tool that allows us…
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Steven Topper, LCPC On any given day we’ll be asked one question that, for the most part, afford only three acceptable answers. When I get asked, “How are you?” I know that I can say: I’m great; I’m good; or I’m alright (though for that last one, make sure there’s a bit of cheer and smile in my voice!). It’s all well meaning, people don’t want to bother others, often we’re only being asked because the asker…
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I work with many clients who are frustrated with a lack of fulfillment in their life, whether it is in their personal or professional life. For some clients, they are hoping to find clarity of what their passions are, and then to implement them in their personal, professional, or for some lucky people, like myself, they are able to implement them in both. As a clinical therapist, I have always been passionate about connecting to people and…
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How did you develop the way that you think about the world around you? Did you learn it from your parents, from school, or from your job? I recently read an article titled “The 2 Mental Shifts Highly Successful People Make” by Benjamin P. Hardy. Hardy discusses two major changes in thinking people make that ultimately lead to a higher likelihood of success. To begin this process, we must unlearn the way we think about the world…
Read MoreMadissyn Fredericks, Licensed Professional Counselor Anger is an emotion that we have all felt at some point in our lives. While we have all experienced it, many don’t realize anger is considered a secondary emotion. A secondary emotion is defined as an emotional reaction we have to a primary emotion such as sadness, hurt, rejection, trapped, humiliation, etc. When we react with anger it feels automatic and sometimes uncontrollable, but we do it to protect ourselves from…
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Often times we are not honest with ourselves even though we can trick ourselves with being honest. We tell our friends to be honest and we try to be honest as much as we can, but we all have faults and we tend to fall off at times. You might have a friend that is not 100% honest with you at all times, and sometimes separation occurs. Don’t be that person that is being separated from their…
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The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) serves over one million passengers each day. If you live in Chicago or have ever visited the bustling city, you are likely familiar with the CTA and the “L” train system. With so many daily passengers and endless possibilities for mishaps or “interesting situations”, the “L” can at times be a stressful experience for anyone involved. How does this apply to individuals who utilize the CTA and have mental illness? Having either…
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Steven Topper When I was young, I learned about forgiveness. My teachers and parents explained that when someone wrongs me in some way, it’s up to me to say, “I forgive you.” In fact, adults would typically place the person in front of me, ask them to say, “Sorry,” and wait for that very response. Often the reverse was true too, with me asking for forgiveness from another kid. For me, the conversation stopped there for many…
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While so much of mental illness is stigmatized through movies, television, and news, few topics are as divisive as non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI). In critically acclaimed movies such as Black Swan and The Wrestler, depictions of NSSI often come from wounded protagonists who clearly suffer from profound mental health issues. Clinical definitions of nonsuicidal self-injury describe the behavior as: Direct and self-inflicted destruction or alteration of body tissue occurring without suicidal intent or developmental disorder. The most common…
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Matthew Cuddeback, LCSW The ideas that millennials are too disengaged or unwilling to put in hard work have unfortunately been taken as fact for years, regardless of the fact that nobody can agree on exactly what a millennial is or that those who make these arguments are ignoring how the world is so completely different now than it was 20, 30, 40 years ago. We live in a world in which social media looms over all aspects…
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