Therapy Chicago Archives
I work with many clients who struggle with procrastination. My job as their clinical therapist is to help them understand possible reasons why they are procrastinating things in their life, whether it is in their professional or personal life. Once we figure out why they are procrastinating things, I then help provide possible coping skills to help them with their procrastination tendencies. I recently read an article from FastCompany that touched on this very topic, “Procrastination is…
When it comes to our jobs, we are going to experience a wide range of situations and emotions as long as we are in the work force. You may have a job or career that you love, or you may have a job that you are feeling unfulfilled by. And of course, there’s a wide range of situations and experiences in between. If you are in the work force, you may even experience a point in time…
Andrew McNaughton, LCSW, CADC Many of us believe that we are controlled by our anger and that we cannot manage it. It may feel very real in the moment, but our anger can certainly be managed. This is accomplished by identifying, disputing, and improving our self-talk from irrational to rational in five simple steps: Identify Your Anger It may seem obvious, but the first step to managing our anger is recognizing when we are angry. Physical symptoms…
Steven Topper, LCPC Many people come into therapy looking for a quick fix. If I could just communicate with my partner more clearly, if I could just make my boss understand I’m doing my job well, If I could just defeat this sadness. We think that if we can be given solutions to these problems, that we will be free to go about our lives with much less discomfort. When people look a little closer at their…
Steven Topper, LCPC As we move toward the end of Summer, so many of us look back on the past few months and think: I wish I could bottle that up. Doesn’t it seem like there’s so much to do during those precious few beautiful months? Outdoors, socializing, exploration – it can feel like the city opens up in unique ways for a few months. And then we turn ahead with worry, here we go again, winter.…
I work with many clients who are struggling with depression related to a number of factors. Often times, I have noticed that clients who are struggling with depression also tend to discuss they feel lonely. As their clinical therapist, I help clients understand possible reasons why they are experiencing loneliness and then possible coping strategies to beat this lonely feeling. I recently read an article from Scientific American that touched on this very topic, “A Solution for…
Amanda Gregory, LCPC, EMDR Isn’t exercise supposed to be a good thing? You are constantly being told by doctors, loved ones, therapists, and the media that you need to exercise in order to receive a variety of health and psychological benefits. If this is true (and it is) then why is exercise causing you to feel anxious? Physical Reactions. Your body’s natural reaction to exercise can be similar to your body’s reaction to anxiety. These similar physical…
Amanda Gregory, LCPC, EMDR Would you like to feel closer to someone in your life? Attachment exercises can help. There is overwhelming research regarding the importance of developing secure attachments, as your relationships have a direct impact on your physical and psychological health. Whether it be a significant other, a child, a friend, or a family member, having and maintaining secure attachments in your relationships is a key ingredient to your wellbeing. Try these attachment exercises to…
Amanda Gregory, LCPC, EMDR Grieving the loss of a pet can be deeply painful, especially when the intensity of that grief surprises both the person experiencing it and those around them. Pets are often part of daily routines, emotional support, and personal identity, so their absence can feel unsettling in many ways. At Symmetry Counseling, we frequently see how pet loss grief carries layers of attachment, memory, and meaning that deserve patience and respect rather than quick…
There seems to be a lot of hype and news coverage recently about using a holistic and mind-body connection approach in taking care of our health and bodies. As a therapist, I have the privilege of working with clients who cope with chronic pain from migraine headaches and limited or decreased breathing capacity caused by stress. These individuals struggle with migraine headaches and feel debilitated from coping with these ever present-headaches. The individuals who struggle with compromised…
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