Therapy Chicago
By Eric Dean JD, MBA, MA, MA, LPC, CADC We talk about emotions quite a bit in therapy – and for good reason! Expressing and analyzing our emotions in a safe environment has many powerful benefits. However, while many of us can list specific emotions – anger, sadness, happiness – we may not be able to define “emotion.” I have noticed that for many clients, defining “emotion” has helped them precisely identify and more deeply reflect on…
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Written by Kara Thompson, Licensed Social Worker In Part I of this series, we explored the true intention of self-care. We may have begun to recognize the ways in which we may have mislabeled the activities we enjoyed as self-care despite considering their long-term effects on our well-being. Remember, self-care is about prioritizing our self in the now to better honor our overall wellness in the future. Now that we have some background on self-care, let’s dive…
Read MoreWritten by Kara Thompson, Licensed Social Worker Let’s imagine: You woke up at 6 am, hoping to be ready to take on the day but instead feeling a sense of dread. Those 4 glasses of wine the night before sounded great at the time, but we are paying for it this morning. It had been a long day and we thought, “Hey, we deserve it!” But now we’re just tired, groggy, and technically have some time to…
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Mary-Lauren O’Crowley, NCC, LPC It is highly likely that you have heard of or referred to someone as a narcissist. This label is often synonymous with selfishness and a lack of compassion for others. In fact, there is even a popular Greek myth about a man named Narcissus who fell in love with his own reflection, which ultimately led to his demise. But how common is narcissism really and what are its roots? Narcissistic Personality Disorder is a…
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Mary-Lauren O’Crowley, NCC, LPC A person’s wellbeing is not only physical but is an integration between physical (body) and mental (mind) health. There is a strong connection between mind and body. The connection between physical and mental health can be better understood with the help of an example. When you continuously stress over something like job or finances then it can yield stomach problems, muscle pain, and headaches. Similarly, if you have a chronic health problem then it can…
Read MoreSteven Losardo, LMFT When seeing your friends get married or in a happy relationship, it can be hard not to hate being single, but there are better ways to look at it. Use this time of being single to enjoy your freedom, work on yourself, and try new hobbies or interests. You may have not found “the one” yet, but you will in due time. It is always better to be single than be in an unhealthy…
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Steven Losardo, MFT Are you currently in a relationship that seemed promising initially but recently has become not so fun or satisfying anymore? Are you beating yourself up about it, or are you starting to secretly wonder if maybe this new, tougher phase is not entirely your fault? And are you feeling afraid to face some of your own deepest fears about the future of the relationship? The very fact that you are reading this article suggests…
Read MoreBy: Zana Van Der Smissen, LPC, NCC The reality that we face as humans is that the earth is warming up and with that, severe weather such as flooding, heat waves and natural disasters will be more frequent. Now, how these things might affect people will be different depending on where you live, your experiences and your demographics. However, according to the Institute for Economics and Peace, 141 countries will be faced with an ecological threat by…
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By Shannon M. Duffy, MFT, LCPC I love the Olympics, the competition, the drive, the teamwork, the perseverance, all of it. This year at the Olympics all of those were on display along with the honesty on how each athlete has dealt with their own mental health. Front and center were discussions of how the athletes are handing their personal struggles. The pandemic was especially impactful for those Olympic hopefuls who were forced to postpone their dreams…
Read MoreMegan Mulroy, LPC If you work in a helping profession, chances are that you enjoy being of service to others and probably like helping your friends. Maybe you play the ‘mom,’ ‘dad,’ or even ‘therapist,’ in your friend group, or are the first phone call when a friend needs to vent. If you have made a career out of this very special skill, like nurse/doctor, teacher, social worker, or therapist, there might also be a good chance…
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