Madissyn Fredericks
Madissyn Fredericks, Licensed Professional Counselor, Symmetry Counseling Everyone goes into their first marriage expecting it to be their last, yet in today’s society, the terms “divorce” and “blended family” (or “stepfamily”) are not foreign concepts. A blended family or stepfamily forms when you and your partner merge your lives together with children from one or both of your previous marriages. Knowing there are many difficulties you and your family may face, it can be incredibly intimidating and…
Read MoreMadissyn Fredericks, Licensed Professional Counselor, Symmetry Counseling We are told that “actively listening” to our significant others will help us connect and communicate with them more effectively. You may think you are a great listener, but the truth is most of us don’t listen as well as we could to those we care about. But what does it mean to “actively listen” to someone? Active listening is a model that includes building rapport and trust with another…
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Madissyn Fredericks, Licensed Professional Counselor, Symmetry Counseling As therapists, our goals include making sure our clients feel heard, understood, validated, and safe during our sessions. We work together with our clients towards a common goal and give our clients the tools they need to better cope with stressors in their lives and relationships. While we strive to make sure our clients have a positive experience with therapy, there may be times that you don’t feel heard, understood,…
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Madissyn Fredericks, Licensed Professional Counselor, Symmetry Counseling Intimate relationships can bring so much light and happiness into our lives, but when they are unhealthy or come to an end, you may feel alone and empty. A quick fix that comes to mind when the relationship causes you to feel this way may be to invest a new love interest. Although going from one relationship to the next may bring you temporary love, excitement, and happiness, is it actually…
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Madissyn Fredericks, Licensed Professional Counselor, Symmetry Counseling What does being single mean to you? It may be getting back to the gym to look your best, going out on the weekends with friends, grabbing drinks after work with co-workers, going on dates, or starting a new hobby. Often when we get into relationships, we tend to get consumed in our new partner and may even begin to lose sight of our single selves in the process. The…
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Madissyn Fredericks, Licensed Professional Counselor, Symmetry Counseling According to marriage researcher and author of The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work, Dr. John Gottman, contempt is found to be the most damaging element in a relationship and the number-one predictor of divorce. This finding can be jarring to read as many people have a difficult time understanding what contempt is and may be unaware that it is present in their relationship. Contempt is described by Dr. Gottman…
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Madissyn Fredericks, Licensed Professional Counselor, Symmetry Counseling In today’s society, the pressure for young adults to be “perfect” seems to be far greater than ever before. With social media so heavily present in our lives, it is easy to get caught up in comparing ourselves to others or wondering how others perceive us. Many people begin to wonder if they are pretty enough, successful enough, smart enough, fit enough, or “liked” enough in the eyes of others.…
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Madissyn Fredericks, Licensed Professional Counselor, Symmetry Counseling We have all heard that happy and successful relationships take work, but often the daily distractions and demands of life get in the way of nurturing our relationships. While date nights are extremely frequent in the early stages of a relationship, they tend to significantly decline over time. Many couples think of date night as a luxury, but it is actually an essential component to maintaining a healthy relationship. A…
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Madissyn Fredericks, Licensed Professional Counselor, Symmetry Counseling We all respond to conflict differently, but it is common for small, petty disagreements to escalate into a nasty fight. You or your partner may begin to yell, say things you don’t mean, call each other names, get angry or aggressive, or bring up old wounds just to hurt the other person. It is easy to get pushed too far during disagreements sometimes, but it is important to recognize when…
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Madissyn Fredericks, Licensed Professional Counselor, Symmetry Counseling In this day and age, it is incredibly easy to turn to social media for validation. You may have 6,000 followers on Instagram, 1,000 friends on Facebook, or you may get hundreds of views every day on your blog, but are you happy with your social support system? Do you feel you have friends that lift you up when you are feeling down or family who are there to listen…
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