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Avoid the Four Horsemen

October 18, 2018
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We may have all heard of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, death, famine, war, and conquest; however, have you heard of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse for communication? According to Dr. John Gottman, the Four Horsemen are Criticism, Contempt, Defensiveness, and Stonewalling. He labeled these communication styles as the Four Horsemen, because research was able to predict the end of a relationship when these styles were being used in communication. As a therapist, I see…

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How to Strengthen Bonds with Your Chosen Family

October 16, 2018
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Amanda Gregory, LCPC, EMDR Practitioner Blood is thicker than water. This familiar proverb might not mean what you think. It may not refer to the strength of genetic family ties but to the power of the bonds we forge with those outside our biological family. Some believe that the phrase “Blood is thicker than water” originated from the saying “The blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb,” which conveys that those who…

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Quiet Your Inner Critic

October 11, 2018
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“I didn’t try hard enough” “I won’t be able to do that” “I look bad today” Do any of these phrases sound familiar? Unfortunately, most of us are used to hearing this negative self-talk and it can be very detrimental to our general well-being and mental health. Let’s examine negative self-talk and a way to combat it. What is negative self-talk? Often referred to as the “inner critic”, negative self-talk is the tiny voice in your head…

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Getting Yourself Out of a Mental Rut

October 10, 2018
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We all have moments of being really happy one second, and then really down the next. We like to call that a mental rut. But how do you get yourself out of that? It is not pleasant being in in a state of all joy and then feeling completely different the next moment. When feeling this way, you need to first admit to yourself that you are in a rut and think positively that you will get…

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The Dangers Of Comparing Yourself To Others

October 9, 2018
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Madissyn Fredericks, Licensed Professional Counselor, Symmetry Counseling If you are constantly finding yourself in the tempting yet dangerous head space of comparing yourself to others, you are not alone. Comparing ourselves to others is a natural way for us to evaluate ourselves and can be used as an opportunity for growth. While it can be used as motivation it is often taken too far and leads individuals down a dangerous rabbit hole of self-doubt and insecurity. With…

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Is It The Baby Blues or Postpartum Depression?

October 3, 2018
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Madissyn Fredericks, Licensed Professional Counselor, Symmetry Counseling As you bring a new baby into the world, you may expect to be in a state of pure bliss and happiness. Instead, you might have gotten blindsided by a whirlwind of negative emotions such as anxiety, stress, sadness, loneliness, and moodiness. While you may have been looking forward to finally getting to bond with your baby, you end up feeling guilty because you can’t stop this rollercoaster of emotions.…

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5 Ways to Handle Crisis

September 28, 2018
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Throughout their lives, many people will go through a crisis or challenging occurrence. While experiencing crises and challenges is a normal part of life, not everyone knows how to handle or respond to a crisis while experiencing it. I find that many clients of mine are attempting to cope with a crisis in their life and are looking for skills to utilize when the crisis is currently occurring, or even to handle a crisis that happened in…

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Coping With Anxiety At Work

September 24, 2018
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Madissyn Fredericks, Licensed Professional Counselor, Symmetry Counseling Have you ever been sitting at your desk at work and felt overwhelming anxiety? It can often feel like you can’t escape the racing thoughts and excessive worry as you are stuck trying to complete your work. You may feel like you can’t just get up and leave to go for a walk or get some air, so what can you do? Anxiety can be debilitating in all areas of…

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How to Choose the Right Counselor

September 17, 2018
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Being able to find the right counselor for anyone can be really difficult. It is just like finding a doctor or dentist that you like, but with your therapist, you have to feel comfortable with them due to the amount of information you will be divulging to them. It is difficult to open up to anyone and even more to a stranger. Feeling comfortable in having the right therapist is key. In this blog post, I will…

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8 Simple Steps for Choosing the Right Therapist in Chicago

September 14, 2018
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When feeling depressed, anxious, or struggling with your personal relationships, it can be very tricky to pick yourself up and to start to feel better. One way to move toward that goal of feeling better is initiating therapy. If you’ve made the decision to start feeling better, congratulations! You are one step closer to feeling better! Initiating this big step in your life can be stressful as is, but picking the right counselor can also be overwhelming,…

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