mental health
Written by Kara Thompson, Licensed Social Worker “Friendship, a state of enduring affection, esteem, intimacy, and trust between two people. “ – Britannica When thinking about growing up as a child, some of us may be able to recall both sweet and bitter memories around our journey of making friends. Maybe you’re able to remember that time in 2nd grade that you invited a classmate to a playdate but were fiercely rejected. Or maybe you have stored…
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By: Bridgette W. Gottwald, LPC, NCC We can all agree – arguing stinks. Although marriage can be one of the most wonderful and rewarding parts of life, it can also be challenging and it’s something that has to be constantly worked on. All close and intimate relationships experience conflict sometimes. It can be healthy and productive as long as we go about it in the right ways. General, agreed-upon rules can help! I always tell my clients…
Read MoreJessica Pontis, LCSW Let’s face it, the better part of the last 18 months has been incredibly overwhelming for most of us. As we face increasing numbers in Covid-19 cases we may be asked to pull from what limited emotional reserves we have left to see this pandemic out. In order to do this, we may have to learn the important skill of emotional budgeting. When we think of financial budgeting we think of planning out how…
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By Andrew McNaughton, LCSW, CADC Symmetry Counseling Chicago Harm reduction is a behavior change approach through which an individual reduces their exposure to risk without a complete elimination of the problematic behavior, all while giving oneself the opportunity to learn important new life coping skills. This is for people who are contemplating significant behavior change, but are not ready to completely stop the behavior since they lack skills to cope with emotional discomfort they soothe with their…
Read MoreBy Andrew McNaughton, LCSW, CADC Symmetry Counseling Chicago In working with clients in individual psychotherapy, there are times when progress has slowed or become increasingly difficult to sustain. A mentor of mine once told me, “Therapy treats the mind while psychiatry treats the brain.” Psychiatry is the practice of utilizing medical interventions by a MD to treat mood disorders. It is not the same as therapy, as psychiatrists primarily focus on the treatment of symptoms through medication…
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Matthew Cuddeback LCSW First and foremost, we all have our own substance we use and sometimes misuse. For many it’s caffeine, alcohol, or food. For many others its prescription meds, marijuana, or opiates. For others still it might not be a substance, it might be a behavior such as going to the gym, or risky sexual behaviors. It is good, when discussing this issue, to recognize that we all have our own base level struggles here. So,…
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By: Danielle Bertini, LPC Leaving an abusive relationship usually isn’t as easy as simply walking out the door. Aside from the logistics of having to find a new place to live, supporting yourself, and sometimes children being involved, you might also feel tied to your partner and feel unable to break away. This emotional attachment, which is known as a trauma bond, develops out of a repeated cycle of abuse, devaluation, and positive reinforcement (Raypole, 2020). This…
Read MoreBy: Bridgette W. Gottwald, LPC, NCC If you read my previous blog post, you were introduced to some of the self-sabotaging beliefs and behaviors that inhibit you from getting what you want. Here is part two of this series that continues to share encouragement and reasons why you deserve to live a life full of meaning that you desire. Go for It Watching someone else completely go for it can be extremely upsetting to a person who…
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By: Bridgette W. Gottwald, LPC, NCC Are you looking to identify and change some of the self-sabotaging beliefs and behaviors that inhibit you from getting what you want? If so, Jen Sincero’s number-one New York Times Best Seller You Are a Badass would be a great place for you to start. This blog will share important lessons, reflections, and takeaways from this book. How Did I Get This Way? In my practice, I have always emphasized that it is…
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By Andrew McNaughton, LCSW, CADC Imagine a hula hoop around you. This is your boundary with the world. Inside the hula hoop is everything that you have absolute control over: your thoughts, your words, your actions, and even your emotions! What about outside your hula hoop? That represents everything you cannot control. Some things we have no influence over whatsoever, such as the weather, events in the world, whether the White Sox will go all the way…
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