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How to Emotionally Respond to Global Warming

November 29, 2019
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According to the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication, younger generations have become increasingly concerned about global warming and environment issues. They found that seventy percent of adults aged 18 to 34 worry about global warming. As a therapist, I’ve heard an increase in emotional concern from younger clients about the environment, even to the point of these folks feeling depressed about it at times. They feel discouraged and hopeless after hearing news coverage and seeing friends’…

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Self-Care for Therapists: Part II

November 27, 2019
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In my previous post, I reflected the necessity of maintaining healthy self-care habits for clinicians. Establishing a healthy work-life balance is beneficial to your home relationships, as well as your clients. I have provided a few tips as a way to help incorporate self-care techniques into your lives (this is beneficial for you readers who are not clinicians as well!): Be Mindful: Take time for yourself to understand what self-care activities work for you. Be mindful of…

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Meditation

November 23, 2019
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Shannon M. Duffy, MFT, LCPC Meditation has soared past being the just the latest trend. Research has been presenting the benefits for years and most practitioners in the fields of health and wellness are noting the importance of what finding more calm can do for your lifestyle. However, I still notice the hesitation within my therapeutic practice of those individuals who are unsure of what meditation entails and if they can even attempt to find calm within…

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Understanding How Important – And Unimportant – You Are

November 15, 2019
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Every one of us is a unique human being, worthy just by existing on this planet. We are all important in various ways to ourselves and others, and we owe it to ourselves to understand how we relate to others. Emotionally focused therapy can help individuals explore these dynamics, deepening their ability to connect with others while maintaining a healthy sense of self. At the same time, it is also beneficial to understand just how unimportant we are to…

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The Importance of Emotional Movement

November 13, 2019
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Matthew Cuddeback, LCSW Winston Churchill said “If you’re going through hell, keep going.” This quote stuck with me long after I heard it, it is incredibly profound for many different reasons. Churchill was saying this, as a rousing orator, to motivate the British people during the second World War. However, I find that it is also incredibly impactful for when we are waging our own internal wars as a guide for how to see our way through…

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The Relationship Between Optimism and Longevity

November 11, 2019
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Danielle Bertini According to a decades-long study that was published August 26, 2019, men and women with greater optimistic tend to live longer than their pessimistic peers. The research identifies a strong correlation between optimistic and “exceptional longevity,” which is described as living to age 85 or older (Bergland, 2019). So what is an optimist? And would you consider yourself one? Generally, optimists tend to look on the bright side of things and have positive expectations about…

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Practice! Practice! Practice!

November 9, 2019
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The process of therapy can be very rewarding. Watching yourself adapt and improve can feel very powerful, especially when mastering a new challenge you didn’t think yourself capable of before. It’s easy to get frustrated because therapy is non-linear and can feel stalled at times. There are even times when it feels worse before it feels better. I have a tip on how to make the most of your time on the couch. Therapy is a very…

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Why Telling Your Story is Important to Your Brain

November 7, 2019
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If you were to try and tell the story of your life, how complete would it be? Would it be a straight line start to finish? Have you ever played an instrument when you were young, stopped for years, played it casually one day, and discovered there were a lot of songs you used to know that come back only when you are playing? I know once I start talking about something, I’ll remember six other connecting…

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Are you an Introvert or an Extrovert?

November 5, 2019
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When you think of being an introvert or an extrovert, what do you think of? Do you think of once referring to yourself, as “I am an outgoing introvert,” or speaking of their friend who is the “life of the party” and they are “the most extroverted person I know.” I have realized that we have begun to think that the difference between the two dimensions of personality are that extroverted people are outgoing, and introverted people…

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How Can the Seasons Affect Our Mood?

November 3, 2019
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I hate to say it, but winter is coming. If you saw our Instagram post from Symmetry Counseling on November 1, 2019, 95% of Symmetry Counselors prefer fall over winter! Do you prefer fall or winter? What is your favorite season? With us having our first snow just a few weeks, on Halloween, we can only prepare for more snow and cold-at least in the Chicagoland area. Unfortunately, the cold lasts a few months, and it actualy…

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