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Being “Perfect” Isn’t Always Perfect

December 2, 2018

Madissyn Fredericks, Licensed Professional Counselor, Symmetry Counseling What does it mean to be a perfectionist? It is easy to believe that those who classify as a perfectionist are on track to become perfect, but that is far from the truth. Being a perfectionist isn’t necessarily about things being “perfect”, but needing to be and striving for it at any cost. For example, a perfectionist may hold beliefs such as “I am not okay as I am”, “No…

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How to Date Mindfully

December 1, 2018

Shannon M. Duffy, MFT, LCPC Audio Version When discussing the approaches to take towards being open to dating, they typically entail setting expectations and addressing your wants and needs out of a relationship. This mentality can at times bring on anxiety, self-doubt, and feelings of desperation. Taking a different type of approach to dating by incorporating the Dialectic Behavior skill of Mindfulness can create a more present moment focus towards patience in the dating process. The main…

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6 Tips to Strengthen Your Relationship with Your Pet

November 30, 2018

Amanda Gregory, LCPC, EMDR As a therapist, I always ask new clients if they have a pet. It might seem like an odd question, but research studies have indicated that having a relationship with a pet can positively impact your physical and mental health. To make the most of that positive influence, it’s important to ensure that your bonds with your pet are strong. So how do you strengthen a relationship with an animal? Try these six…

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What To Do When Your Routine Feels Repetitive

November 29, 2018

Madissyn Fredericks, Licensed Professional Counselor, Symmetry Counseling Wake up, go to work, come home, eat dinner, go to bed, repeat. Our days seem so full that we tend to repeat this cycle over and over again throughout our weeks, months, and even sometimes years of our lives. When we engage in such a consistent work-week routine, it can tend to feel like our lives have become “automatic,” “monotonous,” and “exhausting.” When this occurs, we tend to work…

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3 Ways To Say You Aren’t Interested Other Than Ghosting

November 28, 2018

Madissyn Fredericks, Licensed Professional Counselor, Symmetry Counseling Being a part of the dating scene these days includes a lot of swipes, coffee dates, drinks, laughs, great connections, and even some bad dates. The easy and very common way to let someone know you aren’t interested is to “ghost” them. Ghosting someone entails ceasing all communication and contact with them without warning or explanation. To be honest, most of you have probably thought about ghosting someone at some…

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Creating Nightly Routines and Why It is Important

November 27, 2018

I work with many clients who struggle to get their days started without feeling overwhelmed, stressed, depressed, or anxious. What many individuals fail to realize is that waking up on the “right side of the bed” starts with your nightly routine. While they are completely different parts of the day, having a relaxing, yet proactive and productive nightly routine can make for a better start to your morning, especially if you are someone that is required to…

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Adjusting to the Single Life

November 26, 2018

Your relationship just ended. You may have been dating for a couple of months, a couple of years, engaged, or married. You may be feeling sadness, relief, joy, devastation, or a combination of many emotions. Even with the end of an intimate relationship, you may have to maintain a platonic relationship due to sharing children or being in the same friend group. Regardless of your circumstance, the transition from being in a relationship to being single can…

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What is Emotional Intelligence, and How Can I Implement It in My Professional Life?

November 24, 2018

I work with many clients who are incredibly stressed in their professional lives, including having challenging colleagues or not getting along with their boss. When talking with them, I help them discover what kind of coping skills can help them with their day-to-day professional stressors. It is very common to feel overwhelmed while at work, especially if you have a work culture environment that is less than ideal. One thing I commonly bring up to my clients…

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6 Ways to Stay Healthy During the Holidays

November 23, 2018

Now that we’re at the end of November, holiday season is in full swing! Hopefully you just had a great Thanksgiving and people everywhere will continue celebrating various holidays through January. All the joys of the season coexist alongside all of its difficulties and struggles. To help keep yourself healthy over the next few months, keep these tips in mind: 1. Get your sleep. The holidays bring a lot of disruptions in normal schedules and routines for…

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Ground Yourself in Moments of Anxiety

November 22, 2018

Anxiety is a common emotion that we all share and, at times, it is actually useful. Its helpful functions are to alert you to danger or threat and to increase your awareness and motivation of a task that needs your attention (preparing for a presentation, or checking on your sleeping child). It is when anxiety gets out of control that it can become problematic and dominate the emotional state. High anxiety can manifest in many different ways,…

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