suicide
Many people have heard of the condition called Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), characterized by a depressed mood that onsets in fall and winter. SAD is not (any longer) a distinct diagnosis, but is now a commonly used term to describe a very real condition, depression with a seasonal pattern. Winter is the most common season for this, so with fall upon us and winter quickly approaching, perhaps it is helpful to take a closer look at what…
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Madissyn Fredericks, Licensed Professional Counselor, Symmetry Counseling We tend to grow up believing our fairy tale, other half, or soulmate is going to come into our lives exactly when we want them to. The truth is, we don’t know when someone special is going to enter our lives. For many of us, there will be a lot of swiping, bad dates, heartbreak, and rejection before we find a strong connection with someone. This means that you could…
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The recent mural to honor the Late Robin Williams in Chicago has made news, and of course, many emotions. This has been bringing back memories of his cause of death, along with other celebrities who passed in 2018 due to suicide. Often, we have friends or family members who are going through a difficult time (or even ourselves), and this can lead to thoughts of suicide. It’s important to recognize the signs of someone who is struggling,…
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I work with many clients who struggle with their anxiety. To assess where the client’s anxiety is stemming from, I help them track their thinking patterns, which can allow the client to start changing those patterns. Doing these types of thought exercises can change their emotions, feelings, and actions; this type of intervention is called Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). It takes a lot of practice to change thinking patterns, and you need to start tapping into your…
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Amanda Gregory, LCPC, EMDR Practitioner Do you sometimes feel that you need an active parent in your life even though you’re already an adult? The ability to take care of oneself as an adult, commonly called adulting, can be difficult to learn and even harder to achieve consistently. But it is required in order to live independently. You can succeed at adulting by learning to act as your own parent. First, think of yourself as a child.…
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Unfortunately, summer in Chicago has come and gone (so quickly!)! Now we are feeling the cooler weather and leaves fall, that just means winter is coming, and it will be here longer than we want. Usually people try to escape Chicago winters and go somewhere warm since as we all know, our winters last an eternity. Sometimes with our schedules, we cannot escape Chicago, so in this post I am going to help you identify ways that…
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Many of my clients speak to me about their struggles with anxiety and depression. Not only do we discuss the roots of their anxiety and depression, but we also discuss possible coping skills to help reduce their anxiety and depression. One specific coping skill I ask my clients about is if they have considered meditation or mindfulness techniques. The reason I ask clients about this particular coping skill is because I have read numerous articles that show…
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Madissyn Fredericks, Licensed Professional Counselor, Symmetry Counseling Whether you are at a work event, family gathering, or a cocktail party, we can often feel an intense pressure to be able to work the room. Take a minute to think about what kind of person comes to mind when you think of someone who is great at working the room at events. Most people may think of a person that may be charming, outgoing, extroverted, and a great…
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Madissyn Fredericks, Licensed Professional Counselor, Symmetry Counseling While stress is a normal aspect of life, the symptoms of stress can feel unbearable or intolerable. The numerous sleepless nights, racing thoughts, irritability, excessive worry, rapid heart rate, muscle tension, and the inability to concentrate are just a few of the many symptoms of stress that can interfere with your life. While some people can cope well with stress, others need a little more guidance. If you are living…
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Madissyn Fredericks, Licensed Professional Counselor, Symmetry Counseling We often believe that being hard on ourselves will push us to be better people. However, that exact self-criticism we are using to “grow” could be the number one thing that is bringing us down. Some common examples of negative thoughts people have about themselves include “I am stupid”, “You can do better than this”, “You aren’t good enough”, “You are a failure”.These cruel words and statements we make to…
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