Therapy
The holidays can be highly stressful and anxiety-provoking for many. It often involves multiple potentially stressful elements, including interacting with people whom we may not normally encounter. Working with a therapist can help to prepare for your unique holiday situation, although it is likely some common themes will emerge. Find “the why.” Too often, we lose sight of the purpose of our behavior. Routine is important, yet it is all too easy to fall into the trap…
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Madissyn Fredericks, Licensed Professional Counselor, Symmetry Counseling Chicago As your wedding is quickly approaching, you may begin to experience an unsettling and nervous feeling as you realize you are about to commit yourself to your partner for life. You may have thoughts such as, “What am I getting myself into?”, “What if this doesn’t work out for us?”, or even ask yourself “Am I settling?” If you are feeling uneasy or are having these thoughts, you are…
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Madissyn Fredericks, Licensed Professional Counselor, Symmetry Counseling Are you and your partner fighting more lately? Are you both too busy to get a good night sleep? Is one of you getting poor sleep on the couch to not disturb the other? Many people struggle with sleep problems and it has been empirically proven that lack of sleep has a greater impact on our lives and relationships than we imagine. Every couple experiences some sort of relationship conflict,…
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For those unfamiliar, the prospect of starting therapy can be daunting. It is often a realm of thought, emotion, and vulnerability that many of us work so diligently to ignore. You may have also have been in therapy before yet struggled to see the results, which can make the prospect of re-engaging somewhat scary. While understandable, there are a few factors which can help make your therapy experience positive and beneficial. Pick a therapist who is right…
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Madissyn Fredericks, Licensed Professional Counselor, Symmetry Counseling Is your partner constantly blaming you for things that go wrong in the relationship? Do they mock you or try to control you? Emotional abuse can creep into any relationship and often leaves the object of abuse with feelings of insecurity, guilt, and a lack of confidence. Emotional abuse is defined as a form of abuse, characterized by a person subjecting, or exposing, another person to behavior that may result…
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Amanda Gregory, LCPC, Symmetry Counseling Chicago Sadness is a healthy emotion that we all experience sometimes. But depression is far from healthy. As a therapist who has worked with depressed clients for more than a decade, I know it can be difficult to tell if what you feel is healthy sadness or harmful depression. There are some common symptoms you can look out for that will help you to identify if you’re experiencing depression. Persistent Depressed Mood…
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The twenty-four-hour news cycle, covering what can feel like an increasingly violent and chaotic world, is enough to make anyone feel overwhelmed, depressed, and disheartened. This blog entry is written in the immediate aftermath of the Las Vegas mass shooting, yet it is entirely possible that by its posting, another tragic event will have unfolded. While some outlets do take special care to honor victims, a significant portion is often devoted to analyzing details about the horrific…
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Anne Brennan Malec, PsyD, LMFT I have worked as a couples counselor for about 15 years. In that tim,e I have found that there tend to be a few common problems that couples struggle with which bring them into the offices of Symmetry Counseling; poor communication is at the top of that list. Couples within a relationship are always communicating, even with nonverbal interactions when one or the other may be engaging in the silent treatment. I…
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Therapists often use “mindfulness” as a technique to teach clients how to be more present-focused and ultimately learn to be more attuned to one’s thoughts, emotions, and bodily sensations without judgment. Mindfulness is not a new concept; in fact, it has been around for centuries and is commonly associated with Buddhism and meditation. Studies tell us that practicing mindfulness can decrease the negative effects of stress; reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety; and can improve sleep, mood,…
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On a recent episode of the tastytrade podcast “Connect the Dots,” Dr. Anne Malec visited the studio to explain financial therapy. As a leading financial therapist, Dr. Malec offers a wealth of information to listeners about what financial therapy can offer them. What is Financial Therapy? As Dr. Malec explains in the podcast, financial therapy is the unpacking of thoughts, behaviors, and emotions that can lead to poor financial choices through the use of a professional therapist. As…
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