Therapy
To quote one of my favorite shows, Game of Thrones, “Winter is coming.” Some people love winter in the Midwest. We get to experience the beautiful snow and celebrate the holiday season. Others, however, dislike winter. We view it as getting colder, we notice that we don’t see the sun as often, and we start to realize just how warm and comfortable our bed truly is. Whether you enjoy the winter or not, you may begin to…
At Symmetry Counseling, we are now accepting reader-submitted questions for our blog! This week, a reader writes in to ask about relationship boredom. If you are feeling bored in your relationship, does that mean you should break up? In the video above, Dr. Anne Malec answers this question. It is typical for us to hear this concern in our practice, so if you are experiencing boredom in your relationship, you aren’t alone. After being with someone for…
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…
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…
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,…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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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