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By Andrew McNaughton, LCSW, CADC Depending on your age and social circle, it certainly may seem like everyone, or nearly everyone, is drinking alcohol, whether it be the occasional drink once or twice a month or regular weekend binges. The reality is, no, of course not everyone drinks, and there are recent statistics to pour over, courtesy of the annual federal government survey. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) releases their results from the…
Read MoreBy Andrew McNaughton, LCSW, CADC Gambling has pretty much always been popular since money has existed. Today, it is as immediately accessible as it ever has been through online lottery purchases and mobile apps for casinos and sportsbooks, where players can win and lose real money really fast. In Illinois, online sports betting became legal in 2020, just in time for the professional football season to start. Advertisements for titillating promotions make the lure of trying sports…
Read MoreBy: Danielle Bertini, LPC Have you ever heard of compassion fatigue? Maybe you heard it from the job you work at or from a family member. Maybe you’ve actually never heard of it before. Compassion fatigue can be a serious hazard, especially for those working in helping professions. This isn’t surprising, as those with the most empathy are the most at risk. So, what is it? Compassion fatigue is characterized by “physical and emotional exhaustion…
Read MoreAriannah Hood, LMSW Everyone deals with anxiety to varying degrees and if you find yourself dealing with intense and consistent anxiety it can be helpful to know what is going on inside your brain and what you can do to counter it. Anxiety is a response to perceived danger and stressful events. We can actually credit stress and anxiety for helping our primitive ancestors survive by staying vigilant and responding appropriately to dangerous situations. However, today we…
Read MoreBy: Bridgette W. Gottwald, LPC, NCC More often than not, we defend ourselves and our actions – sometimes without even realizing it. Maybe if we weren’t so busy explaining ourselves to others, we’d have more room for important things like compassion, understanding, and empathy. What Are the Id, Ego, and Superego? Often when the word “ego” is used, many people think that we are referring to the way someone feels about themselves. In psychology, the id, ego,…
Read MoreAmanda Gregory, LCPC You have to get good sleep. If not, you’re risking your physical and emotional health. But, what if you simply cannot fall asleep in the first place. Perhaps you’ve tried new methods to improve your sleep. Yet, you may need to focus on cutting out certain aspects that could be hindering her ability to fall asleep. If you’re having trouble falling asleep consider avoiding these behaviors: Raising Your Body Temperature. Your body temperature naturally…
Read MoreAs discussed in part 1 of this blog post understanding the relationship between our stress levels and texting can allow us to provide ourselves with grace. Instead of throwing our phones across the room when we receive a text, take a pause acknowledge the validity of our feelings. The more we understand our emotional responses the more understanding we are of ourselves. More information being the growing struggle of social overload is discussed below. Conditioned Anxiety Prior…
Read MoreAs we deal with the ongoing pandemic of Covid-19, social distancing and isolation remain ways to ensure the safety of ourselves and loved ones. Because of this reality, texting, group chats, phone calls and facetimes have become our only connection to friends, family and loved ones. So, if our phones are a way to seek support, comfort and connection, why do many of us want to throw our phones when we receive a text? Can texting increase…
Read MoreBy: Danielle Bertini, LPC Stress definitely has a bad reputation, and for good reasons. When the clock strikes midnight on New Year’s Eve, not many people are wishing for “more stress” in the year to come. And there is science to back this up, as stress is often linked with negative health and well-being outcomes. However, Stanford psychologist Alia Crum and her colleagues write about how “the truth of stress is not so grim” (Pogosyan,…
Read MoreJessica Pontis, LCSW As we move from winter into spring, we experience change, almost as if the sunlight and blossoms inspire an emotional renaissance. With this change in season let us take the time to do some spring cleaning, to look at ourselves and our relationships and determine what patterns we would like to change. An honest examination of our own relationships requires mindful purpose and meaningful action, as well as a gentleness that comes with…
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