Live Better. Love Better. Work Better.

Posts

Categories

The Importance of Emotional Movement

November 13, 2019

Matthew Cuddeback, LCSW Winston Churchill said “If you’re going through hell, keep going.” This quote stuck with me long after I heard it, it is incredibly profound for many different reasons. Churchill was saying this, as a rousing orator, to motivate the British people during the second World War. However, I find that it is also incredibly impactful for when we are waging our own internal wars as a guide for how to see our way through…

Read More

The Relationship Between Optimism and Longevity

November 11, 2019

Danielle Bertini According to a decades-long study that was published August 26, 2019, men and women with greater optimistic tend to live longer than their pessimistic peers. The research identifies a strong correlation between optimistic and “exceptional longevity,” which is described as living to age 85 or older (Bergland, 2019). So what is an optimist? And would you consider yourself one? Generally, optimists tend to look on the bright side of things and have positive expectations about…

Read More

Practice! Practice! Practice!

November 9, 2019

The process of therapy can be very rewarding. Watching yourself adapt and improve can feel very powerful, especially when mastering a new challenge you didn’t think yourself capable of before. It’s easy to get frustrated because therapy is non-linear and can feel stalled at times. There are even times when it feels worse before it feels better. I have a tip on how to make the most of your time on the couch. Therapy is a very…

Read More

Why Telling Your Story is Important to Your Brain

November 7, 2019

If you were to try and tell the story of your life, how complete would it be? Would it be a straight line start to finish? Have you ever played an instrument when you were young, stopped for years, played it casually one day, and discovered there were a lot of songs you used to know that come back only when you are playing? I know once I start talking about something, I’ll remember six other connecting…

Read More

Are you an Introvert or an Extrovert?

November 5, 2019

When you think of being an introvert or an extrovert, what do you think of? Do you think of once referring to yourself, as “I am an outgoing introvert,” or speaking of their friend who is the “life of the party” and they are “the most extroverted person I know.” I have realized that we have begun to think that the difference between the two dimensions of personality are that extroverted people are outgoing, and introverted people…

Read More

How Can the Seasons Affect Our Mood?

November 3, 2019

I hate to say it, but winter is coming. If you saw our Instagram post from Symmetry Counseling on November 1, 2019, 95% of Symmetry Counselors prefer fall over winter! Do you prefer fall or winter? What is your favorite season? With us having our first snow just a few weeks, on Halloween, we can only prepare for more snow and cold-at least in the Chicagoland area. Unfortunately, the cold lasts a few months, and it actualy…

Read More

The Relationship Between Empathy and Self Control

November 3, 2019

I recently read an article by Ed Yong that suggests your ability to have empathy for someone else is produced in the same area of the brain as your ability to have self-control. As empathy allows a person to put their opinions and perspective aside and step into the shoes of another, Yong describes this as true for self-control. Think about cheating on a diet. You are eating mostly fruits, vegetables and proteins but you get the…

Read More

Pros and Cons of Online Dating

November 1, 2019

Online dating is now a way that many people are meeting their spouses. There are many different dating apps for our phones and then ones that are more computer based. There are ones that you can meet based on looks, or GPS of the way you travel to work, personality, etc. I cannot even keep up with all the ones that are out there. Online dating is normal and with society today, it is a great way…

Read More

Healthy Ways to Manage Anger

October 30, 2019

Inevitably we all get angry sometimes. We are human after all. But what happens with this feeling of anger decides to stick around longer than usual or becomes part of our day-to-day emotions? Feeling angry is extremely uncomfortable and our first instinct is typically to do what we can to take the anger away as quickly as possible. While drinking or engaging in drug use does not take away the anger, it numbs it, which can lead…

Read More

Dealing with Persistent Worrying

October 28, 2019

Danielle Bertini Worrying is a part of human nature. If people didn’t have the ability to worry, they wouldn’t be able to anticipate and prepare for life’s challenges. However, for some people, worrying gets to be overwhelming and can even lead to depression due to such a negative outlook on life. In this day and age, it can be easy to get wrapped up in anxiety and a negative outlook with recent world and domestic events. Nevertheless,…

Read More