Counseling Chicago
By: Bridgette W. Gottwald, LPC, NCC You may have read part one to this blog series, which began discussing the detrimental nature of negative thinking and offering interventions and suggestions for getting out of the unhealthy spiral. Below are some continued things that you can do to work against this corrupt thought process. Release Judgment All human beings have the tendency to judge others, as well as themselves – and this usually happens unconsciously. When we are…
Read MoreCourage may seem like a strange area to discuss in relation to mental health. However, courage presents itself every day and various capacities and can help us conquer life’s challenges. In today’s world, simply getting out of bed, calling up a friend, or making it through the day can be an act of courage. As the rate of mental health struggles rises, whether due to COVID-19 or other life challenges, asking for help and support is an…
Read MoreIf you read my last blog post titled, Simple Stress Guide Part 1, referencing The New York Times article, “How to Be Better at Stress” by author Tara Parker-Pope, you may be wondering about the additional tips about how to better manage stress. Below are the remaining key points from Tara’s article touching about tips and tricks on how to manage stress better. Body Movement. As mentioned in the first part of this blog post, moving your…
Read MoreBy: Bridgette W. Gottwald, LPC, NCC The downward spiral of negative thinking can be incredibly powerful. We’ve all been there and descended into a damaging thought pattern we don’t want to be in. Many of my clients struggle with this and once they go down the rabbit hole of negative thought patterns, they aren’t sure how to get themselves out. Naturally, this leads to an undesirable mood and feelings of being stuck. Often, it can be helpful…
Read MoreKaitlin Broderick LCPC We live in a society where diets are extremely common. The majority of people-especially but not limited to women-have been on a diet at one point or another during their lifetime. As many people know from experience the restricting of calories that often goes along with dieting often eventually leads to binge eating. This can lead to a vicious cycle of restricting and then overeating which can result in feelings of disgust or shame.…
Read MoreBy Eric Dean JD, MBA, MA, MA, LPC, CADC What makes you happy? What gives you satisfaction and fulfillment? What gets you out of bed in the morning? What makes you tick? If you answered “I’m not sure” to any of these questions you are far from alone. Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) provides some insight on how we can cultivate joy in our lives. Here I will be presenting the acronym ROUTINE: Responsibilities Keeping up with our…
Read MoreBy Eric Dean JD MBA MA MA LPC CADC I work with clients on the emotions they experience that stem from personal financial matters. Issues include debt, bills, savings, investments, spending, budgeting, and financial responsibilities within a marriage, among many others. Just as we have relationships with our friends, co-workers, acquaintances, romantic partners, and ourselves, we also have a relationship with money. This relationship partly depends on how much money we have and how we choose to…
Read MoreAs the spread of COVID-19 continues so does the spread of anger. We’re all learning how to navigate this new world we’re a part of which can lead to judgement or disappointment in how others (or ourselves) are acting. The frustration around staying home and the way the world is changing, in addition to the sadness around the state of our country and loved ones getting sick or passing away can lead to the growth of anger.…
Read MoreBy Eric Dean JD, MBA, MA, MA, LPC, CADC Change is hard, especially for habits and activities with which we are deeply familiar. Even when we are sure that change would be beneficial, the comfort and safety of familiarity can outweigh any of those perceived positive effects. Sustaining motivation to change is also difficult. For example, if I wanted to start exercising regularly, I may do so for a few weeks and then lose motivation to continue…
Read MoreGrowing up, it’s not uncommon for children to be told to be thankful for what they have and be aware that others are not as fortunate. This is an incredibly important sentiment, but one that is often forgotten as we get older. While you may acknowledge the things you’re thankful for, how frequently do you practice gratitude? To answer this question, it’s necessary to understand what gratitude really means. Robert Emmons in his book, ‘Why Gratitude is…
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