Live Better. Love Better. Work Better.

life coaching

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

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

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

How to Use Your Commute to Your Advantage

October 26, 2019

Matthew Cuddeback, LCSW When living in a major metropolitan area it is unfortunately a part of our lives that we will have some sort of lengthy commute. This time spent commuting can not only be frustrating, but also easily squandered, it is all too easy to be sitting on the train ruminating about something that annoyed you at work, maybe reading work emails, or just scrolling through things that are unhealthy for you mentally and emotionally, on…

Read More

5 Time Management Misconceptions in the Workplace

October 24, 2019

I work with many clients who are overwhelmed, stressed, anxious, and sometimes even depressed at their jobs because they have stressful careers where there is a ton of responsibilities on their plate. Sometimes my clients report they get overwhelmed due to lacking in time management skills at their job. My job as their clinical therapist is to help the client understand possible reasons why they are struggling with time management skills and then also possible coping skills…

Read More

Do we actually need to have hobbies to be happy and productive at work? Yes.

October 22, 2019

I work with many clients who struggle to give time for themselves, such as doing some self care by implementing one of their favorite hobbies, due to their busy professional life. My job as their clinical therapist is to help the client better understand why they are not allowing themselves to have their “me” time and possible coping mechanisms to carve back time in for themselves. Sometimes clients haven’t allowed themselves to participate in their hobbies for…

Read More

Phrases to Use When Giving Your Therapist Negative Feedback

October 19, 2019

Amanda Ann Gregory, LCPC, EMDR Certified Your therapist isn’t perfect and is sure to mess up in one way or another. When something isn’t going right it’s important to address it with your therapist by providing them with direct feedback. Giving feedback can improve your relationship with your therapist, get your treatment back on track, or give you the push that’s needed to end therapy or seek services elsewhere. Providing negative feedback to your therapist can feel…

Read More

True Awakenings: The Process and How to Heal

October 17, 2019

Have you ever experienced an earth-shattering moment in your life, one that made you question who you are, or reevaluate your belief systems? Perhaps you’ve had an experience close to that – like a “wake up call”, a moment that made you act on healthier changes in a rapid way. Or, perhaps you’ve been trying to get to that “aha!” moment but seem to be stuck or cannot find your way there. Whatever your case may be,…

Read More

Saying “No” at Work

October 15, 2019

Danielle Bertini Saying no to people is never an easy task, and when you add in the factor of work it becomes even more daunting. As important as it is to say no, many of us feel dread when we have to do it. Saying no can be especially difficult because we treat agreement as affection and denial as rejection. When people disagree with us or turn us down, we often incorrectly interpret it as evidence of…

Read More