Paula Gonzalez MA, LPC, ADHD-CCSP, CIMHP                                                                                         The Christmas holiday season ca ..read more

​​​​What does feeling overwhelmed look like? Generally, it can be defined as difficulty coping with a stressful situation that can affect a person physically and mentally. This can make it difficult to manage day-to-day tasks, connect to others, make decisions, and more. If you realize that you have become​ ​emotionally overwhelmed and stressed out, a good place to start may be to ask yourself, “Why am I feeling so overwhelmed?”.​​ ​​​​​Reasons for Feeling Stressed Out ​​  There are many reasons why one might feel stressed out. These are just some examples of stressors that can lead to fe ..read more

Megan Mulroy, LCPC One of the most difficult transitions to make is moving from college life to full-time employment.. If you are a new grad struggling to find a job- you are certainly not alone. I work with several young adults that are finding it challenging to find a job after graduation. This transition is fraught with anxiety, and rejections can be a hit to your self-esteem. In this blog, I will go over some of the reasons why  finding a job after college is so difficult and what you can do about it! 5 Reasons Why You Can’t Find A Job After College Your Degree It is really common to ..read more

Ashlee Stumpf, LPC Self-care has been a buzz word for the past decade or so. Conjuring thoughts of getting a massage, taking a day off, seeing a therapist, etc. It’s a broad term which involves the important practice of taking care of ourselves. However, what many people don’t know is that self-care can be divided up into factions. This is because there are many aspects to any person, so there are different aspects when it comes to caring for yourself. Today we will discuss spiritual self-care and how it enhances one’s mental health.  What is Spiritual Self-Care? Good spiritual health inv ..read more

Hannah Cericola Why is it that when our friends need words of encouragement, we jump at the opportunity to ease their discomfort, but when it comes to our internal dialogue, we say things like:  “I’ll never be able to reach my goals”  “ I am never going to make it”  “I am so bad at everything I do”  Many of my patients have come to me saying, “I feel like I am my own worst enemy”, and it’s true. At times it may feel like we are our own “worst enemy” as we engage in negative self-talk and hold ourselves to unrealistic standards that we would not expect anyone to accomplish ..read more

Marissa Widener Struggling with overwhelming emotions is a common occurrence in the human experience given life’s relentless demands in all areas, be it personal, work, social, or even financial-related. Merriam-Webster indicates that the verb “overwhelm” is related to being overpowered or overcome with feelings and thoughts.  That being said, feeling overwhelmed does not indicate personal inadequacy or incapability of any kind, nor should it be perceived as a failure to balance life stressors appropriately. While experiencing overwhelming emotions  can be stressful and challenging f ..read more

Zoe Mittman, LSW Growing up, you may have imagined your 20s to be filled with excitement, love and adventures. But life happens and reality sinks in. Your life is not what you imagined. It is complex. Filled with both pain and growth. Relationships flourish while other relationships suffer. Friends move away and family is too close. Juggling your personal and professional life gets overwhelming. You ask yourself, “what am I doing wrong”?. As you scroll on Instagram, you see acquaintances getting engaged, others getting married. You see big groups of friends spending a weekend away.  The t ..read more

Zoe Mittman, LSW   Do you and your partner find yourselves in the same conflict patterns? Are you feeling unheard, frustrated, or even resentful? If so, then this blog might be for you. Oftentimes, cycles of conflict occur due to a lack of effective communication. Please keep in mind – it takes 2 people to build, break, and/or repair a relationship. While I am going to share tips on how to effectively communicate your feelings, wants and needs with your partner, these tips alone may not be enough to improve communication patterns. If you live in Chicago, please reach out to Symmetry Couns ..read more

You may be reading this because you are wondering if you are experiencing depression. The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) defines depression as “a common but serious mood disorder. It causes severe symptoms that affect how a person feels, thinks, and handles daily activities, such as sleeping, eating, or working”.   The NIMH also mentions a few types of depression, for example:  Persistent depression disorder/dysthymia: long lasting depression, for at least 2 years or longer. Major Depression: depression is present for at least two weeks and impacts daily functioning ..read more

Megan Mulroy, LCPC    Something I see frequently with my clients is job dissatisfaction. Long hours, lengthy responsibilities, and mistreatment from peers and supervisors is all too common. What I also see with these clients is often intense fear around switching careers. “It’s too late,” “It would be a massive pay cut,” “I don’t have the time to apply/study/insert tedious action item here,” “The benefits are too good.” And- I GET IT! These are all incredibly valid and massive hurdles to overcome when not just switching jobs but changing careers. When I tell people that I used to wor ..read more