I have an 18-year-old son who is a senior in high school. We spend a lot of time talking about the future. Each day he gets further into his senior year, he gets more excited about the possibility of moving out of mom and dad’s house and into the world of independence. He can hardly... Continue Reading →
Journaling can be a great habit to help you learn more about yourself, discover what you are grateful for, and achieve personal, professional, and relationship goals. It is easy, doesn’t take a lot of time, and can be built into your routine without much pain. The first step is to find a journal you like.... Continue Reading →
The season of peace on earth and goodwill to all is upon us. Although a good holiday movie, party and gift giving are fun, the reality is that we often experience the holiday season as craziness and never-ending to-do lists. For some reason, I am always surprised by how busy this season becomes. This shock... Continue Reading →
Teaching our children to stand up for themselves can be difficult. As parents, we want to protect our kids and shield them from hurt and harm. However, learning resiliency and self-advocacy is a skill they will take into adulthood. We will not always be with them to protect them, and giving them skills to employ... Continue Reading →
Being vulnerable is really hard. To be vulnerable means to be able to identify, name, and experience our feelings. Nothing about this process is simple, which is why I do not ask every client, “How do you feel today?” I am careful when and how I pose this question to my clients. Of course, the... Continue Reading →
Many of us have heard that non-verbal cues make up about 90 percent of communication. But how so? You may be thinking, “yah, I know, so what”? So follow this logic for a moment. This means that regardless of how well polished, or unpolished your words to someone might be, the ways that you behave... Continue Reading →
It is sometimes said that people primarily listen with their hearts, not their ears. The first time that I was told this statement was during a train-the-trainer session to implement the non-violent approach of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.. At first, I was puzzled by the statement because I wondered what my heart had to... Continue Reading →
Over the last nine months since I have been an intern at Olive Branch Counseling Associates in Tinley Park, I have had the opportunity to provide counseling services in various settings. Among them are Roseland on the south side of Chicago, and West Garfield Park on the west side. Clients in both of these communities... Continue Reading →
I heard Dr. John Gottman and Dr. Julie Schwartz Gottman interviewed on the Unlocking Us podcast the other day. They talked about their new book, "The Love Prescription: 7 days to more intimacy, connection, and joy." It was a fascinating conversation about the small steps we can take in our relationships to make marked differences.... Continue Reading →
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