Helpful articles for overcoming life's challenges

The Benefits of Teletherapy During COVID-19

Telehealth (online counseling) has been around for years and has been increasing in popularity.  We have all been greatly impacted by COVID-19 and with orders to shelter in place, Teletherapy provides a good option for many people to follow the order and continue with their treatment.  Historically, telehealth has been used when geographic, physical, or …

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Understanding Eating Disorders

Eating disorders may be more prevalent than you realize. The latest statistics indicate that more than 30 million people in the U.S. will suffer from an eating disorder; 10 million of those individuals are men. Eating disorders involve severe disturbances in eating behavior.  The two main types of eating disorders are anorexia and bulimia.  Both of these …

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The Art of Forgiveness

For many people, forgiving someone for a transgression is not an easy thing to do. Contrary to popular belief, forgiveness is not about condoning or excusing the other person’s behavior or forgetting the wrongdoing. It is a shift in our thinking whereby the wrongdoing does not loom as large, we’re less focused on retaliation and …

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Navigating Around Holiday Stress

Holiday stress seems to be something we all get affected by mainly because we try to do too much. Being proactive will help keep stressors low. Below are some tips to help you cope through the Holiday season: Mindset is key…Try to have an Attitude of Gratitude. Perhaps, keep an ongoing gratitude journal or list. …

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What Parents Can do to Address Toxic or Unhealthy Peer Groups

The tween and teen years are filled with risky and worrisome behaviors.  Some of the most significant health risks in life are started during adolescence and in the presence of peers. These include: cigarette smoking drug use alcohol use exposure to sexually transmitted diseases involvement with the legal system academic decline, including dropping out When …

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Easy Mindfulness

We’re all busy, and many of us don’t have time (or are unwilling to make time) to formally practice mindfulness skills. However, we can practice informally throughout the day. Here are a couple of ways of practicing mindfulness:  1) Mindfulness in the Morning Pick an activity that is part of your daily morning routine, such …

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Reducing Risk Taking Behaviors in Teenagers

Parenting is an honorable and sometimes difficult duty. As parents, we have the awesome responsibility of raising our children to become loving and successful individuals. This includes guiding our teenagers away from risky behaviors. When it comes to risky behaviors during adolescence, there are three common risk behaviors that parents worry most about. These include …

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Tips for Improving Communication With Your Teen

Many parents find it difficult to establish and maintain open communication with their child during the adolescent years. In many ways, this is perfectly normal and to be expected. Adolescence is a developmental stage that is often accompanied by an increase in tension and strain in the parent-child relationship. As a normal aspect of adolescent …

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Seasonal Affective Disorder

When you think of winter time in Northern Illinois what comes to mind? Some people will think of holiday parties, winter sports, cozy sweaters, and shoveling snow. But some may experience depression associated with seasonal changes that go beyond the typical winter stressors. This form of depression is commonly referred to as Seasonal Affective Disorder …

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Domestic Violence Awareness Month

October is Domestic Violence awareness month!  It is our privilege to bring awareness to this important cause! Please Join The Center for Collaborative Counseling and Psychology in spreading the awareness of this toxic and sometimes severe situation. What is it you might ask? Most people relate Domestic Violence with just a physical attack or those …

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Tips for Helping Children Self-Regulate

When it comes to difficult behaviors in young children, anger and aggression can be especially challenging. These behaviors have incredibly powerful effects on both children and adults and can be some of the most frustrating and disruptive events you encounter at home or at school. Anger includes thoughts and feelings, which can lead to aggressive …

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