Nature or Nurture
It’s a question that we’ve heard repeated time and time again, and it continues to be asked: nature or nurture?
Managing Overwhelming Stress
Stress can be helpful and harmful, due to the varying degrees of stress that people can experience. Stress can sometimes be helpful when it is small amounts of stress that can motivate you to complete tasks. But stress can also become overwhelming, increased amounts of stress can cause people to freeze and become unable to do anything.
Are You Willing?
There is a large difference between being willing and willful, especially when we consider how this impacts our daily lives
Why Therapy is like Climbing a Mountain Part One
Therapy can seem to be a daunting task at first. A person who is virtually a stranger is asking you to trust them and their ability to support you, to help you on a journey.
The Basics of Burnout
By Jacki Haworth, Clinical Intern Burnout is caused by having an elevated stress level for a prolonged period of time. This is the reason that burnout can in some ways sneak up on people. Burnout is when a person has such an exposure to stress that things or...
Sorry, Not Sorry.
By: Kaleigh Nobbe, Clinical Intern Oh, I’m sorry… but am I? It is a simple statement that we often feel will help others react in a more positive way to whatever the situation may be. Lost a loved one? Sorry. Are you sad? Sorry. Did I say no? Sorry. It is an easy...
The Importance of Sleep
By Jacki Haworth, Clinical Intern Sleep is the time where a person can rest, recharge, and reset for the next day. Throughout the day there are opportunities to rest your body but sleep is an opportunity for your mind to rest. Sleep can often be overlooked....
Keeping it Real
Keeping it real Written by Nichole Dabrowski When you think about who you are, does this change if you imagine yourself in a different environment? While we ideally want to be ourselves every part of every day, there are times we might live with a mask. I’m not...
Just Breathe
Just Breathe Written by Clinical Intern Nichole Dabrowski I am sure someone has told you to “just breathe”—but what does that mean? Maybe you’ve heard about deep breathing. What is that supposed to do for us, anyway?The breath is an amazing part of being alive. It’s a...
Women in Recovery
The processes of recovery in both the area of substance use disorder and mental health present qualities that go far beyond abstinence, symptom reduction, or remission.
Peer Pressure
Peer pressure is the effect of a person’s friend group or peers on that person’s behaviors and actions. Peer pressure can be positive and it can be negative.
Understanding Empathy
Empathy is the ability to understand the feelings and emotions of others. Empathy is having the ability to feel the pain of others. Empathy is different from sympathy which is much more common.
Coping Skills
Coping skills are techniques to manage stressful situations. These skills can be useful in processing emotions and to decrease stress.
Self-Acceptance
Self-Acceptance is a type of mindfulness that involves accepting yourself. This involves acknowledging your strengths as well as acknowledging your weaknesses.
Anxiety and Depression are not a Sin!
If you had an upbringing in the church, it is likely you have heard the message (intentionally said or not), “one only needs to pray ______ away”.
Who’s Your Worst Critic?
It can be hard to hear people remind us of all the ways in which we can improve – at work, at home, with friends, you name it. Sometimes it can feel like we don’t meet anyone’s standards, even our own.
Judgement: Does It Help reach Goals?
One way in which I try to work with clients is in identifying judgment: “good or bad;” “right or wrong.” When we replace these judgments with “helpful or unhelpful,” “beneficial or unbeneficial,” we can start understanding the value it has in our life.
Why Grief is Like a Sandwich
Grief can be a difficult topic to understand and grasp. Grief can look different in people. Grief is not the same for everyone, but the main theme is the same.
Anxiety in Teens
By Ella Gray, High School InternAnxiety… It's this thing in the back of your head that can keep you from doing what you love or being who you enjoy. Being anxious is not a pleasant feeling, and it affects many people, multiple times a day. Since it affects so many...
What Your Face Says When You’re Not Talking
By: Kaleigh Nobbe, Clinical Intern Kaleigh is a Clinical Intern, completing her Master of Art in Counseling at Northwestern University. Kaleigh believes her role as a counselor is to welcome all clients by inviting them to create a partnership where they grow...
Finding Meaning after Retiring
By Jacki Haworth, Clinical InternRetirement is a time of celebration, when an individual who has been working decides that they are going to stop working and dedicate their time to other pursuits. This is a life transition which is often only focused on the positives,...
Anxiety in Teens
By Ella Gray, High School Intern Anxiety… It's this thing in the back of your head that can keep you from doing what you love or being who you enjoy. Being anxious is not a pleasant feeling, and it affects many people, multiple times a day. Since it affects so many...
Suicide Prevention Day
By Ella Gray, High School InternSuicide prevention day is an awareness day on September 10th. Every year it is observed to provide worldwide action and commitment in the prevention of suicide. Many organizations work together and find ways of support and encouragement...
Women’s Equality Day
By Ella Gray, High School InternWomen’s equality day is coming up! It is celebrated on August 26 to commemorate the adoption of the nineteenth Amendment of the US constitution. The amendment prohibits the states and federal government from denying the right to vote to...
Meditation and Mindfulness
By Jacki Haworth, Clinical InternThoughts of calm, peaceful, tranquility some examples of this in nature are the sounds of gentle waves on the beach, soft rain drops, the sounds of a waterfall. These images may be what comes to mind when thinking about relaxation and...
My Kid Needs the Help. Why Do I Have to Come to Therapy?
By Kaleigh Nobbe, Clinical Intern Kaleigh is a Clinical Intern, completing her Master of Art in Counseling at Northwestern...
Fireworks Loud Noises Affecting People Part 1
By Jacki Haworth, Clinical Intern Jacki is a Clinical Intern, completing her Master of Art in Counseling at Northwestern...
The Different Phases of Grief and Loss
By: Kaleigh Nobbe, Clinical InternGreif and loss happen across the entire lifespan in more ways that just death. This can be experienced with the loss of a friendship, loss of an ideal experience, or loss of a job. In all of these instances, we often still experience...
Frustration with Road Construction
By Jacki Haworth, Clinical Intern Jacki is a Clinical Intern, completing her Master of Art in Counseling at Northwestern...
FOMO: Fear of Missing Out
By: Ella Gray, HS InternFOMO… fear of missing out. It has affected everyone, just in different ways. Maybe you feel it if you aren't invited to hang out with the group. Or have it when thinking about missing the opportunity to do something spontaneous. No matter the...
The Truth About Emotions
By: Kaleigh Nobbe, Clinical Intern Kaleigh is a Clinical Intern, completing her Master of Art in Counseling at Northwestern University. I am experiencing these emotions, so that means it must be true. Right? Maybe not. Though I will agree with you that emotions may...
Being Accepted for Who You Are
By Jacki Haworth, Clinical InternThis month is Pride month and it is important that we focus on topics that while constant do not always get recognition. Everyone wants to be accepted and valued for who they are as an individual. This is something that people can take...
Does it feel like you can’t do anything right?
Are you looking around at your relationships and realizing no matter how hard you work no one is happy? In fact, it feels more like everyone is angry? It may feel like all the pressure is on you; somehow you’re the one who has to fix it all. Or perhaps you fear...
Does Anxiety Have You in It’s Hold?
Covid 19 numbers are improving. Masks are coming off. Vaccines are up, and Illinois is set to reopen this Friday. For some this is the relief and release you’ve been waiting for! For others, it may be filled with dread. Fear that taking off the mask will open the door...
Friendships Take Work
By: Kaleigh Nobbe, Clinical InternSome people have been fortunate and met some of their lifelong friends when they were young children, others met their best friends in college, and many feel as though they continue to find it difficult to create those attachments,...
How Will You Love?
By: Kaleigh Nobbe, Clinical InternRarely I ask, but often people will tell me what their “love language” is so that I can understand what they need from others in their lives. I’m not opposed to this information; however, we need more than to know what it is. What...
Caffeine and Mental Health
By: Kaleigh Nobbe, Clinical InternCaffeine is currently the world's most commonly used drug. And because caffeine is present in so many common foods and drinks, it is easy to forget that it is a drug. It is even an ingredient in beverages and foods that are marketed...
Sleeping for Health and Safety
By: Kaleigh Nobbe, Clinical InternYour ability to function and feel well while you're awake depends on whether you're getting enough total sleep. It also depends on whether you're sleeping at a time when your body is prepared and ready to sleep. We all have an...
Thoughts Can Be Deceiving: Cognitive Distortions
By: Kaleigh Nobbe, Clinical Intern In many cases, our thoughts can be deceiving, faulty, or even unhelpful. These distorted thinking patterns cause negative feelings, which can enhance some issues ranging from depression and anxiety to concerns such as eating...
Relationships: Subtle Signs of an Issue
By: Kaleigh Nobbe, Clinical Intern The relationship may be full of loving words and affection, but what is the motivation behind these overwhelming moments of love? Is the partner love-bombing or gaslighting? Abuse can take more forms than physical violence. Sometimes...
Therapist Spot Light: Kaleigh Nobbe
By: Kaleigh Nobbe, Clinical InternAfter many years not believing I needed to earn any degree, I am pleased to have found a passion for furthering my education to benefit those facing daily challenges they may not yet understand. For over a decade, I struggled with...
ACES: The Hand You’re Dealt
By: Carol Briggs, Clinical InternWhen someone mentions ACE’s, you might think of poker. In the world of wellness, ACE’s stands for adverse childhood experiences. Studies found that ACE’s influence physical and mental health in adulthood. And the more ACE’s a person...
Coping Skills Types: Physical Skills
Ema graduated with a master’s degree from DePaul University in counseling with a specialty in clinical mental health. Ema welcomes clients of any age, and specializes in children and teens, “at-risk” youth, people with trauma, school-based counseling, college...
The Importance of Taking an Active Role in Your Child’s Substance Use Treatment
By Carol Briggs, Clinical InternMonitoring the Future (MTF) is a yearly survey that measures drug and alcohol use and attitudes toward use among 8th, 10th, and 12th graders in the United States. The 2019 MTF surveyed 42,531 students from 396 public and private...
That Hurt Me: Understanding Misunderstanding
By: Kaleigh Nobbe, Counseling InternSo you didn’t mean it like that. In many situations we can believe that a person’s words or actions were intended to hurt us, but they brush it off like nothing ever happened. What does this mean and how do we move...
What’s the Deal with Pronouns?
By: Carol Briggs, Clinical InternOne of my roles as a counselor is to advocate for, and promote acceptance, inclusion, and equity. One of the ways to promote acceptance and inclusion is to help normalize feelings and situations that don’t get enough attention or are...
Coping Skills Types
By: Ema Gavrilovic, LPCIn my last post, I introduced coping skills and how to utilize them. I also touched on the main difference between the former term and the term, self-care, a more extensive version of a coping skill. In the next four blog posts, I will dissect...
Coping Skills: What are They and How Do I Use them?
By: Ema Gavrilovic, LPCCoping skills is a term that is you hear often in a counseling session. We hear teachers using them in the classroom to manage students who throw tantrums (“Use your emotion flash cards, Johnny”). We hear parents using them to respond fairly to...
How Dialectical Behavior Therapy Has Helped Me Through 2020
By: Carol Briggs, Clinical Intern 2020 started out pretty good for me. I was excited about looking for an internship, I had plans to travel in April, and my self-care was mostly consistent. Then mid-March hit. I lost my job, my partner was laid off, and classes went...
Gratitude is good for your mental health!
Carol treats issues related to depression, anxiety, stress management, self-care, career satisfaction, self-esteem, substance use, life stage adjustment, as well as grief and loss. She is especially passionate about helping clients through traumatic loss. Carol enjoys...
Does turning back the clock affect your mood?
Carol treats issues related to depression, anxiety, stress management, self-care, career satisfaction, self-esteem, substance use, life stage adjustment, as well as grief and loss. She is especially passionate about helping clients through traumatic loss. Carol enjoys...
PERSPECTIVE: A PE Teacher, a sense of humor and a little bit of dancing.
Hello, my name is Taylor and I am a K-5 Physical Education teacher to 800+ students in the Northwest suburbs. My school offered two options for our families in the 2020-2021 school year, fully remote or hybrid. Students are only in the building for two and...
Improve Your Relationships
By: Carol Briggs, Clinical InternHow often do questions or comments from your spouse or significant other turn into an argument? How often does that argument spiral out of control into a whirlwind of negativity?Criticism, contempt, defensiveness, and...
National Mental Illness Awareness Week
By: Carol Briggs, Clinical InternThis year, October 4th through October 10th marks Mental Illness Awareness Week. This observance was started in 1990 by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) to increase understanding and awareness around mental...
Sticking with Therapy
By: Ema GavrilovicWhat is it like to commit to therapy? Same as committing to anything else in life! Committing to therapy sessions can seem daunting at first. In fact, stepping foot into an unknown office room for the next hour may be a challenge for a...
Preventing Older Adult Suicide
By: Carol Briggs, Clinical Intern In 2018, the number of adults over age 65, in the United States, reached 52 million, and estimates predict that by 2060, that number will reach 95 million. A major issue impacting older adults is suicide, however when you...
Suicide Awareness
By: Carol Briggs, Clinical InternSeptember is suicide prevention month. Suicide doesn’t just impact individuals, its effects stretch to families, schools, and communities. With all of life’s added stressors and traumas, we’ve seen suicide rates rise. We must all play...
National Recovery Month
By: Carol Briggs, Clinical InternIn the world of mental wellness and recovery, September is marked as the month to educate people about substance use and the mental health services that improve the lives of individuals and families. It is also an...
Women’s Equality Day
By: Carol Briggs, Clinical Intern On August 26th we commemorate the 1920 certification of the 19th Amendment. The 19th Amendment granted women the right to vote, however, Black women, some of the first suffragists, faced continued barriers to voting for decades...
Back to School with COVID-19
By: Carol Briggs, Clinical InternBack in March, we were all looking ahead with hope that by the end of summer, the pandemic would be over, and life would feel normal again. But here we are in August and our back-to-school planning looks a lot different than it did a...
The Role of Psychology in Genetic Counseling
My name is Lindsay and I am an upcoming senior at the University of Illinois studying Interdisciplinary Health Sciences with a minor in Psychology. This summer I am interning at Owens and Associates with the hopes of gaining more experience in counseling and...
Signs of Depression
Many people experience feelings of sadness once in a while, however, when these feelings don’t go away after an extended period of time this might mean you are experiencing clinical depression. Someone who is depressed may not even realize they have it. By...
Mothers Against Drunk Driving
By: Syd Schertzer There have been numerous accounts of death on behalf of a drunk or impaired driver. As a result, Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) was created as an organization designed to help spread awareness and to prevent further drunk driving incidents from...
Managing Holiday Stress – Part 2
Managing home, work, and social lives can be hard enough without adding in the hustle and bustle of the holidays. Tension levels are often at their highest during the holidays which can increase the physical and emotional symptoms of stress, depression, and anxiety....
What is ADHD?!
By: Rachel DeGrane Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the more well-known mental disorders. A person with ADHD has a brain that developed a little differently that the normal brain. The area of the brain that is most affected by ADHD is the...
Myths & Facts About Mental Illness
Myths & Facts About Mental Illness by Allison Hadley, Clinical Intern at Owens & Associates May is Mental Health Awareness Month! We’d like to celebrate this month by sharing with you a list of common of myths and facts about various mental illnesses to help...
Why Play Therapy Works
by Allison Hadley, Clinical Intern for Owens & Associates’ blog One of my favorite playtime memories is from when I was about 6- or 7-years old. I had always loved dogs, and I had a new favorite movie that just came out: Homeward Bound, the lovable story about two...
hi i’m sampson
Today's post is by our therapy dog Sampson. He wouldn't stop begging until I promised to post this interview with him and his friends at Fydoland. (he was the VIP - Very Important Puppy - of the week there, and pretty proud of it). He says he would've done it himself...
Lead with Love
Understanding is something we all crave, and those suffering from mental illness are no different. They don’t know how to explain what they are experiencing. Often they are asked what they have to be sad about, or someone battling anxiety is told to just "let it go"....
Redirecting Thoughts
I don’t know about you, but my mornings usually go something like this: ughhh. Snooze. Do I have to get out of bed today? Snooze. Crap. I really do have to get up now. Snooze. Oh, shoot I’m late!! I finally roll (or shoot out of bed depending on how many...
Slowing Down
In our fast-paced, productive-oriented culture it can be really challenging to take a break or slow down. Maybe there are feelings of guilt in the form of a nagging voice in your head saying, “you...
Connections
Sometimes we say things like, "This is probably for the best" when something is going wrong in our lives. I am here to tell you that you do not have to accept that what is happening in this moment is for the best. You just have to accept that it is happening....
Raise Your Vibe
Sometimes we say things like, "This is probably for the best" when something is going wrong in our lives. I am here to tell you that you do not have to accept that what is happening in this moment is for the best. You just have to accept that it is...
Setting Goals, Taking Action
What if you lived the same day over and over again? This is a reality for many of us, as we have developed habits and routines that can become monotonous and keep us stagnant. Routine when implemented with purpose, promotes motivation and helps us to achieve our...
2018: Giving Over Your Struggles
Who is losing weight for the new year? Quitting sugar? Doing a full body cleanse and eight day yoga challenge? Joining an iron man competition? Do not worry if you are not doing any of those things! I am not here to push them! If you are doing any of those...
I Am Still Learning
This Therapy Thursday is brought to you by Alan Tsang, Clinical Intern. “Even today, I dare not say that I have reached a state of achievement. I’m still learning, for learning is boundless.” – Bruce Lee Throughout my time here at Owens & Associates, I...
Mood Boosters
Mood Boosters I’m a huge advocate of self-care and I think it needs to be a part of every person’s routine. I am also aware that it can sometimes be difficult to go to an hour (or longer) yoga class or take time away from your family to read a good book for 30...
A Sad State of Affairs
A Sad State of Affairs By Jon Difatta LPC, CDVP, PAIP Studies have shown that 1 out of 2 marriages will end in divorce. No one gets married thinking they will be part of that statistic. But yet, this cycle persists. I counsel couples experiencing difficulties...
Social Media – Helping or Hurting?
Social Media: Helping or Hurting? By Brandy Hanson, LPC The original concept for the purpose of social media was to bring people together. And it did. Social media made communicating with family and friends anywhere in the world instantaneously possible. People...
It’s Pride Month!
This post is brought to you by Heather Holly, MA, Clinical Intern: This month is LGBT pride month, a month dedicated to celebrating and promoting equal rights and acceptance for all. Pride month means many things to many people, but one part of pride month is...
Do You Want Peace?
This post is brought to you by Elizabeth Cermak, LCPC: “I want the peace of God.” A Course in Miracles Lesson 185 Do you want peace? A Course in Miracles says that to SAY the above words is nothing. “But to mean these words is everything.” Remember you can substitute...
Choosing STAR Instead of Scream
This post is brought to you by Shannon Olson, LSCW: Tempers are flaring everywhere, and, it seems, patience is wearing thin. Whether it's a long rant on social media, people fighting on a plane, or frustration with a partner or child, a few skills can really go a...
A Reminder About May
This post is brought to you by Shannon Olson, LSCW. May begins the month with May Day, which began in 1886 when laborers gathered to demand 8 hour work days. Leading up to that protest laborers were being forced to work ten, twelve even sixteen hour days, or risk...
The Importance of Communication and Listening
This post is brought to you by Shannon Olson, LSCW. Relationships are vital to our existence and when they aren't going well our joy can be difficult to find. Two things that seem to impact our relationships deeply are communication and listening. I liken...
The Strength Behind Asking for Help
Robert Allanson, LPC, CADC wrote this wonderful post for his personal blog and has given us permission to share it with you all: I have a friend, Larry, who seems to constantly get the flu. I can’t stand it because when he gets sick he decides that he is going to...
A lesson in “Self Care”
Today I have chosen to share a blog post that one of my colleagues, Elizabeth Cermak. Elizabeth originally wrote this for her personal blog. After reading what she wrote, I was granted permission to repost it here on the Owens & Associates blog. I hope you find...
What is the Point of Play Therapy?
This post is brought to you by Shannon Olson, LCSW: What is the point of play therapy? The short answer? The point is to communicate with a child in a language they know. As human beings we are not born speaking in full sentences, rather our vocabulary is built over...
Acceptance!
Acceptance Acceptance is a gift we can give to ourselves. We often struggle with wishing we had made a different choice. Or, sometimes wishing our partner was different - maybe just a little nicer, a little more attentive, a little less pre-occupied. All the...
Closing the year 2016!
The end of another year. This is often the time when we begin thinking of the New Year and we begin the arduous task of creating “New Year’s resolutions. Asking ourselves what we want to have different moving forward can be an exercise in good mental health. However,...
The Importance of Self-Care
We talk to our clients a lot about the importance of balance in our lives in order for us as individuals to be happy and function effectively. Self-care is a crucial component in finding that balance. What does self-care look like? Well, self-care looks different for...
The Power of Music
A friend recently reintroduced me to a song from long ago. It brought back emotions and memories and I found myself contemplating the power that music has on our lives. How music brings us back to times in our life where we were excited and full of hope or burdened...
Want a Clean Break?
Starting on January 18th, 2017, Elizabeth Cermak, LCPC, NCC will guide you through a four week hypnotherapy course to help you quit smoking! The group will be held from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm at 1118 E. Main Street- St. Charles, 60174 REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED BY JANUARY...
The Concept of Change
The purpose of a good counselor is to support change. By traveling with our client on a journey, teaching skills, or encouraging the journey itself. The concept of change is often discussed in counseling and therapy. Change makes me think of butterflies. Consider the...
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