Staff Favorites is a monthly installation for 2019 featuring the mental health and self-care picks of our very own LifeWorkers. 2019 will highlight books, self-soothing items, blogs/instagrams, places to move your body around Chicago, and more personally endorsed by LifeWorks staff. We look forward to sharing our favorites with you! This month, LifeWorkers are sharing […] Read more “Fueling Up!”
Fueling Up!
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Estimated: 7 minutes to read
Self-Care Books
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Estimated: 3 minutes to read
This month we are focusing on our favorite self-care books! As staff members at a therapy practice, we’re not exempt from struggle and darkness. These are the books that our staff members have personally found moving and meaningful footholds on their journeys. Please include your own favorites in the comments section! Greenlee Brown: The Collected […] Read more “Self-Care Books”
Places to Move Your Body
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Estimated: 6 minutes to read
The darkness and cold of winter make exercise and being outside extra challenging, which can adversely impact our mental health. So, this month LifeWorks staff is talking about places we like to move our bodies around Chicago during these chilly months! Although we recognize that not all of are favorites are accessible to every body, […] Read more “Places to Move Your Body”
Mental Health Apps
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Estimated: 5 minutes to read
Staff Favorites is a monthly installation for 2019 featuring the mental health and self care picks of our very own LifeWorkers. Favorites in 2019 will highlight apps, books, self-soothing items, blogs/instagrams, places to move your body around Chicago, and more personally endorsed by LifeWorks staff. Our thanks to Elizabeth Duke for organizing this new installation! […] Read more “Mental Health Apps”
8 Ways to Love Yourself thru the Holidays
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Estimated: 1 minute to read
This is your life and your holiday experience. You get to design it, enjoy savor it, and exercise the power of loving yourself, and the holidays are no different. Try out 8 embodied ways you can love and take good care yourself through the holidays: 1. Align Yourself to Your Desired State of Being What would you […] Read more “8 Ways to Love Yourself thru the Holidays”
Becoming the Gateway
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Estimated: 5 minutes to read
LifeWorks therapist, Brandon Haydon, submitted this quote from #virginiarosenberg for our reflection and yours. “Presence is a practice. At times, the work of presence is so deeply uncomfortable. And then there are these moments, these cellular sighs of relief, when we quit resistance. We exit fight/flight/freeze, and simply belong to the time we’re inhabiting. In […] Read more “Becoming the Gateway”
Loving and Gentle Communication in Relationships
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Estimated: 5 minutes to read
Even when I thought I was loving in communicating in my closest relationships, I had often been challenged and told by my partners that I was not! I had learned all the “tricks and words” through my study of psychology and communication, but I was somehow still getting into hurtful arguments and repeated conflicts. It […] Read more “Loving and Gentle Communication in Relationships”
Is Your Partner Guessing?
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Estimated: 10 minutes to read
Have you ever noticed that rather than communicate directly, you make your partner guess about what you want? Certain conversations can be difficult to begin. Strong emotions can keep us from getting started. Fear of conflict escalating may hold us back. Unspoken signals can confuse us and make it less safe to proceed. Not trusting […] Read more “Is Your Partner Guessing?”
An Interview With Elisabeth Sheff, Ph.D., CASA, CSE
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Estimated: 6 minutes to read
Eli Sheff is a leading expert on polyamory and has conducted groundbreaking research on polyamorous families with children. In the past, she has contributed her findings to the LifeWorks blog. This summer, Eli is traveling the country for her Practical NonMonogamy workshop tour, which is bringing her here to Chicago. On Saturday July 7, 2018, […] Read more “An Interview With Elisabeth Sheff, Ph.D., CASA, CSE”
Relationship Reset
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Estimated: 5 minutes to read
This article is a guest post from Candice Wu, LCPC. She is an intuitive coach and holistic healing facilitator who helps people through the power of love, self-forgiveness, empowerment and body wisdom. Have you ever felt like you wanted to just reset or reboot the relationship? The Outdated Default Relationship Dynamic Recently, I noticed […] Read more “Relationship Reset”
Constructing a Queer Life: On the Choice to Parent, or Be Child-Free
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Estimated: 2 minutes to read
Many people grow up following a cultural life script: you go to school, get a job, marry your one true love and start a family. Happily Ever After! At least, that’s a common scenario many cultures, based on heteronormativity, have historically supported. But as many of us grow up, we realize that that version of […] Read more “Constructing a Queer Life: On the Choice to Parent, or Be Child-Free”
My One Problem
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Estimated: 4 minutes to read
It is always foolish to oversimplify complex problems. Nonetheless from the viewpoint of the Dreaming, regardless of the complexity of your life, you can have only one problem – ignoring the Dreaming background to reality. Ignoring the Dreaming means marginalizing the deepest unformulated experiences that create your actions in everyday life. Every time you ignore […] Read more “My One Problem”
Infidelity as a Growth Opportunity
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Estimated: 6 minutes to read
Santiago Delboy is a colleague and friend to LifeWorks who brings insight and thoughtfulness to his work, writing and collaboration. We are pleased to share some of his thougths about infidelity. This post appears in Santiago’s blog, which can be found here. This afternoon, I watched a TED talk by therapist and author Esther Perel about infidelity. I read her book Mating […] Read more “Infidelity as a Growth Opportunity”
Sailing Into Therapeutic Parenting
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Estimated: 10 minutes to read
This article is a guest post from parenting expert Billy Kaplan, LCSW. He is the President and Clinical Director at House Calls Counseling, which develops and promotes healthy family relationships by encouraging the emotional, behavioral and mental health of children, teenagers, adults, couples and families. This post on therapeutic parenting first appeared here. I learned to […] Read more “Sailing Into Therapeutic Parenting”
When Relationships Fall Apart
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Estimated: 9 minutes to read
This article was written by Lisa Blair, M.A. and David Bedrick, J.D., who are both Certified Process Work Diplomats. It first appeared here and is reposted with permission. Every relationship has two handshakes: one above the table and one below. The first handshake is a conscious agreement between the two people, saying “We’re going to support each […] Read more “When Relationships Fall Apart”
Elemental Human Experiences — Getting in Touch
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Estimated: 6 minutes to read
Feeling divorced from the world or alienated from neighbors who are all around us are common complaints. It’s nothing new. People have lamented the rush of modern life at least since the Industrial Revolution pulled them to factory work. When reliable electric lighting became pervasive we began losing our connection to the natural rhythms of […] Read more “Elemental Human Experiences — Getting in Touch”
Queer, Polyam, Kinky, Single? Alternative Valentine’s Day Ideas
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Estimated: 3 minutes to read
Navigating Valentine’s Day can be tricky, especially if you’re single, or if your relationship falls outside the margins of heteronormative monogamy. As the 14th approaches, you might feel like you can’t escape ads selling jewelry by reinforcing the gender binary or promotions trying to push pricey dinner dates for two. But, even as you feel […] Read more “Queer, Polyam, Kinky, Single? Alternative Valentine’s Day Ideas”
Low Libido Blues: Desire Discrepancy in Intimate Relationship
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Estimated: 1 minute to read
Michelle Herzog is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Certified Sex Therapist based out of Chicago. She is the owner of the Center for Mindful Living, a private practice specializing in relationship and sex therapy. We are delighted to share her post on desire discrepancy and communication. One of the most common sexual issues couples […] Read more “Low Libido Blues: Desire Discrepancy in Intimate Relationship”
Polar Bear Nature
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Estimated: 3 minutes to read
This morning, just like every other morning, I was out walking. But this morning it was a frigid 5 degrees, a temperature I long for all year. I know, for some, this is absolutely crazy! But for me, nothing makes me feel more, alive, more vital, one with nature. I absolutely love the feeling of […] Read more “Polar Bear Nature”
Winter Solstice: Knowing Yourself Through The Night
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Happy Winter Solstice everyone! This centuries old celebration is one of the most meaningful days of the year to me. Ever since I was a small child, the inky nights of winter held a certain kind of spooky magic that enthralled me. Starting with the Fall Equinox, our literal time in light begins to decrease, […] Read more “Winter Solstice: Knowing Yourself Through The Night”