by Cindy Trawinski, Psy.D. and Cassandra Damm, LCSW In a previous article, we introduced the topic of sex work, considered its history and politics, and explored some identifying attributes of the diverse population of individuals sometimes referred to as sex workers. In this article, we would like to offer a few guidelines about the many […] Read more “Why Do Sex Workers Need Our Support?”
Why Do Sex Workers Need Our Support?
Posted:
Estimated: 6 minutes to read
Becoming a Trans Ally
Posted:
Estimated: 5 minutes to read
My world and life, like many people’s, is a mix of privilege and struggle. As a cisgender woman, I have some privileges that trans women and men do not. For example, I can assume that others will use my preferred pronouns (she, her, and hers) when referencing me. As a person in a non-monogamous relationship, […] Read more “Becoming a Trans Ally”
Your Best Friend Tells You They Are Kinky
Posted:
Estimated: 4 minutes to read
So, your best friend tells you they are kinky and/or they practice BDSM (Bondage and Discipline [BD], Dominance and Submission [Ds], Sadism and Masochism [SM]). Whether it is your best friend, a sibling, parent, or child, you may want to be an ally, but simply don’t know what to do or say. Before you go […] Read more “Your Best Friend Tells You They Are Kinky”
Eating Meditations: A Practice of Equanimity, Gratitude and Blessing
Posted:
Estimated: 2 minutes to read
Can mindfulness be useful for difficulties with food and eating habits? Many think so. Here is an exercise I came across years ago that may help you slow down, name your experience, start to tune into your body and be thoughtful about how you nourish yourself. For this approach, at first, try using a small […] Read more “Eating Meditations: A Practice of Equanimity, Gratitude and Blessing”
Welcome to the New LifeWorks Office in Chicago’s Central Loop
Posted:
Estimated: 6 minutes to read
We are pleased to announce the opening of our new psychotherapy location in Chicago’s downtown Central Loop neighborhood. The office is our third in the area, with the other two situated in Lakeview and Skokie, Illinois. We chose to open a third office to better suit the needs and schedules of the people we serve, […] Read more “Welcome to the New LifeWorks Office in Chicago’s Central Loop”
A Primer on Growth and Change
Posted:
Estimated: 9 minutes to read
What is growth? What kinds of changes do face? How does growth and change occur? How long does it take to change? Trainer, consultant and author, Julie Diamond, Ph.D., offers insights into change that should resonate with therapists and clients alike. The older I get the more I realize that many of the things I found insurmountable […] Read more “A Primer on Growth and Change”
Bad Dreams Have Meaning
Posted:
Estimated: 8 minutes to read
In honor of the season, we are looking at things that scare or frighten us and why that is. Our colleague and process worker, David Bedrick, helps us understand how inner critics sometimes appear in bad dreams and how we can make use of the messages they bring. The following article originally appeared in Psychology […] Read more “Bad Dreams Have Meaning”
Winning the Battle with Inner Criticism
Posted:
Estimated: 4 minutes to read
An inner critic can be thought of as an aspect of ourselves that holds the criticisms, disapproval, injunctions and complaints that we have internalized over time. When our inner critic is active, we get low and feel “less than”. Sometimes the voice of the inner critic is so convincing that we jump to the conclusion […] Read more “Winning the Battle with Inner Criticism”
Becoming a Polyamory Ally: How to Start
Posted:
Estimated: 2 minutes to read
This blog was inspired by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) blog How to Be a LGBTQ Ally. I am grateful to HRC for their groundbreaking leadership in the fight for the rights of LGBT people in US and around the world. To read the original HRC blog, click http://www.hrc.org/blog/entry/how-to-be-an-lgbt-ally For a lot of people, learning […] Read more “Becoming a Polyamory Ally: How to Start”
Discovering Optimism
Posted:
Estimated: 2 minutes to read
For some scientists, happiness is best defined as “subjective well-being”. In other words, it’s relative to the individual and their experience. From this perspective, happiness is different for each of us. In the Happiness Advantage, author, Shawn Achor, notes that, “happiness implies a positive mood in the present and a positive outlook on the future.” […] Read more “Discovering Optimism”
Thanksgiving Meditation
Posted:
Estimated: 2 minutes to read
The holiday season is a time to reflect on the people, experiences, privileges and events for which we can be thankful. I discovered this mindfulness meditation in Mark Nepo’s The Book of Awakening. It reminds me that the whole of existence is a miracle. May it bring you a sense of connection, gratitude and appreciation. […] Read more “Thanksgiving Meditation”
Wild Geese
Posted:
Estimated: 4 minutes to read
As individuals we often hold ourselves back from our changing nature believing we shouldn’t be who we are becoming. A passing awareness of the crispness of the air, or the crunch of dry grass, the changing colors of trees along our way give us a chance to recognize that change is natural and happening all […] Read more “Wild Geese”
The Beginning of the End of Loneliness
Posted:
Estimated: 4 minutes to read
Loneliness is a condition that all of us experience at some point in our lives. We often think loneliness is brought on by external situations – a loss of a relationship or marriage, a death of a friend or family member, job loss or career change. It’s easy to acknowledge feelings of loneliness when one […] Read more “The Beginning of the End of Loneliness”
Loss and Sacred Connection
Posted:
Estimated: 4 minutes to read
I experienced a deep and unexpected sense of connection recently when my childhood friend, Heather, passed away this year. She was 41 years old and died from breast cancer. I had not seen Heather in over 20 years, but because we live in the age of the internet and Facebook (digital connectedness or virtual connectedness), […] Read more “Loss and Sacred Connection”
The Right To Be
Posted:
Estimated: 4 minutes to read
I have a wonderful book called, Growing Up Again: Parenting Ourselves, Parenting our Children, by Jean Illsley Clarke and Connie Dawson. As a mother of two, I often reference this book to remind myself of the developmental tasks of each age, and some typical behaviors which come with different stages of life. To know that […] Read more “The Right To Be”
Death and Grief
Posted:
Estimated: 3 minutes to read
I’ve noticed that the subject of death comes up often, talking with people, both professionally and personally. Quite a few people I know have lost a family member in the last year and many others still feel the pain of losses that may have happened years ago. There is a lot of information published on […] Read more “Death and Grief”
Raising Children
Posted:
Estimated: 2 minutes to read
Raising children is a tough job, which takes a lot of skill, patience and humor to get through on a daily basis. It is no wonder parents need time to talk with each other, to read books, to write blogs, read blogs about their experiences of what works and what doesn’t work, and to think […] Read more “Raising Children”
How to Mother Me?
Posted:
Estimated: 2 minutes to read
I first became interested in Abby Seixas’ women’s groups, based on her book Finding the Deep River Within: A Woman’s Guide to Recovering Balance and Meaning in Everyday Life, after I had my 2nd child and felt a little like life was not my own anymore. Life was busy. There was always something to do […] Read more “How to Mother Me?”
I Smile
Posted:
Estimated: 3 minutes to read
I’ve been thinking lately about how much we all experience pain and suffering. Not exactly an uplifting thought, I admit. Yet, when I think about being human, I think that throughout all time, every one of us endures suffering, some more, some less. What a condition, this human one is! A moment ago, a new client […] Read more “I Smile”
Anxiety and Fear: What-if?
Posted:
Do you ever find yourself thinking in endless cycles about possible scenarios? Do you find it distressing? Or maybe you aren’t even aware of it in the moment, and then suddenly realize 15 minutes (or more) have gone by and you’ve been stuck in these circling thoughts. The irony of the “what if” is that […] Read more “Anxiety and Fear: What-if?”