4 Good Ways to Fight Work-Related Stress
Are long days at work stressing you out and sapping your energy? If so, you certainly aren’t alone. Americans rank amongst the hardest-working people in the world, in terms of hours spent at an office or place of business. Unfortunately, the stress and pressures of modern employment can cause fatigue, irritability, indigestion, weight gain, and a host of other (potentially serious) health problems. Since giving up work isn’t a realistic option for most of us, here a...Read More ›
3 Tips for Making Lasting Life Changes
Wanting to change your life is one thing, but actually setting new habits (and breaking free of old ones) is another matter altogether. Sometimes, even when we really want to start living differently, barriers and human nature get in the way. This is one of the biggest reasons why people struggle to lose weight, repair relationships, and get help for substance abuse problems. But, while changing habits and mindsets can be difficult at first, it is certainly possible. You j...Read More ›
Could Counseling Help You Turn a Corner in Your Life?
Even if you have never been to a counseling session, you probably have some ideas about what it’s like. Unfortunately, those ideas might not be accurate – and the preconceived notions you’re holding onto could stop you from reaching your potential or letting go of unhelpful emotions. In other words, counseling could help you turn a corner in your life… but only if you’re open to giving it a try. Here are a few reasons that counseling sessions can be so beneficial...Read More ›
Common Hypnotherapy Myths You Should Ignore
Hypnosis is a popular topic in books and movies, but it doesn’t really work the way Hollywood would like you to believe. In fact, I often find new patients to my Naperville psychology practice come into their first appointment believing bold myths about hypnotherapy. Here are a few that you might have heard, and that you should ignore: Hypnotherapy only works on highly-suggestible people – While some people are more receptive to hypnotherap...Read More ›
How to Accomplish Big Life Goals
Could you transform your life if you really wanted to? Could you start living in a way that brought you closer to your dreams? A lot of people fantasize about being more fit, successful, and happy. But many don’t take action to move themselves closer to what they really want. More often than not, it’s because they simply don’t know how to accomplish big life goals. Because you may not want to make that same mistake, here are a few helpful tips to help you get star...Read More ›
Beating the Winter Blues
Naperville is a great town, and a wonderful place to live. But, it’s not exactly a tropical paradise during the colder months of the year, and it’s not unusual for people of all ages to get the “winter blues.” If you’re the kind of person who tends to feel down when it’s gray and miserable outside, I have a few tips that just might help you enjoy the coming months a little more: Use sunlight and vitamins – On a biological level, our bodies miss the sun dur...Read More ›
Why Hypnotherapy Works
Many first-time patients who come into my Naperville office for hypnotherapy are curious, or even skeptical, about what’s going to happen. Often, they’ve scheduled an appointment because they are serious about losing weight, decreasing stress, or addressing some problem in their lives, but are curious whether I can actually help them and if they can be hypnotized. Does hypnotherapy really work? And if it does, then how? Today, I want to share a couple of very briefRead More ›
3 Great Uses for Hypnotherapy
A lot of people who have never tried hypnotherapy aren’t sure how it works or how it can be used to overcome everyday challenges. Because I find new patients are often very curious about my Naperville hypnotherapy practice, today I’d like to share three areas of your life that can be improved hypnothery, often in just a few sessions: #1: Weight loss – Hypnotherapy is perfect for weight loss because it helps patients to adjust their attitudes and self-image. Often, wh...Read More ›
4 Tips for Dealing With Holiday Stress
The holidays mean joy, cheer, and for most of us, a little bit of time off with family and friends. But unfortunately, they almost always means stress, as well. Things like travel, shopping, and even social engagements can make this season anything but a relaxing occasion. To help you cope – and get as much enjoyment from the holidays as you can, whether you’re staying here in Naperville or going elsewhere – here are four great tips for dealing with holiday stress:Read More ›
Mindful Meditation and Hypnotherapy
Mindful meditation and hypnotherapy are both simple ways to meditate by merely focusing on breathing, relaxing and noticing sights, sounds, taste, smells or touch. While meditation or under hypnosis the person does all of this without any judgement. They each work by allowing you to appreciate the present moment with a distortion of the everyday emotion, which can lead to a savoring of pleasures and /or tolerance for the unpleasant and focusing less on past regrets or futureRead More ›
Communication Skill Development
Communication skills will help you in all aspects of your life – at home, in the workplace or in social situations. The best way to develop your communication skills is to practice. Pay attention to your voice – is it a monotone, or is it animated? Enunciate your words and speak slowly using appropriate volume in your tone. Here are some skills that you can develop with practice:
- Eye contact – make sure you maintain good eye contact
- Make s...Read More ›
Autism – You Are Not Alone
The CDC has released information about how to “Learn the Signs and Act Early” for early detection of autism along with tools to track child development. According to the CDC, Intervention is likely to be more effective and less costly when it is provided earlier in life rather than later. http://www.cdc.gov/features/act-early/index.html There are multiple resources and activities a...Read More ›
What Experts are saying about Anorexia Nervosa
Anorexia nervosa, sometimes just called anorexia, is an eating disorder that can be deadly. Anorexia is prevalent in teen girls, although some boys may suffer from this disorder. Some of the signs and symptoms of anorexia are:
- Intense fear of gaining weight
- Skipping meals/making excuses for not eating
- Complaints about being fat
- May vomit, misuse laxatives, diuretics or enemas to lose weight, although purging like this is “bul...Read More ›
Reasons you should be talking about Senior Issues
People in the United States are living longer than ever before. At the same time, the post-WWII “baby boomers” are now approaching retirement age. By the year 2030, one in five Americans will be older than 65 years of age. If you or your parents are approaching retirement, it is important to be aware of some of the issues that seniors face and learn how to deal with these issues. Some of the common issues that seniors face are:
- Health Concerns Read More ›
Hypnotherapy Treatment for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that occurs following a traumatic event. People that have been in military combat, experienced natural disasters, terrorist attacks or any type of trauma, or even witnessed trauma, may have been effected by PTSD. Psychological damage from the PTSD can trigger symptoms such as:
- Problems sleeping
- Problems concentrating
- Feelings of depression/isolation
- Panic attac...Read More ›
Why Chronic Disease will Change Your Life
A chronic disease is defined by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) as a long-lasting condition that is the leading cause of death and disability in the United States. 7 of 10 deaths per year are due to chronic disease and accounts for 86% of our nation’s health care costs. Chronic disease cannot be prevented by vaccines, cured by medications and do not disappear over time. Examples of chronic diseases are: allergies, asthma, diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, lu...Read More ›
What everyone is saying about Work Place Issues
Work place issues are a popular topic on social media – articles on Linked In by Dr. Travis Bradberry, President at Talentsmart, discusses the “9 Worst Mistakes you can ever make at work.” http://www.bbc.com/capital/story/20150416-the-worst-office-behaviours Dr. Bradberry mentions backstabbing, gossiping, negativity, telling lies and even eating smelly food can create a negative imp...Read More ›
Baseball Season and Gambling Addictions
Major League Baseball, the national pastime, is one of the sports that least involves wagering. Pete Rose, manager of the Cincinnati Reds and the holder of the baseball’s career hit record, bet on 52 Cincinnati Reds games during the 1987 season. Pete later admitted that he bet on baseball for years and in 1989 Pete accepted a permanent ban from baseball. Risking your career to gamble is not unusual for someone with a gambling addiction. Gambling addictions, while not...Read More ›
The Emotional Stress of Moving
Moving means change. Whether the change is positive or negative, “home” is our sanctuary and for a while you will be leaving what you know and will be out of your comfort zone. The stress comes from so many different aspects of moving – paperwork and mortgages, closings and home inspections, movers, utilities and packing your possessions. In some cases it may mean travel and a new job, the end of relationships, downsizing to smaller place or an assisted living fac...Read More ›
Naperville Festival Season – Fear of Crowds
Summertime is right around the corner and with that are the Naperville Festivals and activities – Parades, Farmer’s Markets, Fine Art Fairs and Summer Concert Series - to name a few. A great way to spend the summer, unless you suffer from fear of crowds, also known as demophobia or agoraphobia. Fear of crowds is an anxiety disorder that is more common in women than men. People who experience fear of crowds will go to great lengths to avoid attending public events a...Read More ›
Hypnosis for Personal Growth
Hypnotherapy is a well-known method for changing addictive behaviors, such as smoking and overeating, as well as to relieve anxiety for phobias or child birth, but did you know that hypnosis can be a great way to achieve some of your personal goals? Hypnotherapy is a great form of mental relaxation that can help you to eliminate anxiety that keeps you from being your best – what are some of the areas in which you could improve?
- Procrastination
- Incr...Read More ›
Family Business – The Key to Success
Having a family business can be a very rewarding experience. In order to be successful in your business you need to establish a few guidelines:
- Establish a business plan with a mission and clear chain of command.
- Make sure everyone is aware of the company business plan/mission and is on board.
- All employees (family members and non-family members) have defined roles, responsibilities and performance reviews.
- All employees have equ...Read More ›
How Work/Life Balance Can Make You a Better Person
Work/Life balance is a great idea, however there is not a tried and true method for achieving this. Everyone is different with different needs and priorities and you will need to determine what is important. Whether you have a family, or are married or single impacts your priorities. Many companies help parents to flex their time – perhaps coming in after the children are off to school and then going home, getting dinner, spending time with the family and then getting...Read More ›
How to Overcome Fear of Flying
Many people, regardless of age, gender, or social status, suffer from a fear of flying (aviophobia). This is understandable, particularly since the September 11th tragedy and the more recent air tragedies. The anxiety that is experienced due to flying may be a combination of other phobias, such as fear of heights (acrophobia), fear of closed in spaces (claustrophobia) along with some of these other common fears: fear of what might happen, loss of control, terrorism, fea...Read More ›
Adult Survivor of Abuse
Many survivors of abuse have long-term effects of the abuse, even if the abuse is a dim memory. There are many types of abuse: Physical, emotional/verbal, sexual or neglect. The abuse can occur in different settings: family, social, professional, acquaintance or stranger. The abuser may use criticism, threats, humiliation, control, manipulation, drugs and/or alcohol to abuse their victim. Those who suffer from abuse may suffer from panic attacks, fear, anger, de...Read More ›
Diet or Eating Disorder?
The pressure to be thin is everywhere - advertising, TV, magazines, social media. Eating disorders are two times more prevalent among girls than boys and often appear in the late teen years or early twenties. Many people that have an eating disorder have a distorted image of their body and may have feelings of guilt and shame. Many also work hard to keep their disorder a secret. Here are three recognized types of eating disorders:
- Anorexia nervosaRead More ›
Procrastination
"Procrastination is my sin. It brings me naught but sorrow. I know that I should stop it. In fact, I will tomorrow!" - Gloria Pitzer Procrastination is the act of focusing on less important tasks rather than more important tasks that need to be accomplished. Procrastination happens to all of us at one time or another, usually when the task is difficult or unpleasant. College students are known for pulling “all-nighters” due to procrastination. Depression...Read More ›
The Beginner’s Guide to Achieving your Goals
Now that we are about one month into the New Year, how are you doing with your resolutions, or goals? Did you set goals for the New Year, and if so, are you sticking with them? Whether your goal is to go back to school, learn a new skill or lose 10 pounds, it is not enough to just make up a goal, now the real work starts – here are some tips to help you achieve your goals:
- Start with the overall picture of what you would like to achieve – for example, lose...Read More ›
What Experts are saying about Peer Problems
When you hear the expression “peer pressure” it tends to bring to mind a teenager, but peer pressure can start as early as preschool. All children want to be accepted by their peers and while this becomes more important during the teenage years, it is important to teach your children some basic life skills that will help them think independently and be able to stand up for themselves when the need arises:
- Encourage your child to make decisions at an early ag...Read More ›
Why You Will Never Succeed at Perfectionism
Perfectionism is normally a good thing – caring that the job is done right is a good habit and going the extra mile to make sure it is done right is a positive too, but sometimes it goes too far and becomes obsessive-compulsive behavior. How do you know when it is compulsive behavior? The list below may help you to identify this type of behavior:
- Do you have a difficult time completing tasks, or procrastinating?
- Do you find yourself spending too m...Read More ›
Why Your Anger Management Sometimes Doesn’t Works Out the Way You Plan
We all get angry from time to time, it is a normal human emotion, but when your anger gets out of control and you find yourself flying off the handle too often or people are always pushing your buttons, maybe it’s time to find a better approach. Here are some tips to practice to help control your anger: Try deep breathing when you start to get upset, concentrate on your breath for a few minutes rather than focusing on what is making you angry. Keep a diary of whatRead More ›
Dealing with Attention Problems
Lack of focus, inability to sit still, fidgeting, blurting out, inability to follow instructions and restlessness – this could be a description of any child at times, but children with ADHD (Attention Deficit Activity Disorder), demonstrate these symptoms for longer periods of time. Boys are more likely to have ADHD than girls and most children are diagnosed before age 7. Three to ten percent of children will have some degree of ADHD and 60% of these children will continueRead More ›
Psychosomatic Conditions – It’s Not All in Your Head
Psychosomatic conditions can occur for anyone and in most cases they will occur as a result of stress, anxiety, depression or a traumatic event. Some of the symptoms can present as headaches, stomachaches, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Once physical causes have been ruled out and it is determined that mental or emotional factors are the sole cause of illness the type of somatic disorder can be established:
- Briquet’s Syndrome is defined by a long history of...Read More ›
What is Keeping You from Losing Weight?
How many times have you tried to lose weight? With the holidays approaching you may be thinking of your weight loss goals and wondering how you will be able to keep from gaining weight during the holidays. Many people have tried diet after diet, only to repeat the same mistakes. Maybe it is time for a new approach – try changing your mindset and your way of thinking. Earl Nightingale said “You are what you think about.” Experts say that your mind is a...Read More ›
The Secret behind Men’s Issues
You hear a lot of talk about women’s issues, but not so much about men’s issues. Why do you suppose that is? Well, the main reason is that women are a lot more open with their emotions and feelings, while men, on the other hand, have been taught to “man up” and not show their feelings. We all, being human, have issues and need help at times. Some of the more common issues that men experience are:
- Keeping your emotions repressed may cause other behavior,...Read More ›
The Only Self-Confidence Resources You Will Ever Need
Self-esteem and self-confidence affect our entire lives, from relationships, our work lives, and social situations. Most of us suffer from lack of confidence at one time or another, but self-esteem issues can be overcome with a bit of help:
- Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) helps you take the unhealthy behavior and replace it with more positive thoughts. For example, your self-criticism may be exaggerated and Dr Rebeck can help you reframe your inferi...Read More ›
Help for Substance Abuse in Naperville, IL
Substance abuse is a challenging to the family as well as the individual. It affects everyone and can destroy the family. The person with the substance abuse problem is often unaware of the havoc that they create within their family. The family is torn between trying to help the person and “enabling” them to continue with their additive behavior. Counseling is essential in learning how to deal with substance abuse. The family needs to learn how to deal with ab...Read More ›
The Evolution of Women’s Issues
100 years ago women had very different issues than they do today. At that time, most women stayed home, raised their children, did housework and cooked dinner for their husband, rarely working outside of the home. If they did work outside of the home it was usually in a traditional female job, such as a housekeeper, teacher or nurse. Today women not only take care of their homes and families, but they also may have very challenging careers of their own. Women today o...Read More ›
Conflicts in the Workplace - for the Manager
Conflict can occur anywhere actually but as a manager you may need assistance in dealing with conflict in the workplace. Conflict that is not addressed results in low morale and employee turnover, not to mention the loss in productivity. There are five ways of dealing with conflict:
- Accommodating – cooperating at your own expense.
- Avoiding – avoiding the issue – not the best solution for the long term.
- Collaborating – win-win, pair...Read More ›
Doing Communications in the Right Way
Communication skills are valued in all areas of life, whether in business or at home. If you establish good communications, you build rapport, trust and understanding which leads to better relationships with your co-workers or with your family. In business clear, regular communication will help your team to understand the company goals in order to align their individual work with these goals. Lack of communication causes gossip and speculation. An environment of open commu...Read More ›
How Marriage Counseling can get you your Heart’s Desire
Marriage and partner counseling can be of benefit whether you are preparing for marriage, are newly married or have been married for many years for the following reasons:
- Pre-marriage counseling can help to set the stage for marital success. Now is the time for communication about your expectations, agreements on financial issues and your ideas about children and family, whether you are planning your family or dealing with your children from previous relationships...Read More ›
The Insider’s Guide to College Life
If you or your child are preparing for college, here are some of the areas of change that you will experience:
- New friends, new lifestyle and new independence, ready or not
- Academics – higher workload with more written papers, reading assignments, and no one to remind you that it needs to be done.
- Time management – organize and prioritize.
Ways Your Mother Lied to You about Parenting
When your first child is born, you have a wonderful vision of what it is like to be a parent. Soon after, reality sets in and lack of sleep, endless laundry and second guessing yourself on whether Dr. Spock is the true parenting authority begins. Mom made it look easy, and you may have a new appreciation for her once you become a parent. Whether your child is a newborn, toddler, or teenager, you will face different challenges in parenting at different times. Even act...Read More ›
The Evolution of Asperger’s and PDD
Many people are not familiar with the differences of the conditions of Asperger’s, Autism and PDD (Pervasive Development Disorders), the symptoms and treatments. Dr. Hans Asperger first identified symptoms in 1944 of a lack of empathy, an inability to form friendships, one-sided conversations and an intense absorption in a special interest. People with Asperger’s have difficulty with communication and social interaction. They also normally have average or above ave...Read More ›
What is keeping you up at Night?
Do you have problems falling asleep at night, or sleeping through the night? If you do, you most likely have a condition known as “insomnia”. There are many reasons for insomnia – sometimes it happens for a period of time, when you are under stress or going through a difficult time. For other people, it is more of a chronic condition and this results in a feeling of tiredness through the day and a lack of energy, and can result in a increased chance of serious hea...Read More ›
When Headaches Send you Running for Cover
If you suffer from headaches, you are not alone. Headache pain is one of the most common reasons for a visit to the doctor. There are many different types of headaches, some of the most common are:
- Migraine headache – sensitivity to light and nausea often accompany migraine headaches
- Sinusitis – springtime allergies sometimes cause sinusitis, an inflammation of the sinuses
- Tension headache – pain in the head and/or neck that feels...Read More ›
Trichotillomania Taboos you Should Break
Trichotillomania (hair pulling disorder) is a disorder that is not very well known, although approximately 1 in 100 people may have this disorder. While the exact cause is not identified, genetic factors may play a part in this condition, along with environmental factors and stress. People who have trichotillomania have a compulsion to pull their hair out and it is difficult for others to understand why they “can’t just stop”. This condition often start...Read More ›
How to Start Using Memory Enhancement for Learning
In the case of memory enhancement, the term “if you don’t use it, you lose it” is true. Much like strengthening your body and muscles with exercise, using your mind will help you to enhance your memory and ability to learn. Cognitive training to learn techniques to improve your memory capacity will be noticeable almost instantly and in the long term you will continue to see benefits. Your brain has plasticity, which means it is flexible and can be advanced. Hy...Read More ›
Eliminate Social Anxiety and Change Your Life
Almost everyone has experienced a small amount of social anxiety to some degree in their life. If you have ever had to give a presentation or performance in front of an audience you may have experienced some nervousness or anxiety. However, Psychology Today reports that 3.7% of the population or 5.3 million Americans suffer from social anxiety, or social phobia that is severe enough to affect your daily routine. Some of the symptoms demonstrated by this disorder are li...Read More ›
Emotional Aspects of Medical Illness
Medical illness affects your life in many ways, depending on the type and severity of the illness. While medical illness is diagnosed and treated, often the emotional aspects of medical illness are overlooked. Chronic illness, long-term treatments and terminal illness will most certainly affect you and your family. Many of the emotional aspects associated with illness are:
- Depression
- Anxiety/Fear
- Grief/Sadness
- Anger/DenialRead More ›
What Experts are saying about Separation and Divorce
When you are contemplating separation and divorce you need the guidance of a professional. Custody, visitation, fault, division of property, alimony and child support are all things that need to be considered. As much as you need an attorney for the legal issues, you also need to consult a professional for the emotional issues. Having someone that can guide you through an intensely emotional time and all of the changes that happen during that time is a necessity. At timesRead More ›
What Experts are saying about Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) usually occurs after a traumatic or terrifying lifethreatening event in which serious physical or emotional harm occurs or is threatened. PTSD was first recognized after the Vietnam War, during which time the disorder was often referred to as “combat fatigue”. Families of victims or first responders can also be affected by this disorder. But other events can also trigger PTSD . What causes PTSD in one person may not in someone else. F...Read More ›
How Smoking Cessation Can Help You Live a Better Life
It is a new year and time for a fresh start! How many New Year’s Resolutions did you make? Do you have the same resolutions every year? If so, make this year the one where you will be able to celebrate your success. Is quitting smoking one of your resolutions? According to the American Lung Association, there are some very good reasons to stop smoking. Smoking is the number one cause of preventable death in the U.S., causing over 393,000 deaths per year and smoki...Read More ›
If You Read One Article about Blended Families, Read This One
If you are dealing with the challenges of a blended family you are well aware of all of the issues that can come up, such as finances, dealing with the other parents and visits/holidays, discipline and different parenting styles, to name a few. Don’t rush into anything with children from one or both from previous relationships. You may want to wait a year or more after the divorce before committing to new relationship. Planning is very important when combining fam...Read More ›
How Compulsive Eating Can Make You a Better Person
With the holidays approaching, there are many temptations to over-indulge with food, treats, desserts and holiday dinners. Many people struggle with emotional eating and this can become a habit, leading to a compulsive eating disorder. Compulsive eating is an eating disorder just as anorexia nervosa and bulimia are recognized eating disorders. Because compulsive eaters do not have purging symptoms of bulimia nervosa, this behavior is often not recognized as an eating d...Read More ›
Hypnosis
Many people are not aware of the benefits of hypnotherapy. If you see people on TV or in movies that are hypnotized, it may appear that they are made to do things that they would not normally do, like bark like a dog, or cluck like a chicken. In the media it is usually presented as being more for entertainment purposes rather than therapeutic purposes. Hypnotherapy can be used successfully in therapy for many issues that cause distress, including the following:
Depression
Depression is a condition that can occur once in a person’s lifetime, or can be an ongoing condition. This condition can range from a mild form which may consist of feeling sad, blue or down in the dumps to a more severe clinical depression or bipolar depressive disorder. Causes of depression may be related to biological differences, inherited traits or stressful events. Other causes of depression may be seasonal affective disorder (SAD) which may occur at certain time...Read More ›
Chronic Pain
Many people suffer with chronic pain in their lives. Chronic pain is defined as pain that does not ease with regular pain medication and ongoing pain that can go on for months or years. Trauma/injury, infection or long term diseases, such as arthritis, IBS or fibromyalgia, can cause chronic pain; however, pain can also occur with no known cause. Chronic pain can be quite debilitating causing one or more of the following problems: • inability to function normally ...Read More ›
Career difficulties can occur at any time in life:
At the start of your career making the right decisions and choosing a career that you love and will find rewarding until retirement is not easy. In our youth we may have lots of interests and it is a challenge to choose a career that focuses on just one area. During an established career you may be at a crossroad with different opportunities, or you may find that your career choice is less than satisfying and begin to feel job burnout after many years of work in the same fie...Read More ›