Posts by Cornerstone Counseling Center of Chicago
Your Year In Review
Over the past 4 years Spotify, a music streaming app, has featured “Spotify Wrapped—A Year in Review.” In December Spotify compiles the data of what you listened to on the app over the past year and produces a chart of your most played songs, favorite artists, and what genre of music you often frequent. I…
Read MoreHope for Christmas: The Psychological Meaning of the Christmas Tree
Given that the Christmas season is upon us, I felt compelled to write a short piece on the meaning of the Christmas tree. Over time, certain traditional symbols have become so commonplace that we can sometimes forget to think about their meaning or origin. Like most symbols, the Christmas tree is polysemic, which indicates that…
Read MoreSeasonal Affective Disorder: What the Blues Really Mean
Summer days are gone. Autumn has begun. For many, this time of the year signals the launch of fall festivities, savory treats to indulge along with deliciously comforting fragrances that are sure to cozy you into the change in season with grace and poise – caramel apples, pumpkin spice donuts, mint hot chocolate, spearmint, eucalyptus. While…
Read MorePerinatal Depression
Changes in emotions and mood swings may be expected during and for a period after childbirth. What may not be unexpected are symptoms of depression. Perinatal depression is depression experienced during pregnancy (antenatal) and up to one year after childbirth (post-partum). World-wide, the occurrence of perinatal depression is estimated to be between 10 and 13%,…
Read MoreLogic or Emotion: Which Mental Faculty is Superior?
Introduction Many people believe that rationality or logic is the supreme mental faculty and that it ought to be viewed as superordinate to emotion. This notion dates back to antiquity and was made most explicit in Plato’s famed dialogue, Timaeus. In this piece, Plato describes how humankind was first created by a supreme deity who crafted…
Read MoreAddiction and Isolation in the Time of COVID
“We cannot live only for ourselves. A thousand fibers connect us with our fellow men.” ― Herman Melville A pandemic in the time of a pandemic, “COVID-19 and addiction are the two pandemics which are on the verge of collision causing a major public health threat.” (Dubey, 2020). During the Covid-19 pandemic there has been an…
Read MoreCornerstone’s Response to Racial Injustice
The Cornerstone Family is deeply saddened by the tragic events across our country. The protesters’ reactions to the murder of George Floyd and previous injustices, reflect the pain, anger and frustration that so many of us feel. Although we do not agree with the destruction and acts of violence in our city or any city, the…
Read MoreBetter Than Before
We all want another chance to get something right, or to be granted a do-over. The one question that continues to be paramount is: How do we get through this time? A time that appears to have no set end. Every report, conference, appointment has been completely refocused to include the impact of COVID-19 on our society, bodies,…
Read MoreCOVID-19 – The Worry of Violence From An Economic Crisis: Just Another Day For The Poor
“The opposite of poverty is justice.” Bryan Stevenson, lawyer and social justice advocate “Like slavery and apartheid, poverty is not natural. It is man-made and it can be overcome and eradicated by the actions of human beings.” Nelson Mandela “He that oppresseth the poor, reproacheth his Maker; but he that honoureth Him hath mercy on the poor.”…
Read More5 Mental Health Tips for Coping with the Coronavirus
1) Remember emotions are not good or bad. Each emotion serves a purpose to alert us to something important. Anxiety, in particular, can be helpful to help us “prepare” for a situation or perform during a stressful task. Ask yourself and label what emotion(s) you might be feeling. Labeling emotions in and of itself can be regulating to distress.…
Read More