At our practice in Bloomington, Illinois, we’ve embraced telehealth virtual online therapy sessions because we deeply believe in making counselling available to you when and how it works best. Whether you’re balancing work, family, or other commitments, online therapy gives us flexibility, and when you work with us, you’re not asked to shift your life. Instead, therapy fits into it.

When it comes to getting things done, whether in your personal life, work, or therapy goals, understanding your motivation style can make all the difference. This blog explores two broad styles of motivation, helps you identify which one fits you best, and offers strategies to align your workflow so you can feel more empowered, less stuck, and more in tune with how you naturally operate.

I've been thinking a lot lately about the fine line between empowering someone we love and accidentally enabling their destructive behaviors. As a therapist, I see families wrestling with this distinction every day, especially when addiction is involved. It's one of the most painful positions to be in, watching someone you care about struggle while questioning whether your help is actually making things worse.

There has been growing angst and discontent in the world around all of us. And yet, that does not even begin to describe what we are collectively feeling. But those are the only words my human brain can use to describe what we are all experiencing. The amount of discontent and disdain we hear people express daily has grown on an exponential level. 

These are five ways that you can begin to heal that angst and discontent.

You may have been told your scans look normal. Your bloodwork is fine. Nothing obvious is wrong. And yet your body still hurts. Your functioning is still impaired. 

For a lot of people, this leads to the worst kind of message. Maybe it is just stress. Maybe it is in your head. It even begins to suggest that maybe you are exaggerating it. 

And that lands as invalidating, confusing, and honestly kind of infuriating. Chronic illness is often misunderstood by medical providers, as it is by patients, which can lead to experiences of medical gaslighting. 

So let’s be clear about something.

Your pain is real. Always. Your body is not making it up. You are not exaggerating it. You are not embellishing it. 

A lot of people come to therapy because their minds will not stop running.

Thinking about the past. Thinking about what they should have said. Thinking about what might go wrong tomorrow. Thinking about whether they are doing life right. Thinking about why they feel the way they do. Cataloging the tasks they didn’t complete that day or the upcoming tasks of the next day. 

It is exhausting.

You feel it when getting out of bed feels heavier than it should. When your shoulders are constantly tight, and you do not even remember relaxing them. When your sleep is off, even when you are exhausted.

You might feel wired and tired at the same time. This shows up for some people when they fall asleep on the couch, but during the two-foot walk to the bed, they are absolutely wired and wide awake. 

You might notice you are more irritable than usual. Snapping at people. Or the opposite, feeling kind of numb and checked out, like you just do not have access to the same range of emotions you used to.

And you can’t think your way out of it…

When people step into a character, they begin exploring questions that mirror real life. How does this character handle fear? How do they respond to conflict? Do they trust others easily, or do they hold back? What happens when they fail, and what helps them keep going?

These kinds of moments can quietly reveal the patterns we carry into our own lives.