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Full Circle Counseling Blog:
Insights on Mental Health & Wellness
Welcome to the Full Circle Counseling blog, your go-to resource for valuable insights on mental health, wellness, and healing. Here, we share helpful tips, strategies, and in-depth articles to support you on your journey to emotional well-being. Whether you're seeking advice on therapy, self-care routines, trauma recovery, or building healthier relationships, our blog provides a variety of topics to empower you. Our mission is to create a space where you can explore ideas and strategies for mental and emotional health, helping you find clarity, healing, and balance in your life. Stay connected with us for new posts and expert advice that can support your growth and well-being.
Young Adults in Frankfort: Finding Direction When You Feel Stuck or “Behind”
Author: Full Circle Counseling & Wellness Featured Therapist: Asia Rios, M.S., LPC-Intern Serving: Frankfort & South Suburban Chicago (In-Person + Telehealth) “Everyone Else Is Moving Forward… Why Am I Still Here?” If you’re a college student, recent graduate, or in your 20s or 30s and feeling like you’re falling behind, you’re not alone — even if it feels that way. Many young adults in Frankfort and the south suburban Chicago area quietly carry the same thought: “I shou
Asia Rios
13 hours ago5 min read
Living With Chronic Illness: Emotional Coping Strategies for the Hard Days
Author: Full Circle Counseling & Wellness Featured Therapist: Annemarie Nawrocki, LSW Serving: Illinois (Telehealth Therapy) When Chronic Illness Affects More Than Your Body Living with chronic illness means learning how to function in a world that often doesn’t slow down — even when your body demands that you do. While doctors focus on symptoms, medications, and test results, many people quietly carry another burden: the emotional toll of living in a body that doesn’t be
Annemarie Nawrocki
7 days ago5 min read
Stop Overthinking: Tools to Break the Worry Cycle
Practical Cognitive Strategies, Somatic Grounding, and Journaling Prompts Overthinking can feel like being trapped in your own mind. One thought leads to another, and suddenly you’re replaying conversations, imagining worst-case scenarios, questioning decisions, or worrying about things that haven’t even happened yet. Many people describe it as mental exhaustion — a constant loop of “what ifs” that never seems to turn off. At Full Circle Counseling & Wellness , clients in Fra
Annemarie Nawrocki
Dec 224 min read
Chicago Working Moms: Balancing Pressure, Perfectionism & Burnout
Understanding the Mental Load — and How Support Makes a Difference Chicago working moms carry a tremendous amount on their shoulders. Between demanding careers, long commutes, parenting responsibilities, household management, and the invisible emotional labor that keeps families running, many women feel like they’re constantly juggling — and never quite catching up. At Full Circle Counseling & Wellness , we work with working mothers across Chicago neighborhoods who describe f
Alyson LoVerde, LSW
Dec 184 min read
The Biology of Anxiety: What Happens Inside Your Brain & Body
Understanding Your Nervous System + Tools to Help You Ground and Regulate Anxiety is often dismissed as “worrying too much,” but in reality, it is a biological and neurological response deeply rooted in how the brain and body protect us from danger. When clients at Full Circle Counseling & Wellness tell us they feel anxious “for no reason,” or that their “body reacts before their mind does,” they are describing something very real: Anxiety begins in the brain, travels throug
Elizabeth Mabbott, LPC
Dec 124 min read
Teaching Teens Emotional Regulation in a Digital World
Helping Adolescents Navigate Screens, Stress, and Big Feelings Today’s teens are growing up in a world no other generation has experienced: a digital landscape with constant stimulation, endless comparison, 24/7 communication, and a steady stream of news, images, and notifications. Their brains are still developing — especially the parts responsible for impulse control, emotional regulation, and decision-making — while being exposed to overwhelming amounts of digital input. F
Asia Rios
Dec 104 min read
Young Adults in Frankfort: Finding Direction When You Feel Stuck or “Behind”
Author: Full Circle Counseling & Wellness Featured Therapist: Asia Rios, M.S., LPC-Intern Location: Frankfort, Illinois “I Should Be Farther Along by Now…” If you’ve ever found yourself scrolling through social media thinking everyone else has life figured out — the dream job, the apartment, the engagement photos, the travel — you’re not alone. Many young adults in their 20s and 30s quietly carry a mix of pressure and self-doubt. You might be doing all the things — worki
Asia Rios
Dec 95 min read
The Hidden Impact of Chronic Stress on the Body
Understanding Cortisol, the Nervous System, and How to Restore Balance Stress is a normal part of life — rushing to get the kids to school, meeting deadlines, juggling responsibilities, navigating relationships, or managing finances. A little stress can even be motivating. But when stress becomes constant , the body shifts from short-term activation into long-term survival mode. In today’s world — particularly for busy families and professionals in Frankfort, Chicago, and sur
Kris Cain lcpc
Dec 54 min read
Healing After Domestic Violence: Rebuilding Safety, Self-Worth, and Trust
Author: Full Circle Counseling & Wellness Featured Therapist: Alyson LoVerde, LSW Location: Frankfort & South Suburban Chicago, Illinois Leaving Isn’t the End — It’s the Beginning of Healing For those who’ve never experienced it, leaving an abusive relationship can seem simple: “Why didn’t you just walk away? ” But for survivors, that question can feel like another wound. Domestic violence is rarely “just” physical. It’s emotional manipulation, isolation, financial contro
Jaina Jordan
Dec 25 min read
Chicago Stress Culture: Why Big-City Living Impacts Your Mental Health
Chicago is a vibrant, energetic, and resilient city — but it’s also a place where many people feel overwhelmed, exhausted, or constantly on edge. Between long commutes, crowded spaces, unpredictable weather, financial pressures, and a fast-paced work culture, it’s no surprise that Chicago residents experience higher levels of stress than many suburban or rural communities. At Full Circle Counseling & Wellness , we regularly support individuals from neighborhoods like Lincoln
Elizabeth Mabbott, LPC
Nov 304 min read
How Childhood Emotional Neglect Shapes Adult Relationships
Understanding Attachment, Intimacy, Conflict, and the Path to Healing Childhood emotional neglect doesn’t always look like what we think of as trauma. There may have been food on the table, a roof overhead, and parents who cared deeply. But emotional neglect isn’t about what happened — it’s about what didn’t happen : comfort when you were scared validation when you were upset encouragement when you tried something new warmth, empathy, or presence When emotional needs consist
Asia Rios
Nov 294 min read
Emotional Exhaustion vs. Depression: Knowing the Difference
In today’s fast-moving world — especially in places like Chicago and Frankfort , where long commutes, demanding work schedules, and packed family routines are the norm — many people feel worn out. It’s common to feel drained, overwhelmed, or emotionally “checked out” at the end of a long week. But sometimes emotional exhaustion becomes something deeper. Sometimes what feels like burnout begins to look, sound, and feel like depression . Many clients at Full Circle Counseling &
Kris Cain lcpc
Nov 264 min read
Living With Chronic Illness: Emotional Coping Strategies for the Hard Days
Author: Full Circle Counseling & Wellness Featured Therapist: Annemarie Nawrocki, LSW Location: Illinois (Telehealth) When “Getting Through the Day” Becomes an Act of Strength Living with a chronic illness often means carrying two kinds of pain — the physical symptoms everyone can see, and the invisible emotional weight they can’t. Maybe it’s the grief of losing your “old self” — the version of you who could run errands, make plans, or wake up without exhaustion. Maybe it
Annemarie Nawrocki
Nov 245 min read
Breaking Free from Anxiety-Driven Habits: How Hypnotherapy Supports Lasting Change
Author: Full Circle Counseling & Wellness Featured Therapist: Jaina Jordan, Clinical Hypnotherapist & Life Coach Location: Frankfort, Illinois When Anxiety Becomes a Habit You promise yourself you’ll stop — biting your nails, scrolling late into the night, over-committing, or eating just to calm your nerves. But the harder you try to will the behavior away, the stronger it seems to pull you back. That’s because many “bad habits” aren’t about poor discipline — they’re abo
Jaina Jordan
Nov 204 min read
Adults and Trauma: How EMDR Helps You Finally Feel Safe in Your Own Life
Understanding Trauma: More Than a Memory Everyone experiences stress, but trauma is different. Trauma occurs when something happens that overwhelms your ability to cope or feel safe. It can be a single event — like a car accident or assault — or a long-term experience, such as emotional neglect, criticism, or feeling unsafe at home or work. Professionals often describe two categories: Big “T” Trauma: Major life-threatening or deeply distressing events — abuse, violence, maj
Kris Cain lcpc
Nov 134 min read
Depression vs. Burnout: How to Tell the Difference and When to Ask for Help
When Exhaustion Becomes Something More You wake up tired, even after a full night’s sleep. The things that once excited you now feel like chores. You’re showing up, doing what’s expected — but inside, you feel empty. In today’s fast-paced, overconnected world, many adults describe this experience and wonder: Am I burned out… or am I depressed? At Full Circle Counseling & Wellness in Frankfort , we hear this question often. The truth is that burnout and depression can look rem
Elizabeth Mabbott, LPC
Nov 114 min read
When Helping Hurts: Understanding Compassion Fatigue
You give everything you have — your time, patience, and heart — to care for others. Whether you’re a parent, teacher, healthcare worker, or counselor, you likely chose your role out of compassion and a deep desire to help. But when giving becomes constant, even the kindest hearts can grow tired. This exhaustion has a name: compassion fatigue . At Full Circle Counseling and Wellness , we see this pattern often in caregivers and professionals across Frankfort, Chicago, and surr
Asia Rios
Nov 105 min read
The Link Between Nutrition and Mental Health
The connection between what we eat and how we feel runs deeper than most people realize. Beyond fueling our bodies, nutrition plays a powerful role in shaping mood, focus, stress response, and overall mental well-being. In both Frankfort and Chicago , families, professionals, and students are recognizing how food choices can influence emotional balance and resilience. At Full Circle Counseling and Wellness , we encourage a holistic approach — integrating mental health support
Asia Rios
Oct 283 min read
Chicago Seniors and Loneliness: Building Connection in the City
Understanding the Hidden Epidemic of Senior Loneliness In the heart of a bustling city like Chicago, it’s easy to assume that connection comes naturally. With vibrant neighborhoods, community events, and endless opportunities for engagement, loneliness seems like a distant concern. Yet for many older adults, especially seniors living alone or with limited mobility, isolation has quietly become one of the most significant mental health challenges of aging. Research shows that
Annemarie Nawrocki
Oct 204 min read
Chicago Professionals and Workplace Anxiety: Coping in a High-Paced City
Chicago’s skyline isn’t just a symbol of ambition—it’s a reflection of the fast-paced, high-pressure environment that so many...
Kris Cain lcpc
Oct 93 min read
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