Healing Your Inner Child: A Conversation Across Time

Talking to your younger self isn’t just a social media trend—it’s a meaningful form of self-exploration. Inspired by a viral poem, many are engaging in inner child work by asking questions that bridge the past and present. Whether it’s through Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Internal Family Systems, or personal reflection, this practice can foster healing and self-understanding. Ready to start the conversation? Begin with simple questions, and see where your inner child leads you.

In a perfect world, we’d be able to stop burnout from making an appearance every time. If you find yourself in a state of unshakable stress, here are 5 ways you can start to climb back to a normal nervous system response.

If you take one thing away from reading this, let it be: Valentine’s Day really does matter. Just not in the way you think.

What comes to mind when you hear the word “acceptance?” Maybe it’s the idea of making peace with something or taking it as-is. For some readers, this concept might feel threatening or lead to questions of accountability.

If you’ve set resolutions before, you may know they aren’t always easy to maintain for 365 days. Here are a few ways to be selective about what you focus on in the new year. We hope whatever routines you choose bring fulfillment and health, no matter what shape they take.

In sessions at Chicago Center for Behavioral Health, we often talk about the ever-present differences between thoughts, feelings and behaviors. If you’ve ever worked with a Cognitive Behavioral therapist, you probably already know — these things are all different, and inform how we view ourselves and the world.

Chicago Center for Behavioral Health is launching a Chronic Illness and Pain Group to support community members living with visible or invisible illnesses. The weekly support group, run by a therapist with a chronic illness, aims to create a space to process all emotions experienced in tandem with physical unease.

When most people hear about Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), they likely think of the gold-standard treatment known as Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP). While ERP has been highly effective for many individuals, some may find it difficult or feel stuck with this approach. Enter Inference-Based Cognitive Behavior Therapy (I-CBT)—a lesser-known but promising treatment that can provide an alternative path to recovery for those struggling with OCD.

The holidays are almost upon us, and they have the unique capability of causing stress, burnout, and family conflict. Read to learn some tips for navigating boundary setting with family members.

Self-care has become a buzzword, often associated with indulgence or luxury. But the reality is much deeper—and far more meaningful.

True self-care is about meeting your needs—physical, emotional, mental, and social—so you can show up as your best self. It’s setting boundaries, asking for help, prioritizing rest, and sometimes doing the hard things, like saying “no” or scheduling that therapy session you’ve been putting off.

Unlock the power of journaling through a Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) approach! In this post, we explore how guided journal prompts can help identify and challenge negative thought patterns, reframe unhelpful beliefs, and cultivate healthier emotional responses. From tracking automatic thoughts to developing coping strategies, these prompts provide practical ways to boost self-awareness and mental resilience.

The teenage years are already full of academic pressure and self-comparison, and the college search often brings these sometimes overbearing concerns to the surface. Though stress — in this case, caused by future aspirations — is unavoidable, there are some ways to approach the inherently scary process with compassion and healthy consideration.

Empirical research shows individual and group therapy to be equally as beneficial. Here are some of the reasons you may find comfort and community in a group, apart from, or in addition to, individual therapy sessions.

For some, the start of fall means pumpkin flavors, cozy sweaters, and changing leaves. Others associate the season with colder temperatures, the arrival of snow, and the dreaded “seasonal depression.”

This September, CCBH will launch our Parent Support Group, a virtual community designed to help parents heal, grow, cope with, and understand the ever-changing dynamics of parenting in the modern age.

When grades and school performance —or success in any one area — are top of mind, authentic family connections may seem far out of reach. If you find your family falling into the familiar cycle of stress for success, you may find your footing in one of these helpful refresh tools.

Let’s be honest…in the midst of a panic attack, it’s difficult to feel gratitude for the protective function. Instead, you may find yourself very literally itching to avoid the discomfort and begging to retreat somewhere safe — or you may feel so overwhelmed that fleeing for safety isn’t a possibility. Though an explanation for what’s really happening may not fix the panic symptoms, it can encourage conscious awareness that the symptoms will not last forever — and are not putting you in any further harm.

Chicago Center for Behavioral Health therapists are skilled in CBT, as well as other behavioral therapies that can encourage positive growth. With empirically researched treatments, we strive to help clients break the cycle of maladaptive thoughts and behaviors. Click here for more information on our services.

Very often, mental illness — and individual symptoms — operate differently in individuals. Not all diagnoses look the same, meaning not every person with anxiety or depression has the same daily behaviors. While some symptoms may be easy to assume, others are invisible to outsiders, and sometimes, even a person themselves.