Cityscape Counseling

04/01/2026

This article discusses skin-picking behaviors and disorders, as well as self-harm. It aims to answer the question: skin peeling a form of self-harm? Skin picking treatment is explored, naming CBT and DBT as primary treatment modalities. Dermatillomania and dermatophagia are defined, and treatment is discussed. Finally, how to help someone who is self-harming is explored, including what is and is not helpful to say to someone who is self-harming.

https://www.cityscapecounseling.com/post/is-skin-peeling-self-harm/

03/31/2026

International Transgender Day of Visibility, often simply Trans Day of Visibility, is an annual event dedicated to celebrating transgender people raising awareness of discrimination faced by transgender people, and acknowledging their contributions to society. Cityscape Counseling stands with its trans clients, celebrating the lives and contributions of trans people, while also drawing attention to the disproportionate levels of poverty, discrimination, and violence the community faces compared to cisgender (non-transgender) people in 2026.

03/30/2026

This week's spotlight is on our therapist, Christina Squiers, MSW! Christina works with adults individually and with couples on depression, anxiety, Adult ADHD, career-related issues, and familial estrangement

To learn more about Christina and her practice, check out her profile on the Cityscape Counseling website!

Christina Squiers as a therapist strives to offer a warm, direct, and always collaborative approach for adult telehealth clients in Illinois.

03/27/2026

One of my favorite concepts in improving romantic relationships, and simultaneously one of the most challenging, is the role of tolerance. This is a skill that rarely gets talked about. It is the act of neutrally noticing a behavior you may have a desire to protest or change within your partner. This article discusses Tolerance in Romantic Relationships - check it out on our blog!

Improving romantic relationships, and simultaneously one of the most challenging, is around the role of tolerance and knowing when to leave.

03/24/2026

Watching your teen struggle can feel overwhelming. Mood swings, withdrawal, academic stress, and conflict at home can leave parents wondering what’s normal and what might need extra support. If you’re searching for therapy for adolescents in Hinsdale, Illinois, you’re already taking an important step. This new blog post will walk you through what to look for, what to expect, and how to choose the right fit.

Looking for therapy for adolescents Hinsdale families recommend? Learn how to find a great therapist for your teen and support their mental health.

03/23/2026

This week’s Cityscape Therapist Spotlight is on Adrienne Ahlquist, LCSW! Adrienne works with OCD, Panic Disorder, Agoraphobia, Social Anxiety, Illness Anxiety, Somatic Symptom Disorder, Separation Anxiety, Specific Phobias, and Generalized Anxiety.

To learn more about Adrienne and her practice, check out her profile on the Cityscape Counseling website:

Adrienne Ahlquist is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who specializes in the treatment of adults and adolescents struggling with OCD

03/20/2026

Society and social media flood us with information about how to live our best lives. We are encouraged to follow diets and rules that may not necessarily help us achieve better health or happiness. Many diets, workout plans, and lifestyle changes are prescribed for us. They encourage us to ignore signals from our body that may not align with the program. These are not created based on our own body’s unique needs. I find that tuning in and working with our bodies rather than against them can profoundly enhance our mental health and overall well-being.

This blog has five ways to help you cultivate a deeper connection with your body and harness its power to support your mental health journey.

Society and social media tell us how to diet and look. Here are 5 tips for honoring your body by improving mental health and well-being.

03/19/2026

Is Play Therapy for you? Adult play therapy approaches are evidence-based and can help uncover new insights.

03/18/2026

Check out our new Nervous System Regulation (A Somatic Skills Group) starting Monday, March 30th, hosted by our amazing therapist, Jessica Dattalo, LCSW, RYT-200!

Tired of constant stressing, worrying, and never being able to relax?

This 5-week Nervous System Regulation course is an invitation to slow down, reconnect, and cultivate a sense of safety within yourself. Together, we'll explore our nervous systems, polyvagal theory, the mind-body connection, somatic skills for regulation, and inner child healing.

Facilitated by an experienced therapist (15+ years) and supported by somatic practices, this group helps you move beyond overthinking and into embodied calm. You may not be able to control the world around you, but you can learn how to support your nervous system through it.

See the Group Therapy page on CityscapeCounseling.com for more details!

Email Jessica@Cityscapecounseling.com for more details and to join!

03/17/2026

For many people, coffee is a daily ritual. It jumpstarts the morning, boosts focus, and feels like a comforting pause in a busy day. But for others, that same cup can trigger racing thoughts, a pounding heart, and a sense of dread. If you’ve ever wondered about the connection between caffeine and anxiety, you’re not alone.

At Cityscape Counseling, we often hear questions like: Does caffeine cause anxiety? Or can coffee cause anxiety even if I’ve been drinking it for years? The answer isn’t the same for everyone. But for some individuals, caffeine can absolutely amplify stress and worsen symptoms of anxiety.

This new blog explores why.

Struggling with caffeine and anxiety? Learn how coffee affects cortisol, panic attacks, and mental health—and when cutting back may help reduce stress.

03/13/2026

Have you ever been in an argument with someone that completely blew up? Have you buried your emotions deep to avoid conflict? If you answered yes to one or both of those questions, congrats, you are human! Constructive conflict is healthy. It benefits us to identify ways to fight clean so that we can level up our relationships and maintain our sanity. In this blog are six approaches to practice (and avoid!) when met with conflict in relationships. These 6 tips will help you see that there is such thing as healthy arguing.

Have you ever been in an argument with someone that blew up? These 6 tips will help you see that there is such thing as healthy arguing.

03/11/2026

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) can look many different ways. A few common symptoms of OCD include fears and behaviors around contamination, checking, symmetry and ordering, as well as having intrusive thoughts.

Contamination fears are concerns about germs, illness, or being contaminated. Example: Intrusive thoughts create fears surrounding germs, so a person excessively washes hands to control their anxiety.

Checking refers to fear-based thoughts or behaviors about something bad happening if a mistake is made. Example: There is a fear about leaving the oven on, leading someone to check that the oven is off many times before being able to leave the home, or calling family members to ensure the oven is off and receive reassurance.

Symmetry and ordering thoughts and behaviors focus on things needing to be balanced or “just right” in order for anxiety or discomfort to subside. Example: While folding clothes, a stack of t-shirts is lined up over and over again until it feels “right.”

Intrusive thoughts are unwanted thoughts or images that feel disturbing or upsetting. Those living with OCD have intrusive thoughts that can include themes of harm, morality, religion, or general fears. Example: A person has the thought, “What if I did something terrible while I was drunk?” leading to feelings of stress. Important note: having these thoughts do not indicate reality or mean someone with OCD wants to act on them.

If you relate to any of these examples or know someone who might, know that OCD is treatable. Therapy, medication, and other resources/support is available to make OCD more manageable. To learn more, visit www.cityscapecounseling.com/blog.