Cityscape Counseling

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.

03/11/2026

n New CEU from Cityscape Counseling: Embodying the Let Them Theory! Thursday, April 16, 2026, 6:00 pm-7:30 pm on Zoom. 1.5 CEU hours for $45 for LCSWs, LCPCs, and Psy.D. Or Non-CEU attending for $35.

This learning session brings concepts from the book, The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins, to life through somatic exploration of concepts, such as "let them" and "let me." We will take a deep dive into how we can use the body as a resource to explore, understand, and connect to components of the theory.

Presenters: Aisha Robinson, LCPC, & Board Certified Dance Movement Therapist and Dani Parmacek, LCPC, & Registered Dance Movement Therapist.

Go to CityscapeCounseling.com/CEU-Trainings for more details and register on https://www.eventbrite.com/e/embodying-the-let-them-theory-15-cesceus-tickets-1984443146872?aff=oddtdtcreator

Cityscape Counseling is pleased to offer APA certified continuing education credits for therapists in Chicago, Illinois.

03/10/2026

If you are seeking recovery from an eating disorder, struggle with your body image, or find it emotionally activating to try on clothes, the next time you order clothes consider following these 6 tips in our blog for online shopping for clothes in eating disorder recovery.

Tthe next time you order clothes consider following these 6 tips for online shopping for clothes in eating disorder recovery.

03/09/2026

This week’s Cityscape Therapist Spotlight is on Laurel Dammann, LCSW! Laurel works with adults addressing Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD), complex trauma, grief, anxiety, depression, and relationship issues.

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

Laurel Dammann, LSW is an experienced Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor dedicated to client centered and compassionate care.

03/08/2026

March 8th is International Women’s Day! Cityscape Counseling celebrates every woman-identified person who is using therapy to…
💜 prioritize mental, physical, spiritual health
💜 set healthy boundaries
💜 learn to rest without guilt
💜 identify personal values
💜 unlearn unhelpful gender expectations
💜 leave situations that don’t serve her
💜 accept her body
💜 be more compassionate to herself
💜 and so much more!

03/06/2026

After following thousands of couples across decades, world-renowned researchers and clinical psychologists Dr.’s John and Julie Gottman discovered a weekly routine that resulted in couples reporting higher levels of satisfaction and lower levels of damaging, unproductive conflict within the relationship: the routine of conducting a State of the Union conversation (Panganiban, 2021). What is the State of the Union?

It’s a one-hour, weekly check-in meeting during which couples take turns sharing their answers to the same four questions regarding the “state” (or status) of their “union” (or relationship). This blog explores it in more depth!

This weekly routine could improve your relationship: holding a state of the union. An idea by the Gottmans of Couples Therapy.

03/04/2026

1. Choose (and, if needed, switch to) the right therapist 🛋️ Finding the right therapist is key! It can take time to see who you connect with, so consider setting up a 15 minute intro call. Consider their qualifications, issue areas, identities, and treatment approach.
2. Identify your goals and revisit them regularly 📝 Consider what you want to get out of therapy. What skills would you like to learn? What parts of your life need attention? How do you want your life to be different? You can (and should!) ask your therapist to help you identify tangible, approachable goals.
3. Be consistent and on time as much as is possible 🕰️ Use every moment of therapy! It is a safe place for you to express your emotions, learn more about yourself, and develop coping skills. The more you put into therapy, the more you get out of it.
4. Practice being open even when it’s uncomfortable 😣 We tend to avoid the topics that could be useful to discuss in therapy. While you can always consent to what you’d like to share, try to nudge yourself to practice vulnerability. Your openness helps your therapist better attune to you and your goals!
5. Complete “homework” between sessions and reflect on therapy regularly 💭 If you and your therapist agree to homework, take time to complete and bring your insights to your next session. This helps you understand what skills click for you and which ones aren’t for you. Plus, you may feel better!

03/04/2026

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!

03/03/2026

Are you overwhelmed by persistent feelings of worry and fear? Does anxiety seem to be taking over your life? If so, you may be wondering how many counseling sessions it takes to diagnose an anxiety disorder. This blog will give you a sense of how long the assessment process tends to be for diagnosing an anxiety disorder. It will also look at factors that may impact not only the assessment but the general approach a mental health professional may take. So this blog looks at how many sessions for a counselor to diagnose and treat an anxiety disorder.

When it comes to going to therapy for anxiety, how many sessions does it take for a counselor to diagnose an anxiety disorder?

03/02/2026

This week’s Cityscape Therapist Spotlight is on Marie Maciejko, LCPC! Marie works with adults, children, and adolescents addressing ADHD, suicidal ideation, self-harm, defiance, avoidance, mood, poor boundaries, anxiety, depression, relationships, and trauma.

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

Marie Maciejko is an experienced Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor dedicated to client centered and compassionate care.

02/27/2026

Eating disorders are often hidden, showing up in our habits, thoughts, and physical and mental health.💜 This National Eating Disorders Awareness Week, we are joining to shine a light on these experiences and support those struggling. By sharing resources and leading with compassion, we can bring hope and healing to every body.

Learn more, get help, share hope: nationaleatingdisorders.org/nedaw or link in bio

Repost to help spread awareness.