Understanding Health Insurance Plans: Fundamentals to Help you Navigate Your Mental Health Benefits

Source: Photo by Edu Lauton on Unsplash Understanding the details of health insurance policies is hard! As Wildflower’s Practice Manager, I see firsthand just how challenging (and frustrating) navigating health plan benefits can be. I empathize and understand these reactions––insurance plans are increasingly complex, nuanced and filled with fine print. It is important to develop…

Therapist Spotlight: Lolly O’Sullivan, M.Ed., LPC

Lolly is a psychotherapist at Wildflower. Lolly’s clinical experience spans private practice and inpatient mental health settings. She has received specialized training in, among others, ACT, MBCT, CBT, and ERP. Lolly earned her Bachelor’s degree from DePaul University in Communication Studies and her Master’s degree from DePaul in Clinical Mental health Counseling. Read Lolly’s full…

How to Establish and Maintain Boundaries with Family and Friends During the Holidays

Source: Photo by Dima Pechurin on Unsplash Setting and maintaining boundaries with family and friends starts with asking yourself what you want your boundaries to look like. It can be difficult to differentiate between what you truly want and need versus what you feel you should do. This is further muddied by the expectations that…

5 Things You Can Do Today To Start Being More Productive

Source: Photo by Ian Dooley on Unsplash Have you ever looked at your to-do list, felt overwhelmed by how much is on it and ended up taking a nap instead? If so, you aren’t alone. According to a research study conducted by Reutskaja et al. in 2018, while our brains find the idea of choice…

What Is Sexual Health?

Source: Photo by Leticia Pelissari on Unsplash  Have you ever taken time to reflect on what your sexual health means to you? Depending on our personal histories and our accessibility to resources (educational, medical, etc.), we may not have an idea of what sexual health means. Historically, sexual health has been understood as avoiding unwanted…

Matrescence as a Psychotherapist: Part III

Source: Photo by Vivek Kumar on Unsplash  In our first two articles in this series written in collaboration with Chrissy Ellis, LCSW, PMH-C, we have identified what matrescence is and what it means to navigate this transitional period as a therapist, the various client and therapist reactions that commonly occur, and how to use the…

Pregnancy and Infant Loss: Navigating the Journey as a Couple

The impact of loss, whether it be through miscarriage, stillbirth, or infant loss, is immense. This grieving process can often feel lonely both for you as an individual and for you and your partner as a couple. Differences in how you process the experience individually within your relationship have the potential to exacerbate these feelings…

Matrescence as a Psychotherapist: Part II

Source: Photo by Bethany Beck on Unsplash In our first article in this series which was written in collaboration with Chrissy Ellis, LCSW, PMH-C, we discussed the profound change we undergo during matrescence, or the physical, psychological, and emotional changes associated with the transition into motherhood. We also explored just how challenging it is to…

Couples Therapy: The State of the Union Conversation

Source: Photo by Jakob Owens on Unsplash Once we have been in a romantic relationship for a long time it is easy to fall into a rut or to switch to autopilot. By the time we notice that we have fallen into a routine or begin to stagnate, it can feel incredibly difficult to break…

Matrescence as a Psychotherapist: Part I

[Photo by Ryan Franco on Unsplash] Our roles as therapists are characterized by the ability to create and hold space, bear witness to vulnerability and change, and attend to the dynamic and varying needs of our clients. Our roles as mothers and caregivers often demand these very same things. The transition to motherhood fundamentally changes…