Blog Posts

“Why Is Marriage So Hard?” How Couples Get Stuck in Patterns and Find Their Way Back to Each Other

You love each other, but why do the same arguments keep happening? Why can it feel so hard to communicate your needs, feel understood, or reconnect after a disagreement? Marriage brings together two people with different family histories, expectations, and ways of coping. Learn how understanding these patterns can help you move through conflict and feel more connected. If you and your spouse are ready to make a change, couples counseling in Illinois can help you build a healthier relationship together.

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Healing After Heartbreak, Dating, Self-trust Shirley Khong Healing After Heartbreak, Dating, Self-trust Shirley Khong

Dating After a Breakup: Why No Algorithm Can Tell You Who to Love | Anxiety Therapist Chicago, IL 

Starting to date after a breakup often brings one question to the surface: Can I trust myself again? Inspired by Black Mirror's "Hang the DJ" and featuring insights from psychologist Dr. Dan LaLuna, this blog explores dating anxiety, relationship patterns, psychological diagnoses, and why no algorithm can tell you who to love.

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Healing After Heartbreak, Patterns, Awareness Shirley Khong Healing After Heartbreak, Patterns, Awareness Shirley Khong

How to Stop Repeating Relationship Patterns After a Breakup

After a breakup or divorce, it's easy to assume a new relationship will feel different. But if you're noticing the same fights, the same shutdown, the same wall of resentment building up, your past may be more present than you think. In this blog, an anxiety therapist in Chicago breaks down why we bring old patterns into new relationships, how to recognize your triggers in conflict, and what it actually takes to build something different this time.

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Don’t Lose Yourself in Parenthood: An Anxiety Therapist in Chicago, IL on People Pleasing and Relationships

As an anxiety therapist in Chicago, IL who also works with couples, I was inspired to write this blog post after sitting with many first-time parents who came in wanting to improve their “communication skills.” Over the years, I’ve witnessed how the transition into parenthood doesn’t create new relationship problems — it magnifies the patterns that were already there.

If you’ve always been the responsible one, the peacekeeper, the one who keeps things running smoothly, becoming a parent can intensify that role. And somewhere between feedings, diaper changes, and managing schedules, you may start to feel like you’re disappearing.

If that sounds familiar, this blog is for you.

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