Are Life Events Causing You Stress Or Introspection?
Life transitions are naturally occurring in all of our lives and they can look very different. Examples include going away to college, temporary injury putting you out of your sport/performance season or permanently crushing your hopes of continuing, retirement in sport, retirement in life, and relationship changes, romantic or otherwise.
Life transitions change our day-to-day and can affect our identity and how we view ourselves and our lives. I can help you process the changes as well as work to accept the new reality. Life transitions are easier when we find our roots on the other side of the change.
Is a recent change in your life causing emotional upheaval? Are you feeling anxious due to the uncertainty that comes along with change? Have you been considering making a big life change but are afraid to take the leap?
Perhaps the changes you’re experiencing were unexpected and caught you off guard, and now you’re reeling from how quickly your daily life has changed. Or if your life transition is seemingly positive—like getting married or having a baby—you may be wondering why you feel so stressed out. Because you were looking forward to this milestone, you probably weren’t expecting to feel overwhelmed or unsettled by it.
Coping With Life Transitions Can Be Challenging
Fearing the unknown that accompanies a new life experience, you might be worried about the future. This uncertainty could be causing mood shifts, sleep disturbances, or changes to your appetite.
You may have fallen out of your regular routine which is what usually keeps you feeling grounded and calm. All the predictability of life seems to have vanished, leaving you disoriented and feeling out of sorts. It’s possible that in the absence of a healthy routine, you’ve reverted to some bad habits, such as self-medicating with alcohol or overeating.
Maybe you’re reflecting on your current life and re-evaluating your priorities. You may question the path you’re on and be considering making a significant life change. While the idea of changing things up is exhilarating, it can also be scary to think about disrupting the status quo.
When your life is in flux and nothing seems stable, I can offer a safe place to process your feelings, while giving guidance and direction. Working together can help you embrace the positive aspects of life transitions and adjust to change with resilience.
The One Thing We Can Count On In Life Is Change
Change is never easy, especially if that change is unwelcome or unpredictable. Big life changes—such as losing a job, relocating, or becoming an empty nester—significantly impact our lives. However, it’s hard for us to fully understand how to cope with disruption.
After all, we are creatures of habit. Our natural tendency is to resist any change to our routine or the lifestyle that we find familiar. Rather than embrace change, we are often uncomfortable with the uncertainty that it brings into our lives. This couldn’t be truer than with the pandemic which has forced many of us to change our lifestyles and be routinely confronted with the unknown.
Life Transitions—Both Positive And Negative—Can Be Challenging
Even when we’re looking forward to a life-changing event, such as getting married, having a child, or planning retirement, it still causes us stress. All milestones are bittersweet because they represent the end of one chapter of our lives and the beginning of another. Although milestones such as these are perceived positively, they still present a period of adjustment that can throw us off balance.
When we encounter challenging life events, such as divorce, injury, or chronic illness, our initial reaction is often denial. Rather than accept what is happening to us, we resist the unwelcome change and crave the impossible—for our lives to go back to the way they were before.
When the changes you’re dealing with are difficult or involuntary, the help of a life transitions therapist can make the adjustment period go faster and more smoothly than trying to face these challenges alone. Regardless of the life transition you’re going through, our sessions can be customized to provide you with helpful guidance and emotional support for your specific situation.
Transitions In Life Present Opportunities For Positive Change
Some changes are exciting and joyful, while others may be challenging to navigate. As a life transitions counselor and coach, I provide a safe, confidential, and compassionate environment for you to express the intense range of emotions that major upheavals can create. I aim to meet you where you are and teach you how to find comfort in the uncomfortable.
I’ve worked with clients facing various crossroads in life, including approaching retirement, experiencing financial loss, or a midlife crisis. I’ve helped people in different stages of their relationships, including separation, divorce, and adjusting to living on one’s own as well as those questioning their gender or sexual identity. Coaching to create a work-life balance and get back to an active or athletic lifestyle is also available for navigating this challenging life transition.
What To Expect In Sessions
Effective life transitions therapy and/or coaching allows you to feel heard, supported, and validated in your feelings as I listen attentively and strive to see things from your perspective. After gaining an understanding of what you’re experiencing and how it’s affecting you, I will develop coping strategies for you that are tailor-made to address your circumstances. The psychological skills you will learn, such as positive self-talk, growth mindset, mindfulness, visualization, and emotional intelligence, will help with your life transition and boost your resiliency.
If you’re experiencing a difficult life circumstance—such as divorce, bereavement, or chronic illness—your mindset might be, “I didn’t ask for this,” or “Why me?” However, the more you push against or deny the reality of what’s happened, the harder it will be for you to move forward. Our sessions will allow you to vent about the sadness and fear you are feeling and help you eventually move toward acceptance.
Preparation And Acceptance Will Help You Adjust To New Circumstances
Sometimes a pending life transition like retirement or becoming an empty nester causes dread and fear as you countdown to the day life will change. In these instances, we will work on visualizing what life will look like on the other side of the life event and identify opportunities for positive growth and change. By preparing for what the new normal will look like through visualization and carrying over routines, you will allay fears of the unknown and find hope for the future.
Involuntary life changes are usually signaled by a stage of denial as you confront the loss of the life you once knew. The antidote to denial is acceptance. By utilizing Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), I will help you gradually come to terms with your new reality. Additionally, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) will help address negative self-talk and process any difficult feelings you’re experiencing.
Counseling and/or coaching for life transitions will help you realize that change is a catalyst for self-growth. You can discover a newfound purpose and find your path to ‘a new normal’.
But You May Wonder if this Is Right For You…
Why do I need counseling or coaching for a career change?
In addition to psychology, my background in employee assistance makes me uniquely qualified to help you with your career goals. Job loss and career change counseling can help you identify what career you really want as well as provide you with helpful resources and strategies for obtaining it. You may benefit from a skill assessment to determine your strengths and talents or perhaps want to brush up on your communication and negotiation skills as you prepare for interviews. Your sessions will also offer a safe space to express the emotions that come with a career change or job loss without judgment.
How can counseling help me with my chronic illness?
Therapy is invaluable for anyone who has had their world turned upside down by disease or chronic illness. Similarly, if you have experienced changes in physical mobility—whether it be the loss of a limb, paralysis, or a permanent injury—therapy can help you “straddle the line” before and after your impairment. By visualizing what your new life can look like with an illness or physical limitation and identifying opportunities for self-growth and positivity, you can gradually begin to accept the new normal and realize how resilient you actually are.
I don’t have time for life transitions coaching.
Finding time for life transitions counseling comes down to asking yourself, “How important is it for me to reserve an hour a week to make a positive change and feel better?” As a life transitions coach who offers telehealth, you can benefit from the convenience of online therapy. Instead of spending precious time on a commute, you can use that hour to have your entire session in the comfort of your own home. And telehealth gives you the flexibility to keep up with sessions even when you’re traveling.
Change Always Presents New Opportunities
Embracing change can open up a whole new avenue of exciting possibilities. For more information about life transitions counseling, contact me now for your free, 15-minute consultation or to schedule an appointment.
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