Life transitions are usually life changing events that cause us to re-examine our present sense of being. They can be predictable – such as children leaving the home or marriage but they can often be unpredictable – such as a move, an accident or a loss. Many people will experience life transitions during mid-life or when deciding to change careers or job focus.
If life transitions are normal, why do I feel so overwhelmed?
Transition means change. We are often consciously or subconsciously resistant to change. Most of us like some predictability in our everyday lives and the unknown does cause a certain amount of fear and stress.
For example, marriage can be a difficult life transition despite the happiness involved in finding love and companionship. One goes from being in charge of all their decision making processes and thinking about their wants and needs to entering a partnership, where decisions are made together after discussion and sometimes compromise.
How will counseling will help you?
Counseling can help you flow through the rocky period of change with grace. You can learn to better accept where you are, work with, rather than against, the new movement in your life, and counteract the negative feeling of emptiness that often comes when our identity has been tied to a condition that is gone.
Perhaps most importantly, in counseling we can help you to figure out where you are going next, and to find the excitement and aliveness in the change. Additionally, many people feel that a good therapist can simply be a necessary anchor for them as they move through a difficult period. We will work together to fill your “tool box” with a variety of ways to manage the stressors and emotions related to your specific situation.
