Life transitions can be scary and overwhelming. Even those transitions we have actively chosen can be challenging, with accompanying losses and adjustments. Most of us prefer stability and resist change. With transitions our “status” in the world can change. The new reality might not correlate with who we think we are or who we want to be. We might fight it tooth and nail.
Many people seek counselling to help them cope and adapt to significant life changes such as:
Career, Location and Culture
- starting a new job or loosing a job
- career questioning
- retirement
- geographical changes and adjustments including immigration and cultural adjustment
Relationships and Family
- getting married or significantly partnered
- the challenge of break-ups
- adjusting to endings and being single
- having a child, or realising you can’t have children
- the many transitions of parenting, including children leaving the nest
- caring for elderly parents
- shifts in relationships with family members
Health
- sexual changes including questioning orientation
- changes in health and functioning
- life-threatening illness
Counselling can help make the transition smoother and help you emerge on the other side in one piece, with clarity and a sense of direction. Our approach would depend on you and your situation of course, but some things I can help you with are:
- attending to and processing your feelings about the changes
- exploring the changes and what they mean to you
- recognising and grieving any losses and acknowledging any gains
- practical and psycho-educational resourcing to help you cope better