A significant life change feel overwhelming and can knock us off balance. There are a number of life changes that can affect us deeply.

Relationship Changes:

• Are you recently separated or divorced, and feel overwhelmed with all the changes that this brings to your everyday life?
• Are you newly married or in a new relationship that seems great, but you hold yourself back and worry about something going wrong so much that you can’t enjoy it?
• Has becoming a parent (or adding another child) seemed to push you over your limit and you wonder if you can do it all?
• Have you lost someone close to you and the grief seems to have up-ended your sense of self and stability?
• Have your children moved out and adjustment to the empty nest is not the blissful freedom you expected

Educational or Career Changes:

• Were you confident in your prior college class or training conference, but feel inadequate and worry that you won’t graduate or succeed?
• Are you worried that this new job or promotion is more than you can handle, and you question if you are in over your head?
• Are you struggling to enjoy retirement, wondering what will give you structure, purpose, and meaning the way your career did? 

Has the strain of this change made you lose focus on what matters most to you?

Have you developed some stress-related bad habits (eating, drinking, shopping too much) and now realize that they only added to your feeling drained and stressed?

Or, maybe you feel stuck in your unfulfilling job or relationship because it is familiar and the idea of taking on a big change seems too risky?

Life Changes are hard!

We are creatures of habit and sometimes do not realize how much we rely on that structure to support us until it is no longer there. Even if the change was our own idea, sometimes it doesn’t go as planned and we are surprised at how we get stuck and have trouble navigating this new territory.

It can feel like your internal compass (the one that has always steered you straight) is now mis-calibrated. You lack confidence in your ability to make decisions. You find yourself thinking and re-thinking the same problem over and over, from every possible angle. Yet you still feel aimless.

Or, you have been able to discern a course of action, but struggle to find your flow in moving forward. You second-guess yourself a lot and begin to feel insecure in ways that cut you to your core.

Struggling with Life Changes is Normal

Change is a natural, and inevitable part of life. But that does not mean that it is easy. Especially if the change was thrust upon us – like with sudden change of job, loss of loved one, or unwanted divorce. The shock is deep, making you question many things you thought you knew and could count on.

Even “positive” changes, like a job promotion, getting married, planning and having a baby are stressful. It is not just the content of the change that matters, but how much disruption it causes in your life that can create strain.

Sometimes, it is not the specific change you are going through right now that is the problem, but perhaps an accumulation of many changes close together. Such as graduating, relocating to a new town to start a new job, while trying to be social and start dating. Any one of those would be stressful, but the combination in a short amount of time seems to increase your pressure exponentially!

Furthermore, if this change required relocating, you are also dealing with the loss or reduction in your typical support system. Family, friends, and coworkers that you could easily turn to are now less accessible.

It is easy to see that life’s “normal” changes can make all of us feel overwhelmed and “abnormal.” Consider it a sign of strength to reach out for support and a new perspective.

Feel Empowered with Life Transitions Counseling

Although change is never easy, it can become a springboard for positive self-reflection and growth. Consider giving yourself permission to step out of the fray and spend time in a safe, supportive, and non-judgmental environment where you can explore your goals and what you need to move forward.

Do you need help sorting out the many steps and options in front of you? Is it unclear what you need to do to gain a sense of stability and structure? I could assist you in organizing those thoughts that just keep circling around and around so that you can chose the right action step for you.

If this change has rocked your equilibrium, I can help you make sense of that loss. We can rediscover your strengths that seem to be out of reach.

If this recent change seems to trigger an old familiar pain, like it is part of a long chain of events, I can help you explore any recurrent themes that are holding you back. With healing, this change could be the final link in that chain, setting you free from unhealthy patterns of coping.

I have been helping men and women work through difficult challenges for almost 20 years. With the right guidance and support, you can not only survive this difficult change, but actually thrive! You can discover your hidden strengths and assets while defining your purpose and meaning with more clarity.

But you may still have questions or concerns about counseling for your life transition . . .

 I should be able to figure this out on my own.

You are certainly the expert in your own unique life circumstances, and this has usually served you well. However, going through a difficult transition can make you doubt your own decision making ability. Seeking support in a professional, non-judgmental setting can give you the time and space to examine your patterns of thinking and behaving and consider alternatives.

I can’t undo what happened, so how can counseling help?

 Yes, we must live within the bounds of reality as it is right now. The shock of this change makes you long for the familiar way life was before it happened. Counseling can help you accept this change, and reconnect with your inner sources of strength. You can learn to avoid complicating the change by limiting destructive coping. This change can be used to define a new sense of purpose and meaning in life.

You can not only survive this change, but Thrive!

Are you ready to find your foundation of stability in the midst of this difficult change? Do you still have questions about the process?