Life Transitions
YOU MAY BE GOING THROUGH:
College or graduate school
Applying to school
Applying for jobs
Starting a new job
The loss of a job
Career change
Increase in financial obligations
Starting or ending a relationship
Getting engaged/married
Chronic illness or injury
Taking care of an elderly or sick family member
Traumatic events (e.g., natural disaster, theft, violence against you or someone you love)
Moving or buying a home
The end of a friendship
The death of a loved one
Grief or loss
Travel
Social and/or political changes
What is life transition therapy?
Life transition therapy is all about helping you through life’s challenges and changes. Counseling can help you through emotionally taxing life changes while teaching you how to use healthy coping mechanisms.
Some examples of unhealthy coping mechanisms include:
Avoiding problems
Avoiding anything that is not positive (also known as toxic positivity)
Catastrophizing
Isolating
Sleeping too little or sleeping too much
Negative social comparison
Romanticizing the past
Overreacting to minor problems
Under-eating or over-eating
Worrying as a form of self-defense
In life transition counseling, you will learn healthy coping mechanisms. Some examples of healthy coping skills include:
Facing the problem
Meditating
Engaging in progressive muscle relaxation
Talking to a trusted family member or friend
Participating in a hobby or sport that you enjoy
Watching your favorite tv show or movie
Listening to music
Reading
Working on puzzles or playing a game
Sitting outside in nature and relaxing
Taking the time to learn what your triggers are
Seeking professional treatment from a licensed life transition counselor
The important thing to remember about life transitions is that they are based on many factors, and affect each person differently. So, what may seem like a monumental change for you, may feel okay to someone else. Even if the change is positive or planned, it can have a strong impact on you emotionally.
“Can’t I just ignore my feelings and move on?” Unfortunately, you can’t just move on since change is a constant, unavoidable part of life.
Change is part of life, but that does not mean that you have to push your emotions away and avoid them. Chances are that you have experienced an important change in your life at one point or another. You may have gone through a positive life change, such as starting your dream job, or you may have had a negative experience, like losing a loved one. Transitions can occur rather seamlessly and gracefully, but other changes may make you feel like your world has been turned upside down.
During difficult times, you may go through stages of emotional discomfort, mourning, or even fear. This can lead to you feeling anxious or depressed. When you engage in life transition therapy, you will work one-on-one with your behavioral counselor to learn healthy coping mechanisms for life transitions. This can be beneficial to your mental health and overall welfare.
For instance, let's say that you were just promoted to a manager position at your company. This is an exciting step forward, and something that you have been working towards for years! But, with a higher position comes more responsibility and a heavier workload. Now, you may find it difficult to manage your stress levels due to this enhanced workload while also being there for your spouse and children.
In this case, it would be helpful to look into stress counseling. Stress management therapy would be an important investment in not only your life, but the life of your family members and even the company you work for. Your stress therapist understands that chronic stress makes it extremely difficult to cope with daily duties, focus, or even think clearly. In work stress counseling, you and your stress management therapist will work collaboratively to create a customized treatment plan and eliminate unnecessary stressors, like toxic relationships, unresolved conflicts, and internal tension from negative self-talk.
What are the general stages of a life transition?
You may go through some emotional stages as you progress through a life transition including:
Experiencing several negative emotions (e.g., anger, anxiety, numbness, confusion, and self doubt)
Feeling a loss or damage to your self-esteem
Becoming open to the idea of accepting the major life change
Understanding that you need to let go of the past to welcome the future with open arms
Beginning to feel optimistic about the future
Feeling an increase in your self-esteem
Growing a hopeful view of the future
The life transition stages outlined above are general principles. These stages are organized and predictable, and life does not always work in that manner. In other words, you may experience some of these stages and not all. If you do experience them all, there is a chance that they will not occur exactly in order. People move through these stages differently, and it is normal to cycle back and forth between the stages.
How can life transition counseling help me?
If you are looking to transition smoothly into the next chapter of your life, life transition counseling is for you. When you work with your life transition therapist, you will learn how the major changes in your life impact you on an emotional level while learning how to work through the hardships using positive, effective coping skills.
While each life transition counselor has their unique therapeutic approach, there are some common tactics and goals that licensed adult therapists share. These are generally used to help people feel more prepared for future transitions in their lives. These approaches not only minimize the initial shock of the change, but they also leave room for aspirations and growth in the future.
Some strategies that may be used in life transition therapy include, but are not limited to, the following:
Look for the positivity in the recent change (not all change is automatically bad)
Pinpoint and express your feelings
Reframe thoughts
Stress management
Accept change as an unpreventable component of life
Have realistic expectations for the future
Maintain a healthy daily routine (e.g., moving your body in a way that feels good to you, drinking enough water, etc…)
Regularly engage in social interaction and support
Value the benefits of change and development
EXAMPLES OF HOW LIFE TRANSITION COUNSELING COULD HELP stress management:
Life transition therapy can help you embrace positive thinking and find true happiness. Our life transition counselors at Anchor Therapy can help you not only cope with the stressors that are in your life, but we will also help you figure out what is standing in your way of reaching your goals. In counseling for life transitions, you will learn tools that will help you with future life changes that come your way. We will help you manage your current stress in stress management counseling to feel less overwhelmed.
It is common for a lot of people to feel that the life transition they are going through is just a normal part of life that they have to compartmentalize and move on from without really healing from it. You may have seen that a million other people have gone through the same situation as you completely on their own, so you think that means you should be able to handle it independently as well. While it is true that a lot of people go through similar life events, it does not mean that they are easy to go through alone.
By ignoring your current stressors, you will find that you will continue to have a hard time adjusting to life changes that arise in the future for you. You may think that ignoring life’s changes is the best step since it numbs your current feelings, but it will only make life more difficult for you moving forward. Going to life coach counseling can help you adjust to this change in your life so that it is easier to handle and other aspects in your life will get better along with it.
For example, you and your partner may have welcomed your first child together. While this is something you both always wanted, you are finding it hard to maintain the same connection you two had before your baby. Couples counseling may be the answer for your relationship. A couples therapist will aid in helping you both prioritize self-care while acknowledging your feelings regarding the loss of your connection and offer ways to re-connect. Having a baby certainly changes your relationship dynamic, but it can be a chance to grow stronger together instead of growing separately.
You invest in yourself and your future when you make the conscious decision to attend therapy for life transitions. You will ultimately experience a more satisfying and happier life that you can take with you, even after you attend life transition therapy. When you encounter future life transitions, you will have all the tools you need to cope with the stress that comes along with it.
wHAT THERAPY SERVICES LOOKS LIKE:
It is recommended to start therapy once a week in order to build a relationship with your therapist and to get a jump start on your goals. Over time, you and your therapist may agree that you are ready to transition to biweekly sessions and then maybe monthly sessions to maintain the positive changes and new coping skills that you have formed in life transition counseling.
You may find that the transition you are looking for assistance with is time-specific. For example, you are engaged and getting married in three months. Typically, people attend counseling sessions for roughly three months (or 12 sessions) and, then, they feel like they are prepared to “graduate” from counseling. While this may be the case for some, it is also okay if you still feel overwhelmed and anxious after this time. In this case, you and your stress and anxiety therapist can continue to work together. On the other hand, if you feel ready to move on, you are always welcome to return in the future if a new stressor arises or if you need new coping mechanisms or accountability. Our life transition counselors are here to help you through all of life’s ups and downs, celebrating the good times with you and guiding you through the darker moments.
You may feel like your life has become unmanageable, and it is understandable. Life transitions are particularly challenging because you are expected to let go of what is familiar to you while facing the future with a sense of vulnerability. If you want to regain your sense of power, working with a licensed life transition therapist can help.
ANCHOR THERAPY PROVIDES LIFE COUNSELORS WHO ARE TRAINED AND SPECIALIZED TO HELP PEOPLE WHO NEED SUPPORT THROUGH A LIFE TRANSITION. WE WILL HELP YOU, AND YOUR FAMILY, SO THAT YOU CAN LEAD A HIGHER QUALITY OF LIFE.
THE STEPS OF GETTING COUNSELING AT ANCHOR THERAPY AS YOU EXPERIENCE A LIFE TRANSITION:
WORKING WITH US IS EASY
If you are struggling to cope with a recent change in your life, the first step is for you to reach out by completing our form at the bottom of this page.
Our intake coordinator will get back to you with more information on how we can help and to schedule an appointment. We will set you up with an experienced licensed therapist who specializes in what you're seeking help with and who understands your needs.
You’ll rest easy tonight knowing you made the first step to improve your life.
