What do you mean by “life transition?”

I thoroughly enjoy supporting clients through life transitions. A life transition is basically any shift in your life that marks a new era. Often times clients aren’t sure where to start when any of these changes arise. It’s common and totally normal to feel overwhelmed in the beginning. These pivotal times of life frequently provide insight into some deeper emotional patterns and vulnerabilities. It’s okay if you don’t have clarity on where to start or where you want to go from here. Here are some common life transitions that you may have greater success managing with the help of a therapist.

Moving: Have you recently relocated? Are you living alone? Is this your first time living away from your parents? Did you move a lot as a child? What are some of the benefits of this move, and what has been difficult? Do you enjoy moving? Was it your decision to make this change? What kind of things help you adjust to this new living arrangement? What other aspects of your life are impacted by this move?

New relationships: Have you recently entered a relationship with a new romantic partner? Has someone close to you started a new relationship that is impacting you somehow? Are you newly married or engaged? Do you struggle to hold boundaries and communicate your needs? Are you noticing similar patterns in yourself or your partner that existed in previous relationships?

Divorce or break up: Are you considering ending a relationship with a significant other? Have you experienced a divorce personally or during your upbringing? How has this major relationship change impacted your life? Where are you finding support through the process? What boundaries need to be implemented or adjusted? Are your expectations of yourself, your ex, or a future partner realistic?

Career change: Are you taking steps towards a new career path? Are you beginning or finishing formal classes? Was this change planned or outside your control? What motivates you to be successful on this new track? What has had to happen to get you to this new position?

Faith deconstruction: Are you experiencing questions about a religion that has consumed your thoughts and behaviors for a good chunk of your life? What are the emotions you notice as you acknowledge these questions or doubts? Do you have safe social supports who can listen to and support you? How do you connect to your own spirituality regardless of whether or not you participate in a specific religion? How do you feel joy, purpose, fulfillment, and peace?

Parenthood: Have you recently become a parent or do you anticipate taking on that role in the future? What was your own childhood like? What messages did you receive in childhood about gender roles? Do you have a supportive partner? What values do you hope to demonstrate for your children? What insecurities do you have around this significant role? What strengths do you have? How are you adjusting to life immediately after becoming a parent? What kind of things have caught you off guard? Do you feel capable of learning about and managing the responsibilities that come with being a parent? Where do you find support and insight on this important, lifelong role?

Pregnancy: Are you pregnant or planning to become pregnant? What has your experience in this area been like? How have your emotions shifted throughout the process? Does it seem possible you may be dealing with depression or anxiety? What kind of support have you established? How are you managing self-care throughout this challenging phase? Do you have quality, consistent support available in the days and weeks after delivery?

Death: Have you lost someone you care about? How are you coping with this loss? What kind of support do you need as you adjust to their absence? What emotions are you noticing regularly? Are you familiar with the stages of grief? How do your thoughts, emotions, behaviors manifest each of these stages?

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