Life Transitions and Adjustment Issues
One constant in life is that it is always changing. Some of these changes are exciting choices we have made while others are less exciting, or downright devastating and thrust upon us. Regardless, they all have the ability to affect us and make us feel stressed and often we feel grief. We may find it difficult to come to terms with these changes. A transition means a change and a change means that something ends before something else can begin, and endings often bring grief.
Some typical major life transitions include:
- Graduating from high school or post-secondary studies
- Marriage
- Divorce
- Coming out
- Pregnancy
- Becoming a parent or the addition of children
- Children moving out (empty nest)
- Career changes
- Loss of a career or retirement
- Moving from your residence
- Changes in your health
- Loss of a spouse, parent, or loved one
When is it time to get help?
If you are feeling overwhelmed and exhausted, abnormally anxious, feeling excessive grief or sadness, or when your relationships are affected and your ability to cope or function is limited, it might be time to seek help. Very few people embrace change, especially if it’s been out of our control, so it’s not uncommon to need support navigating your new normal. Sometimes you might require support for grief, depression, or anxiety, and other times you might just need some coping strategies to deal with these major life transitions.
You may be interested in learning more about:
Stress from life transitions treatment methods
There are no specific treatment methods for dealing with change because it depends on what those changes are making you feel. However, there are successful treatments for those overwhelming feelings like anxiety, depression, grief, etc. These include:
- Grief work therapy refers to the methods used in counselling that help people to grieve loss and understand their emotions associated with the loss in a healthy way, with the ultimate goal of moving forward.
- Acceptance and commitment therapy encourages clients to accept the difficulties and misfortunes of life. Clients learn coping techniques to not dwell on negative emotions by staying in the present.
- Person centered therapy differs from more traditional therapeutic approaches in the belief that, while the therapist has expertise in many areas, the client is the expert on themselves and their lived experiences. People are essentially trustworthy and have a vast potential for understanding themselves while also being able to ultimately resolve their own problems when guided properly.
- Mindfulness therapy is an approach to treatment that focuses on how people’s thoughts, emotions, and beliefs influence their behaviour and how they perceive themselves, others, and the world. The ability to be in the moment, to acknowledge and regulate your emotions helps you to break free from negative thought patterns.
It depends on you and what treatment method best suits your needs and personality. Your therapist will work with you to determine the most effective treatment method for you.
What will I get out of treatment with Insight Psychological?
Our therapists will support you and empower you to get through this change in your life. We can share coping strategies and tools you can use to help you get through this time of transition and help you to see the opportunities that may now exist. We can assist you in setting realistic goals and timelines for those goals. With support, you can come out of this life-altering transition more resilient and better able to cope with all of life’s changes.
Insight can provide you with in-person, online, or telephone counselling. Contact us to learn more or to book an appointment.
