Life Transitions Counselling
One thing you can count on life to do is change, and adapting is not always easy. Sometimes when you are dealing with a difficult change, you need some help to work through it.
Transitions are hard. Sometimes we actively choose to make a change, see it on the horizon, and try our best to plan for it. Other times we are thrown into a transition without having made a choice and without the time or space to process how we feel about it. Either way, transitions are significant points in our life and can leave us feeling stressed, anxious, depressed, or uncertain about how to navigate our ‘new normal.’
What is a life transition?
Change comes in all forms and when talking about life transitions, we are talking about the act of experiencing a change.
These changes can make us question our beliefs, our personal values… even ourselves.
It is natural to feel resistance to change, especially if that change comes suddenly or tragically. However, how you deal with these new shifts in your life will ultimately determine the affect on your life moving forward. And, you don’t have to do it alone.
“ Your life does not get better by chance. It gets better by change. “
-Jim Rohn
Types of life transitions:
Adolescence, young adulthood
Relocation
Job / Career changes
Marriage
Separation, Divorce
Parenthood
Sexual / gender orientation
Mid-life changes
Retirement
Late Adulthood
Illness, bereavement, grief and loss
Why choose counselling for life transitions?
In the face of all of this change we can find it hard to cope and sometimes experience trouble sleeping or eating well and experience greater stress and discomfort in our relationship with ourselves and those around us. Even positive and exciting life transitions like getting married, becoming a parent, or starting a new job can feel overwhelming and stressful.
Common feelings during a transition can include: self-doubt, fear, anxiety (caused by uncertainty), stress (caused by an overwhelming amount of new things) and sadness (caused by regret and reminders of the past).
The intention through counselling is the possibility for you to look at your challenges during life transitions as an opportunity, an invitation to discover deeper meaning, purpose and capacity.
How we can help
Your life is a story of transition. You are always leaving one chapter behind while moving on to the next.
Let’s talk about it!
At everwell we support people who are experiencing grief, stress or anxiety about a transition on the horizon, as well as those who find themselves in the thick of a transition that they’re having trouble navigating. Your therapist at everwell will get to know you, your story, and seek to understand your personal experience. Spanning a variety of areas of expertise and counselling approaches, our therapists aim to create a safe and comforting space in which you can talk about the transition you’re struggling with and all of the associated anxieties and fears about the unknown. Talking through your experience can help you to better cope and work towards finding rhythm within your ‘new normal.’
Some of the life transitions our therapists support people through include: starting or returning to school, entering into a new relationship, moving in with a partner, getting married, breaking up or getting divorced, relocation, becoming a parent, a change in job or field, retirement, becoming an empty-nester, moving forward after a loss (read more about grief counselling here), and more. Whether or not the life transition you have recently gone through or face ahead of you is listed here does not change how significant and daunting transitions can feel.
Average Cost
$120.00 - $160.00 ( per session )*
*Lower rates are available through our Affordable Counselling program
Want to Know More?
Resources
Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association Preparing for Life Transitions
Government of Canada Late Life Transitions, Mental Wellness and the Importance of Maintaining Social Connections
Transitions Canada Bereavement Resources
Teen Mental Health.org Transitions: Making the Most of Your Campus Experience
Articles
Psychology Today 4 Ways to Get Through Any Life Change
Global News What people don’t tell you about retirement
Huff Post 3 Ways to Prepare Yourself For a Major Life Change