Life Transitions
Not all losses are obvious.
Some of the most disorienting grief comes from life changes that don’t involve death, but nevertheless upend your sense of stability, identity, or direction.
Job loss, career changes, health diagnoses, relocation, retirement, empty nesting, or unexpected role shifts can leave you feeling untethered, questioning your sense of identity. It can be even more disorienting when others (including trusted loved ones) expect you to move on quickly or feel a prescribed way about the change (e.g.“retirement will be great”).
Life transitions often involve invisible grief. Though the wounds may not be visible on the outside, we can still hurt and mourn what once was (“I miss having my kids at home”) sometimes while holding hope for what is to come (“I look forward to having more free time”) One emotion doesn’t cancel out the others, you get to have all of them.
Losing what was once familiar and safe can leave you with an array of emotions that deserve a place to be acknowledged, held, and processed.
When Change Feels Like Loss
Major transitions ask more of us than we often realize. Perhaps you have experienced a loss that leaves you untethered.
You’ve lost a role in your profession that was very meaningful for you.
Your sense of financial security has eroded and now the future is uncertain.
The place you once loved and called home is now a memory.
You’ve lost your community and your sense of belonging.
The version of life you expected to be living is still out of reach.
Because these losses are not always recognized, people often minimize their own pain. They tell themselves, “I should just be grateful. I should be better by now.”
And yet, something still hurts.
How Counseling Can Help During Life Transitions
Life-transition counseling offers space to slow down, reflect, and regain your footing. In our work together, we may focus on:
Understanding how change impacts identity and self-worth
Processing grief, fear, anger, or uncertainty
Rebuilding confidence and internal stability
Clarifying values, priorities, and next steps
Strengthening your capacity to tolerate uncertainty
The goal is not to rush decisions or force optimism, but to help you move forward with clarity and self-trust, compassion and respect for yourself and the process.