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Based in Beaverton, Oregon, serving clients across Oregon and Washington, in person and online.
PSYCHOEDUCATION
Life Transitions
Change can be complicated. Some life transitions are chosen and others are not. Even changes we wanted can be harder to adjust to than we expected.
Wanting change doesn't necessarily mean we know what it will feel like when things do change.
A decision can be right for you and still involve uncertainty, loss, or adjustment. Something new can bring opportunities while also requiring you to leave behind parts of your life that were familiar.
When life changes, other things can change with it.
We build our lives around routines, relationships, roles, expectations, and ideas about what comes next. When one part changes, it can affect other parts of our lives too. Sometimes the transition itself isn't the hardest part. It's figuring out who you are and how your life works afterward.
What can this look like?
Life transitions might include:
Starting or finishing college
Beginning or changing a career
Moving
Starting or ending a relationship
Marriage or divorce
Becoming a parent
Children leaving home
Changes in health or physical ability
Changes in family roles or relationships
Retirement
Changes in identity, priorities, or direction
Entering a new stage of adulthood
Making a difficult decision about what comes next
Adjusting when life looks different from what you expected
Becoming a caregiver
How can therapy help?
Therapy can provide room to understand what a transition has changed. We may consider not only what has changed around you, but also what has changed within you. This includes how you understand yourself and your life. We may look at what you've gained, what you've lost, what you're uncertain about, and what you want to carry forward. We can explore changing roles, expectations, relationships, routines, and values and help you figure out what fits the life you're living now.
Therapy can also provide room to work through uncertainty when the transition hasn't happened yet. Sometimes the work isn't adjusting to a change. It's deciding whether you're ready to make one.