Feeling ‘stuck’ or emotionally stagnant during transition times can profoundly affect various aspects of our lives such as physical and mental health, careers and interpersonal relationships. Life transitions can create a sense of disorientation, self-doubt, or anxiety. These are different from changes that are situational shifts, like a move to a new town or changing jobs. Life transitions hold psychological significance and meaning for us. They involve a process of reorientation that often affects how we define ourselves. This can feel overwhelming for some people.
Transitions often involve three distinct stages: an ending, a neutral zone, and a new beginning. They often begin with a significant loss but provide us with an opportunity to discover other aspects of ourselves. Consider high school graduation, having a baby, retirement, receiving a medical diagnosis or divorce. These can have major impacts on our lives and can force us to redefine who we are. Counselling can help free us from feeling ‘stuck’ during these times, by providing tools to navigate the often concurrent changes happening both inwardly and outwardly. Despite their challenges, transitions provide a valuable chance to reevaluate the path we’ve been on and carefully curate our next chapter with greater intentionality and clarity. Karen