How Talk Therapy Can Assist During Times of Transition
Learn to Embrace Change and Navigate Challenges
In the words of the Greek philosopher Heraclitus, “the only constant in life is change.” His words hold true through the ages, and transitions genuinely affect us and our daily lives. Some changes can bring joy, while others are more challenging – and many are out of our control.
Our Honolulu therapists provide life transition counseling to assist with all types of change.
When we need to adapt to change, there is an impact on our daily lives and potentially our mental health. It also depends on our personalities, other life circumstances, and current responsibilities. The more stress our lives are under when a change occurs, the more likely it is to have an emotional effect.
There is no rule book for how to deal with life transitions, and whether to seek talk therapy is a personal decision. If your daily functioning has been affected for two weeks or more – trouble focusing, unwanted thoughts, difficulty sleeping, etc. – it may be wise to consider attending therapy.
How Does Therapy Help with Life Changes?
Our talk therapists can help you identify and work through any feelings you may be experiencing due to a life change or transition.
Provides a Safe Space – process complex emotions in collaboration with an experienced mental health professional who can guide you and develop a treatment plan
Regain Your Sense of Self – learn to focus on being in the present and on things realistically under your control; for many people, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) provides a route to better understanding your thoughts and how they affect your emotions and behavior.
For some clients, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) teaches tools to ground yourself into the present moment with skills including mindfulness techniques.
What Emotional Effects Can Life Changes Cause?
Challenging life transitions are known to cause many emotional effects that can include, but are not limited to:
When dealing with life transitions, sometimes we are unable to embrace and accept changes that occur, leading us to feel as though we lack control over our lives.
Our Wellness Counseling therapists can help you recognize the effect of change on your life and help you adjust and deal with it productively; it can help you view change more positively.
What are Examples of Challenging Life Transitions?
Divorce. Ending any adult long-term relationship is traumatic and requires significant adjustment to a single life. It’s even more complicated when you’ve been married, and it ends in divorce and related legal proceedings. Just as we offer couples therapy for people trying to improve their marriages, we offer transition counseling for those who feel the best path forward is to divorce.
Job Loss. For many of us, careers are about more than earning an income. They are interwoven with our identities, sense of purpose, and daily routines. The loss of a job, whether sudden and unexpected or planned as in retirement, heavily impacts your everyday life. Working with a trained counselor as you adjust to a new life can smooth the transition.
Moving to a New Location. Moving to a new location in Oahu or living in the State of Hawaii for the first time may be something you’re enthusiastic about – but there is still a significant change and impact on your daily life. Learning to thrive in new surroundings and adjusting smoothly isn’t always clear-cut. Our Honolulu therapists have helped many people adjust to their new homes more smoothly.
Becoming a Parent. Many of us dream for a lifetime about becoming a parent, and it can be one of life’s most joyful moments. At the same time, it drastically changes your life. The dual challenges of parenthood and a demanding career are factors for many people, or adding a new responsibility to your plate when it already feels full.
Being Diagnosed with a Major Illness. A range of strong feelings is likely when you have been diagnosed with a major illness and may face surgery or other treatment. The resulting life changes may be unwanted, and adjusting to them can be difficult. Life transition counseling can provide a time and space to process your feelings and adapt to their impact on your life.
Conclusion: Therapy for Life Changes in Honolulu
Whatever significant life change you are dealing with (or will soon deal with), working with our counselors in Honolulu can help you adjust.
- Safe space
- Explore your feelings
- Embrace and accept change
- Regain control of your life
- Look forward to the future
We’ll help you find the upside of changes in your life and how to live more comfortably and productively. It will improve your life, reduce strain with family or friends, and allow you to move on from heavy feelings. Adding a mental health professional’s understanding and a trained ear to your life can bring relief and optimism.
If you’d like to discuss working with one of our counselors in Honolulu or attend telehealth therapy sessions from anywhere, we encourage you to request an initial consultation today.
