Life Transitions Counseling

Struggling To Balance Your Needs With Those Of Your Loved Ones?

Is a challenging life transition within your life or family making you question your identity?

Have you lost something or someone—including a person, pet, job, or relationship—causing you to wonder what next?

Or are you a parent in the “sandwich generation,” struggling to care for your kids and aging parents simultaneously?

Any change in life, even if it’s welcome, introduces new questions and challenges. In the midst of transition, you may be questioning your values, decisions, and goals. You’re probably anxious about what the future will bring and if you—and others in your life—are set up for success. 

You Are Likely Managing Other Peoples’ Expectations And Emotions On Top Of Your Own…

As parents of a certain age, many of us are pulling double duty in taking care of growing children and aging parents. Caregiver stress and burnout are common within this community, causing us to feel regularly overwhelmed and depleted of our energy. Not to mention, it’s easy to lose ourselves in the process of caring for others, leading us to wonder when, if ever, we will have a chance to focus on our dreams, desires, and needs. 

These feelings are particularly complicated when our children start to grow up and become adults themselves. You may be grieving the fact that your teen is spending less and less time with you, made worse by the reality that they will soon be out of the house and on their own. 

Alternatively, if your child is not hitting certain milestones in terms of gaining their independence, you may be concerned that they’re experiencing a “failure to launch.” This has probably caused you to blame yourself for their lack of progress, alongside introducing tension into your relationship with your child.

You’re so busy managing everyone else’s needs and emotions, yet you’re desperate to feel seen, respected, and appreciated for all that you do. That’s why taking time for yourself in therapy is important to clarify values and explore unmet needs. In counseling, I will meet you wherever you are—and in whatever transition you’re in—to help you find your inner self and create the life you desire.

“Parents can only give good advice or put them on the right paths, but the final forming of a person’s character lies in their own hands.” – Anne Frank

Progress is something we all aspire toward in life, but everyday circumstances and stressors often get in the way of our growth. It’s painful when life goes against the expectations we had for it, especially when there is an element of loss—loss of a dream, a person, or an identity. 

The grief process doesn’t start and end with death, either. The second our children take their first steps, we begin to grieve the precious period of time when they were fully dependent on us. And with each stride they take toward becoming their fully actualized self—whether that involves driving, spending more time with friends, or moving out/going to college—we grieve the memory of their childhood.

Similarly, as our own parents begin to age, we recognize the role reversal that often takes place. Instead of taking care of us, we are now in the position of making life-altering decisions for them. It’s hard to find peace with their mortality, especially if they are ill and/or losing their capabilities. 

Of course, we understand that all of the above is part of the natural cycle of life, but what happens when these transitions don’t go as planned? How do we balance everyone’s needs, cultural norms, and the expectations we have for ourselves?

As a therapist specializing in life transitions of all kinds, I can relate to you on both a personal and professional level. Whether you are navigating loss, empty nest syndrome, parent/caregiver stress and burnout, or another stressful transition, therapy can be a meaningful opportunity to create a healing space in your life and determine how to move forward. 

Counseling Provides You With The Skills You Need To Navigate Life Challenges And Transitions With Confidence

Juggling emotional stress and burnout on top of a never-ending list of responsibilities can be extremely overwhelming. That’s why a substantial element of counseling for life transitions is identifying what is and is not within your sphere of control. Working together, we will build your coping toolbox, clarify realistic expectations, and reimagine your relationships and future.

What To Expect

My primary tool in counseling is the therapist-client relationship itself. Taking a psychodynamic, interpersonal, and strength-based approach, I want to help you take a step back, gain perspective, and identify the areas where you can surrender control. As a parent and caregiver myself, I understand the need for effective coping and stress management, so I will offer you perspectives in therapy that have helped reduce burnout in my own life. 

I will also use evidence-based counseling techniques to help you work through your unique life transition. Each therapy method is designed to offer coping, emotional regulation, and stress management skills that are particularly useful for parents and caregivers alike. 

Mindfulness can help you become present and nonjudgmentally aware of your thoughts, feelings, and emotions, while Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) takes those thoughts, feelings, and emotions into perspective to understand how they influence your beliefs. With newfound awareness, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) gives you a chance to create more self-compassion and value-driven experiences. 

By seeking support from a therapist who is also a fellow parent and caregiver, you can learn to model healthy communication, honor your grief, and navigate any transitions and challenges you face in a life-affirming way. Through fostering a deeper, more profound kindness towards yourself, you can engage in new self-care techniques that will allow you to conserve energy and live more joyfully. Counseling for caregiver stress offers a more affirming way to look at your, your child’s, and/or your parent’s unique transition as you create a more harmonious life together. 

Still Unsure If Counseling Is Right For You?

What can therapy for parenting stress/life transitions really offer me?

As your therapist, my job is to support and empower you in navigating life challenges and difficult transitions. Using evidence-based counseling techniques and my own experiences as a parent/caregiver, I can provide you with concrete coping and stress management tools that will help you thrive. Therapy also offers the benefit of structure in identifying realistic goals and doable timelines in which we can meet those goals. 

What is “empty nest syndrome” and why do I need counseling for it?

“Empty nest syndrome” describes the very real feelings of sadness, loneliness, and aimlessness that many parents feel once their children leave home. This common life transition is experienced as a grief period for many parents, making counseling a meaningful opportunity to understand and navigate feelings of loss. Despite empty nest syndrome not being a medical condition, therapy is a very useful treatment. 

What is “failure to launch” and why does it happen?

“Launching” is a term used to encapsulate the period of life when young adults successfully meet their own social, emotional, financial, and physical needs without having to be fully dependent on a parent. When young adults don’t meet this milestone, it results in a “failure to launch” or difficulty adapting to the demands of adulthood. Individuals who “fail to launch” often become stuck and end up relying on their parents to meet their basic needs. 

Therapy can be helpful for parents/caregivers in these situations by providing insight into unmet expectations, healthy boundary-setting, and concrete solutions for initiating a successful “launch.” It’s also useful for taking away some of the shame that parents can feel when their kids aren’t thriving, offering them an environment where they can feel normalized and supported. 

Rediscover A Sense Of Control And Balance In Your Life

“The kids aren't ours. They're their own people. I just completely let go of my needs and my desires for their lives; letting go of my picture of what I wanted them to be, and allowing them to lead.”  - Will Smith

While counseling for life transitions through my practice is available to anyone experiencing a difficult loss or change, I specialize in working with parents struggling with stress as it relates to raising children and being caregivers to their own parents. To schedule a free, 15-minute consultation to find out more about how I can help, contact me.

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