Are changes in your life causing anxiety, stress, depression or chronic worry? As our lives progress, our circumstances also often change. There are some changes we are excited about. But others can fill us with dread and uncertainty. It is common not to know what our next step will be or how to live peacefully in a new situation.
Think about these situations for a second:
- Are you challenged by changes in personal or work relationships and trying to adjust?
- Are you looking for new sense of purpose and meaning?
- Are you looking for next steps after graduation, a career change, or retirement?
- Are you struggling with grief after the loss of a loved one?
- Do you feel stuck in a pattern you can’t change?
- Do you have empty nest depression?
- Have you experienced a breakup or a divorce?
What are common feelings after a significant life change?
Positive life changes like getting married, the birth of a child, or landing a dream job can provide a great deal of happiness along with some anxiety. But for abrupt or traumatic life changes like the loss of a job, or the death of a family member, change produces feelings of loss and uncertainty.
You may be experiencing grief, depression or anxiety. New circumstances may make you feel that you have arrived in a foreign country without a map or a guide. You may lack energy or clarity just at a time when you need to make decisions or perform in a new role or situation.
Most people have a period of adjustment when change occurs. Change is inevitable, and so is the stress that accompanies it. All events produce stress. It’s how you manage that stress that matters.
How can counseling help me?
If you are experiencing a difficult time, don’t go at it alone. Therapy can help you make meaning of your experience and to understand it in a way that helps you untangle your thoughts and find a way forward.
The significance you assign to events as well as the skills you have for managing stress and anxiety are crucial in times of transition. Talking about the changes in your life will help you understand and evaluate the meaning of the transition you are experiencing. Therapy will give you the necessary skills and techniques to navigate new ground with greater clarity and peace.
How is Lakefront Counseling Group’s approach to counseling life changes?
At Lakefront Counseling Group, we work with many people who are going through significant life changes. Here’s what we do:
- Help you get back to your previous level of functioning
- Help you understand your reaction to the life change and help you view it as chance for positive adaptation and life improvement.
- Learn mindfulness, relaxation strategies and thought challenging techniques to help you be with and/or reduce the feelings of stress
- Develop problem-solving skills and insight into why the change created stress and increased discomfort
- Utilize existing and develop new social supports such as family, friends, and the community
Still interested? Call, text or email us today!
