Have you recently gone through a divorce or separation?
Do you worry about making a better choice next time?
Have the kids just left home?
Have you or your spouse lost your job? Your home?
Are you going through menopause?
Do people really have a mid-life crisis?
If you are " in transition ", you may be experiencing depression or anxiety. You may have feelings of loss or grief. You may feel that you're floundering in a sea of choices -- or that you have no choices.
Often, being reassured by a trained professional that what you are experiencing is normal, is validating in and of itself.
While any depression, anxiety, or grief certainly has to be addressed, I also find this is an opportune time to look at goals and choices , and help clients discover the values that can propel them forward in a direction that is uniquely theirs.
Some of my clients have found themselves becoming entrepreneurs after being laid off; others have learned the value of specifically identifying the qualities they want in their next partner before making another "mistake". For some clients, it's a matter of finally deciding to be in charge of their own life and future.
Truthfully, counseling clients going through life transitions is one of the most rewarding areas of practice for me. I love helping clients find individual solutions that can springboard them to a satisfying life.
It's hard to recommend books on this page since it really depends on what issues the client brings in. However, a classic to me has always been Anne Murrow Lindberg's Gifts from the Sea, and a favorite from my business days remains Steven Covey's 7 Habits of Highly Effective People . And, I've long followed Dr. Wayne Dyer's teaching, starting many years ago with Your Erroneous Zones and Change Your Thoughts Change Your Life (cognitive behavioral classics) to his more recent, more spiritual treatises, such as The Power of Intention and The Shift .
...and then the day came when the risk
to remain tight in a bud
was more painful than the risk it took
to blossom. ( Anais Nin)
