life changes
life transition counseling
for adjusting to life changes
in colorado, Florida, Maryland, & Pennsylvania
As my grandmother used to say in her broken English, “Life, is no easy.” These are succinct yet wise words coming from someone who had seen a great deal of life changes with the perspective that only 9 decades of rotations around the sun can bring.
What had she seen? Death, war, political imprisonment, military service, immigration, adjustment to new cultures, illness and chronic pain, trauma, and substance abuse in loved ones to name only some experiences. Whew!
She had seen A LOT, survived a lot, and was validating the fact that despite surviving it all, it was not easy. These are just highlights from one person’s story. We all can list our life highlights in this way and stand back with amazement of what we’ve survived.
life transitions therapy in
colorado, florida, maryland, and pennsylvania
You may have gone through some of these conditions or some other experiences that are uniquely yours. Perhaps some of the hardships you faced still linger; you may still carry stress/tension, sadness, anxiety, discomfort, guilt, or resentment about what you’ve endured. One lesson my grandmother’s generation had a hard time accepting is that they did not have to suffer alone, crying themselves to sleep or dowsing their traumas with alcohol; there were solutions.
Psychotherapy is available as a tool to help with the healing from our struggles in life. We are social beings; we are not designed to carry the weight of life’s stressors alone. We can lean on friends, family, and religious leaders, but sometimes it helps to add an online therapist to that list of social supports by seeking out the care of a trained professional.
With online counseling, you have one more source of support with perhaps a different, objective take on how you can heal and move forward. Online therapy offers support in guiding you to a new way forward with less heaviness and greater peace. Let life be enjoyable, again.
AROSE eTherapy serves Colorado, Florida, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. Reach out today for a Free 15 Minute Consult.
types of life transitions
or life changes
Life transitions can be related to:
Lifespan Development—emerging adulthood, midlife, menopause, retirement
Marital Status—newlywed, separation, divorce recovery, becoming widowed
Parental Status—new parents, losing a child, empty nest
Relocation / Moving—intentional or forced for personal or job reasons
Career Changes—deliberate or unexpected
Economic Changes—shifting from one economic status to another
Health Status—illness or accident, new health diagnoses, progression
Grief—coping with the death of a friend, family member, partner, or pet
Role Changes—becoming a caregiver to an injured or ailing family member
how can life transitions impact me?
Through these major shifts or even more minor, seemingly benign changes (yes, vacations can be a source of stress!), we face changes that stress our minds, emotions, and bodies leaving us trying to regain homeostasis, or a sense of balance. Sometimes the changes are so jarring we struggle to adjust; in some cases we might be able to handle one change but life has other plans and presents many changes simultaneously. When we become overloaded, it can sometimes lead us to struggle with mental and physical effects temporarily or with pronounced, longer-lasting effects.
Signs you may be struggling to
adjust to life changes:
insomnia or excessive sleeping / napping
loss of energy
changes in appetite
physical symptoms like headache, upset stomach, muscle tensions
feeling out of sorts / self-doubt
feeling stressed, overwhelmed, or irritable
An assessment by a psychologist can help determine the severity of the situation and thus determine the most appropriate treatment plan. If you think this might apply to you, reach out for a Free 15 minute Consult.
Adjusting to a new phase of life—
emerging adulthood,
midlife, menopause,
retirement
AROSE eTherapy offers online counseling to adults who may be struggling to adjust to new developmental phases in life. Although passing through different developmental phases from childhood to old age is a normal part of the human experience, it doesn’t mean it’s easy.
counseling for
emerging adulthood
Emerging adulthood was first identified as a unique developmental phase by Jeffrey Jensen Arnett in his seminal American Psychologist article published in 2000. In the article he explained how with shifts in society such as industrialization, the transition into adulthood from adolescence had become somewhat extended as individuals could take more time to explore education and career paths. Previous markers of adulthood such as buying a home, getting married, and having a baby were no longer clear markers of adulthood. Rather, markers shifted to making independent decisions, becoming financially independent, and taking responsibility for actions.
With this time of transition can also come risk taking behaviors such as driving recklessly, taking greater sexual risks, and abusing substances. AROSE eTherapy offers online support to those 18-26 up to 29 year old emerging adults who are struggling to find their way.
Counseling for
midlife adjustments
Services are also available to those who struggle with developmental phases like adjusting to midlife changes whether social or physical. Perhaps your teens are leaving home, you’re beginning to notice perimenopausal symptoms, or you just don’t have the energy you did in your 20s. We can talk about that through safe, secure virtual counseling sessions.
counseling for
adjustment to retirement
Retirement also brings up a great deal of emotions for people as the career they worked so hard to build is in a phase of being passed on or shut down. Although some may welcome the rest and greater flexibility in their schedule, it can still be a time to grieve what once was as you build something new. Virtual psychotherapy is here to support you as you navigate those emotional reactions and design your new life going forward.
health status changes—
injury / accident, new health diagnosis
No one ever wants to experience an injury or serious accident or be told they’ve been given a new health diagnosis. Yet the harsh reality of life is these problems can happen, and when they do, it’s shocking, dumbfounding, and sometimes like a living nightmare.
Most anyone would be overwhelmed in such a situation. That’s an absolutely normal reaction to an awful situation. So please, don’t feel like you have to be extra strong at one of your most vulnerable times.
counseling for health problems
Lean into the support of virtual counseling from AROSE eTherapy and get the support at one of life’s most challenging points. Have a space where you can cry, vent, and release your fears so you can emotionally begin to heal and find a way forward through a challenging journey.
Dr. Rozycki has specialized in Health Psychology beginning in her training and throughout her career having delivered services in primary care, diabetes education, oncology clinic, neurology and neuropsychology departments, VA hospitals, nursing homes, assisted living centers, and substance abuse clinics. Reach out for experienced support today.
moving
You’ve relocated due to job change, retirement, or family obligations. Moving can seem so exciting when you are surfing Zillow, but now you find yourself struggling to develop a new social circle, find your way around town, and adjust to your new climate. Plus you have to get used to a new work environment or maybe even a new career altogether. For those who move to be caregivers, many new stressors arise as you try to cope with seeing your loved one hurting as you struggle to manage their personal and medical care. Even if a move is for the greater good, getting used to a completely new environment can be jarring.
life design
AROSE eTherapy & Life Design is so named to capture the idea that you are not only working through places where you may be stuck, but considering how you want to design your life going forward. Life design is conceptualized as deliberately choosing not only what you envision for your life path, but how you craft your time—5 year, 1 year, monthly, weekly, and daily plans. For us to feel fulfilled in life, it’s crucial we incorporate not just work everyday but all values—family, hobbies, exercise, and anything else that is of value to you.
It’s great to have long-term plans but in approaching life from an angle of gratitude and mindfulness, it’s so important we consider how we want to spend our days, being fully present in each day and living a life that is congruent with what we love and find purpose in.
Beyond our daily planners, life design can also incorporate how we honor our bodies through nutrition and exercise, how we exercise our minds through challenges and growth, how we live in balance emotionally, how we find fulfillment in relationships, and even how we design the spaces that surround us from our vehicles to our homes and bedrooms.
So, if you find yourself scattered, your car looking like the inside of a trash bag, your bedroom full of clutter, and your fridge full of take out containers, it may be time to truly reflect on whether this is the life you love or if it’s time for a new design.
ONLINE COUNSELING
CAN support you
through life changes
If any of this sounds familiar, it may be time to seek support as you go through life changes. Although life changes can be a normal part of life, big life changes, multiple life changes, or excessive overwhelm left ignored can lead to clinical conditions like an adjustment disorder, insomnia, depression, or anxiety. If you’re feeling overwhelmed or needing support for depression, worry, or sleeplessness, reach out today for a Free 15 Minute Consult and let’s talk about how we can get you feeling better.
