Life Transitions Therapy in NYC

Sometimes we move toward life transitions voluntarily, and sometimes they’re thrust upon us by forces beyond our control. For example, we might be unhappy at work or in a relationship and thinking about making a change, but sometimes we simply lose a job or a relationship and it’s out of our control. Navigating decisions about change and the period of transition is complex, confusing, and often frightening. Fortunately, Life Transitions Therapy can be very helpful. Dr. Williams has two decades of experience tailoring treatments to his clients and the specific situations they are facing.  Dr. Williams can provide the support and collaborative treatment you need to work through life transitions and create a new chapter in the story of your life.

Life Transitions: Disruptors

The idea that our lives will follow a stable linear course is more fantasy than reality. This is even truer today, than in the past. The expectation of staying in one job, relationship, or even sexual identity is becoming less common. Life is fluctuating periods of stability and chaos and change. On average, people will experience about 3 dozen life transitions in their lives. Of these, 3-5 will be intense and highly disruptive. These major disruptors are important times of change. Managed well, they are opportunities for growth and gaining greater wisdom. Managed poorly, they can lead people to get stuck in unhelpful ways of thinking, feeling, and living.

Stages of Change

Major life transitions take a long time to resolve fully-about 4-5 years on average. There are stages of change across this time. People typically go through the following stages in a voluntary transition: Contemplation, Taking a Leap of Faith, Wrestling Chaos, New Order. In the case of involuntary life transitions, Grief often precedes Contemplation. Understanding these stages, and accepting that change takes time can be helpful in getting through the process. You will survive it and a new life awaits you.

Making Meaning from Hardship

There’s a reason stories are woven into all human cultures. We experience our lives as narratives. Life transitions are inevitable, and they are points of change in the stories of our lives. They’re autobiographical occasions that are essential to life and growth. Finding new directions and meaning in times of change is an adaptive response to a major life transition. Major disruptors force us to reexamine our narrative of who we are. Whether it’s voluntary or involuntary, once you enter a life transition, you enter into uncharted territory and it can be frightening and confusing. Working through the transition in a healthy way is about redefining yourself and adjusting your narrative.

Life Transitions Symptoms

Life transitions can be very stressful. Symptoms of anxiety and depression are common. People often experience a major life transition as “The death of a dream,” during the early stage of change. Common emotions include fear, sadness, shame, and grief. Emotional distress often precedes voluntary life transitions. This can be very confusing and frightening because people know they are unhappy but are unsure about why. They ask questions like, “Am I unhappy because of this job or relationship, or is it just me?” The answer to these kinds of questions is usually complex. In most cases it’s not one thing; it’s a combination of unhelpful things we carry with us and external problems with things like jobs and relationships. The answer may be: “I need to learn to manage my emotions differently AND this job and relationship are not a good fit for me.” If you’re feeling bad much of the time, your emotions are trying to tell you that something is wrong and needs to change. Figuring out what needs to change and how to do it can be complex, confusing, and frightening. That’s when therapy can be helpful.

Life Transitions Therapy NYC

Navigating life transitions is a skill we can learn. The first step is acknowledging that a change is happening and accepting it. Life transitions are becoming more common in our society. Change is a normal part of life and help is available.  Dr. Williams has two decades of experience tailoring treatments to his clients and the specific situations they are facing.  Dr. Williams can provide the support and collaborative treatment you need to work through life transitions and create a new chapter in the story of your life. You will clarify your values and what gives the story of your life meaning. You will learn skills to identify, understand, and manage your emotions. You will develop a clear sense of how to move forward through the stages of change that are a normal part of life transitions. You will learn to let go of old mindsets and try new things. You will write a fresh new chapter in the story of your life.