Life Transitions
Most of us will face at least one period in our lives when the ground shifts beneath us — when what used to work no longer does, when a chapter closes before we feel ready, or when we find ourselves somewhere entirely unfamiliar wondering how we got here.
Life transitions come in many forms. Some are chosen: a retirement, a move, a career change, a decision to leave a relationship that has run its course. Others arrive uninvited: a divorce, the death of a spouse or parent, the last child leaving home, a medical diagnosis, or the slow realization that the life you built no longer reflects who you are. Whether the change was wanted or not, transitions can leave us feeling disoriented, anxious, grieving, or simply lost.
These feelings are not a sign that something is wrong with you. They are a sign that something important has changed.
Transitions that Bring People to Therapy
There is no single event that qualifies as "significant enough" for support. I work with adults navigating all kinds of life changes, including:
Retirement and the loss of professional identity
Divorce or the end of a long-term relationship
The empty nest — children leaving home
Caring for aging parents or the death of a parent
A health diagnosis that changes daily life
Geographic relocation and starting over somewhere new
Career loss, career change, or a growing sense of being in the wrong life
Existential questions about meaning, purpose, and what comes next
That last one — the quiet but persistent feeling that something needs to change, even when nothing has gone dramatically wrong — is one of the most common reasons people come to see me. You don't have to be in crisis to benefit from therapy. Sometimes you simply need a clear-eyed, supportive space to figure out who you are becoming.
How I work with Life Transitions
After decades of working with adults through change of every kind, I've come to believe that transitions — as uncomfortable as they are — often carry within them the seeds of something new. The work of therapy during a transition is not just to get through it, but to understand what it's asking of you.
I begin by helping you identify what you are actually feeling beneath the surface — and often there is more there than expected: grief alongside relief, fear alongside excitement, anger alongside love. We work to untangle those threads and build a clearer picture of where you are and where you want to go.
I draw on cognitive behavioral tools to help you recognize and release the thought patterns that keep you stuck, and on mindfulness practices to help you stay grounded when the uncertainty feels overwhelming. I will encourage you to build a structure that supports you — emotionally, physically, socially — as you move through the change. Over time, most people find not just relief, but a deeper understanding of themselves and what they want their life to look like going forward.
I offer therapy for life transitions via secure video to adults throughout Oregon, including Portland, Eugene, and Salem. Major insurance plans are accepted. I hope to have the opportunity to work with you.