Life Transition Counselling

“Life changes take place on many levels, faster and more frequently than most of us are prepared for. There are big incremental changes, expected changes, and changes that take us by surprise. Regardless of the nature of change, whether it is deemed positive or negative, our common human response to change is fear and resistance.”

Lana Gowler, Registered and Master Therapeutic Counsellor

How Do You Face Changes in Your Life?

How you personally greet change in your life is often an automatic response that reflects how your family of origin dealt with change and loss. Many of us were never taught that change has a natural cycle and is a necessary part of growing, just like the seasons.

Once understood, any kind of change can be used to aid our lives. As we leave a part of our lives behind, we must recreate another. Regardless if it is a change in:

• Residence
• Work
• A new baby coming
• Promotion
• Loss of a dream
• Divorce
• Retirement
• Death of a Loved One
• Marriage
• Ending a relationship or starting a new one

All changes have a natural cycle of letting go and creating something new. This requires a resiliency of grieving what we have lost, finding the strength and courage to reinvent ourselves and step into the unknown. One of the constants about life is change and as life continues to happen, our resistance may kick in to the point where we lose our ability to adapt. This may find us feeling stuck, alone, turning away from opportunities, feeling dissatisfied, righteous about our resistance and even sabotaging areas in our life without understanding why.

Life Transitions Counselling Helps You Discover the Silver Lining

As a person who has experienced many life transitions including career changes, becoming a young stepmom, and loss of important relationships, I finally came to realize there was a solid constant place inside of me that could navigate all these changes. My environment, my feelings, my life circumstances, my beliefs could all change but the core of me was all right and resourceful.

Reaching this resourceful core place inside me was not an easy task. Although intellectually I knew I wasn’t defined by my changing environment, feelings, roles or life circumstances, my experience was different; who I was, my whole focus was looking outwards to form my identity. I desired more than anything to find a solid loving place inside me that was not always reacting to the changes and losses in my life. But how to do this was the question? I needed help! Ironically, I needed to reach outside for guidance in order to redirect my outward focus to go inside and find my solid loving core. A journey I had to do alone but could only do knowing that I was connected with my ‘help’.

Change is inevitable, how we are in the middle of change is vital to moving through life’s transitions with grace and dignity. Now, as a counsellor, I support and guide you in finding that solid place inside that has the resiliency and resources to move through life’s transitions with grace. I view change as a place to grow from and open to a new world of possibilities. My biggest thrill is seeing people gain new skills, open to new perspectives, and thrive in the face of change.