Therapy for life transitions and change

What life transitions can feel like

Change is part of every life, but some changes shake the ground beneath us. You might be starting or leaving a job, moving to London or to a new country, becoming a parent, going through a separation, facing a health diagnosis, children leaving home or approaching retirement. Even positive changes can bring unexpected feelings of loss, anxiety or confusion.

Transitions often involve letting go of one version of yourself before the next one feels solid. That in-between stage can be uncomfortable. People describe feeling unanchored, unsure of their identity, or caught between wanting to move forward and wanting to hold onto what was. It is common to feel that you "should" be happy or coping better than you are.

For people who have moved country, there can be added layers: missing family, navigating a new culture and language, and holding more than one sense of home.

How I work with life transitions

I work alongside you rather than directing the process. My role is not to tell you what to choose, but to help you hear yourself more clearly.

Making room for mixed feelings

Taking a person-centred approach, we start by making space for whatever the change has stirred up, including excitement, grief, fear and doubt, often all at once. Many people find it a relief to be able to hold these contradictions without having to resolve them straight away. If the change involves a significant loss, my page on grief and bereavement may also help.

Understanding what the change touches

Big changes can bring up older experiences, such as earlier losses, moves or times when you felt unsupported. Drawing on psychodynamic ideas, we can explore how your past may be colouring the way you are experiencing this transition, and what that might tell you about what you need now.

Finding your way forward

When you are ready, we can think practically about next steps. Using CBT-informed ideas, we might look at the thoughts that keep you stuck, such as "I have left it too late" or "I have to get this exactly right", and explore small steps towards the life you want. If stress at work is part of the picture, my page on stress and burnout may also be useful.

Your values and identity

Transitions often raise deeper questions: What matters to me now? Who am I outside this role? Therapy can be a place to explore these questions with curiosity, without having to have all the answers. Sometimes the answers come slowly, and that is fine.

What to expect

We start with an initial consultation to talk about what is changing for you and whether my way of working feels right. If we decide to work together, our sessions can be shorter-term and focused on a particular decision, or longer-term if you want to explore more widely. You can read more about your first session or find out about online therapy if you are on the move or living outside London.

There is no need to have the change figured out before you get in touch. Many people come at the very start, in the middle of the uncertainty, and that can be a helpful time to have support. I see adults online across the UK and internationally, and in person in Farringdon, Central London.