ADULTS IN LIFE TRANSITION
(those in between jobs, relationships…or life)
Adulthood can be full of life transitions–whether they are expected or unexpected, positive or negative, they can impact your wellbeing, sense of control in life, thoughts and emotions, relationships, sense of self, or daily routine. While life transitions, as well as your reactions to them, are developmentally appropriate, normal, and temporary, some of the psychological symptoms stemming from these events can develop into something chronic and severe, if unattended.
You may be coping with the loss of a job, a family member, a pet, a relationship, a friend, a community you have been part of, or any opportunities that were once promised to you. You may be experiencing a significant change in your health and wealth status that may be impacting your life. Or, you might be celebrating a significant milestone/accomplishment in your life (e.g., completing your education, finding a new job, getting into a new relationship, taking your significant relationship to the next phase, starting a family, retiring from your career....you name it) but struggling to adjust to the new reality of your life.
I obtained a MA in Counseling Psychology with an emphasis in Adult Development and Life Transitions from the University of San Francisco in 2001, prior to continuing onto a PhD program in Counseling Psychology at Washington State University. While the majority of my classmates from USF had chosen the emphasis on marriage and family therapy and working with children, I chose the other track perhaps due to my own personal experience of various life transitions as an adult (e.g., changing my career from journalism to psychology, transitioning from having a full-time job with salaries to being a student again, relocating from Japan to the US, just to name a few). My academic and clinical experiences at USF, as well as my personal experience of life transitions since then, have been part of the foundation of my career as a psychologist to date.
Regardless of what your life transitions are, I am here to join you in your life journey as a “fellow traveler,” helping you navigate through the “good, bad and ugly” of your life changes.