Counseling for life transitions
Support for the changes in life that shake you up, stretch you thin, or make you wonder, what now?
Life changes fast. Therapy gives you space to catch up.
Starting college, leaving home, ending a relationship, becoming an empty nester – life transitions come in all shapes and sizes. And while they’re a normal part of life, they can also throw you completely off balance. I offer life transition counseling to teens, parents, families, and adults – helping you grieve what’s changed, adjust to what’s new, and tease out what comes next.
Therapy for teenagers & college-aged adults
Life is changing, and so are you.
Teen years come with all kinds of pressure. From school stress to body image, friend drama to leaving home – it can feel like too much, too fast. I give teens and young adults space to talk, ask questions, and work through things at their own pace (without one more ‘grown-up’ telling them what to do).
What counseling can help with:
- School pressure: Managing overload from classes, grades, and the constant push to succeed.
- Friendship shifts: Working through loneliness, disconnection, or figuring out who your people are.
- Leaving home: Making sense of independence, identity, and what still feels scary.
- Body image challenges: Unpacking the pressure to look a certain way and building self-love.
- Relationship stress: Talking through dating, breakups, and family breakdowns.
- Sports performance anxiety: Finding that sweet spot between focused and freaked out.
- Addiction issues: Looking at the why behind “escape” habits and what might help instead.
- Eating disorders: Exploring food, control, perfectionism, and self-worth.
Therapy for parents
Support for parents trying to help without hovering
When your kid starts pulling away or struggling, it’s hard to know what to do. I work with parents who feel worried, frustrated, shut out – or all three as they and their kid go through this major life transition. In therapy, we figure out how you can show up in ways that help (without overstepping).
What counseling can help with:
- Worry about your child: Holding space for concern without letting fear take over.
- Communication breakdowns: Learning how to connect when the old ways don’t work anymore.
- Empty nest stress: Finding out who you are when your role as a parent shifts.
- Boundaries & independence: Understanding when to lean in, when to back off, and how to tell the difference.
- Changes in your relationship: Exploring what happens to marriage or partnership as kids get older.
- Feeling left behind: Rebuilding purpose and connection beyond the parenting years.
Therapy for families
Helping families ride the waves of life changes without drifting apart
Coming home from college, moving out, or dealing with big emotional changes can cause tension at home. I help families talk more honestly, understand each other better, and get through tough moments with fewer blow-ups and deeper connection.
What counseling can help with:
- College transitions: Figuring out what works now that everything feels different.
- Breakdowns in communication: Stopping the same old arguments before they start (again).
- Coming home on breaks: Making breaks feel less like walking on eggshells.
- Parent-teen tension: Working through power struggles with less yelling and more listening.
- Adjusting to new norms: Understanding how roles and expectations have changed.
- Feeling misunderstood: Helping everyone feel heard, not just corrected.
Therapy for individual adults
Being a grown up doesn’t mean having it all figured out
Maybe you’re changing careers. Ending a relationship. Starting over in some way you didn’t plan for. Or maybe nothing’s technically wrong, but things just feel off. Life transitions counseling is where we slow down, peer in, and get real about what’s working, and what’s not.
What counseling can help with:
- Career changes: Sorting out next steps when the path ahead is fuzzier than ever.
- Relationship shifts: Making sense of breakups, new starts, or long-term stuff that’s stopped feeling good.
- Burnout: Pinpointing what’s draining you, and how to feel more like yourself again.
- Loneliness: Talking through that stuck, disconnected feeling you can’t quite shake.
- Grief & letting go: Naming what you’ve lost and making space for what’s still here, and what’s to come.
- Identity questions: Looking at your patterns, your wants, and what’s standing in your way.
What people say after working with me
From starting college to rethinking everything at 40, life transitions can knock you off course. Here’s what clients say about finding their way back.
Life transitions are tricky. I can help you through them.
Let’s talk about what’s going on, what you want to change, and how counseling can help you cope as your life changes.
Have questions about life transitions counseling?
Here are some common questions people ask before starting therapy with me.
What are your credentials?
I’m a licensed therapist based in New York with advanced training in attachment theory, trauma therapy, and behavioral approaches. I’ve done postgraduate work in clinical psychology and worked on trauma grants and research following 9/11. Learn more about my experience on my about page.
Do you offer remote sessions?
Yep. I offer virtual therapy in addition to in-person sessions at my office in NY.
How do I get started with life transitions counseling?
Just reach out. We’ll set up a quick call and go from there.
Do you take insurance?
I’m an out-of-network provider, but I’ll give you the paperwork to submit for reimbursement.
I’ve never done therapy before. What should I expect?
Expect a real conversation. I’ll ask questions, offer feedback, and give you space to talk about whatever’s showing up. We’ll look at patterns that might be getting in your way, explore why they’re there, and figure out what might help loosen their grip. I’ll always work with you – not at you.
How does counseling help with coping with life changes and transitions?
Life transitions can really shake up your sense of self, your routines, and even your relationships. Counseling gives you a place to slow down, reflect, and figure out what this change actually means for you – and how to move through it in a way that feels more aligned with who you are.
Do you work with parents and their teens together?
Sometimes. Other times I work with each of them individually. Every family is different. If we decide it would be helpful to bring people together for a session, we’ll do that. But I also protect the individual space for teens to talk freely, and we go from there.
What if my child doesn’t want therapy?
That happens. And I’ll be honest, it usually works best when they want to be there. That said, sometimes a single conversation is enough for them to feel like it’s worth a try. As a mother myself, I know how to “speak teen”, which usually gets young adults to relax in the room with me.
What kinds of adults do you typically work with?
I work with people in their late 20s, 30s, 40s, and beyond. Some are just starting out in adulthood, others are rethinking what they want from life after years of going through the motions. Some are parents. Some are single. Some are figuring out who they are all over again. The common thread is: they’re in some kind of life transition, and they want to feel more grounded in who they are and where they’re going.
What counts as a “life transition”?
Anything that throws off your sense of stability. That could be starting college, graduating, getting married, changing careers, becoming a parent, ending a relationship, moving to a new city, losing someone, or realizing you’re not where you thought you’d be. Some life transitions are expected, others come out of nowhere.
What therapy methods or modalities do you use?
I draw from modalities like attachment theory, trauma-informed care, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and relational therapy. But honestly, I don’t think in buzzwords when I’m with a client. I think about you – what’s going on, what’s getting in your way, and what may help. You can learn more about my counseling methods on my approach page.
What does trauma-informed therapy mean in your practice?
It means I work with an awareness that past experiences (especially overwhelming or difficult ones) can shape how we feel, react, and relate to others. You don’t need to have “big trauma” for this to matter. I work gently, respectfully, and at your pace. You won’t ever be pushed to talk about something before you’re ready.
Can you explain attachment theory?
Sure. It’s basically the idea that we all develop patterns in how we connect to others, based on early experiences, relationships, and life events. Some of those patterns work great. Others can make relationships (or even just existing in the world) feel harder. I help people understand their own patterns, so they can learn how to build more secure, supportive connections.