Life Transitions Are Hard, Even the Good Ones

Change is supposed to be exciting, right?

That’s what we’re told. New jobs, graduations, breakups, moves, marriages, diagnoses, career shifts, coming out, going back to school, becoming a parent, deciding not to—all of these are framed as milestones. Growth. Transformation. Turning points.

And yet? Change—even the kind you chose—can be deeply unsettling.

Transitions ask us to move between identities, roles, routines, and often relationships. They bring uncertainty. They mess with our sense of control. They can kick up grief for the version of life we’re leaving behind, even if we know it wasn’t working. And they often come with a huge mental load: all the little decisions, what-ifs, and “what now?” questions that don’t seem to have one right answer.

In therapy, I often talk with clients who feel guilty for struggling during times they thought they were supposed to feel happy or proud. Maybe you're finally doing the thing—but emotionally, you feel like you’re flailing. Or maybe you're facing a change you didn’t ask for, and you're still trying to make sense of it while life keeps moving around you.

None of that means you're failing.

It means you're human.

Transitions stir up the nervous system. They force us to ask: Who am I now? What do I want? What do I need? And what happens if I let go of the familiar—even if it wasn’t serving me?

At Dryad Counseling, I work with adults across Ohio and Massachusetts navigating all kinds of transitions: starting over, starting again, slowing down, stepping up. I support clients in naming what’s shifting, tending to what’s uncertain, and creating enough structure to feel grounded as you move through change.

You don’t need to have it all figured out. You don’t need a five-year plan. But you do deserve support while you're in between.

If you're in Ohio or Massachusetts and looking for trauma-informed, identity-affirming therapy to help you through a life transition, I invite you to reach out. Whether you’re navigating something major or simply feeling the ground move a little under your feet, there’s space here for you to land.

You can learn more or schedule a session at www.dryadcounseling.com. I offer virtual therapy across both states, with flexible scheduling to meet you where you are—especially when where you are is a little up in the air.

Change is hard. You don’t have to do it alone.