Transition Prep Action Plans
Life is full of transitions. Some of us adjust relatively easily to new people, places, routines, and environments. But for some of us, transitions, even those that are joy-filled and exciting, require some adjustment. Sometimes adjustments to a transition or life change can include internal and “quiet” symptoms like worry, stomach-aches, and insomnia. Other times, they can include external signs like outbursts, panic, and irritability. Lastly, some can attempt to avoid anything related to the change which doesn’t help us adjust at all.
Transitions and life changes can be especially difficult when we are transitioning away from something we enjoy and toward something less preferable.
Examples of such life changes may include:
- when a child is transitioning from summertime to the start of a new school-year,
- the holiday season to the start of a new semester,
- a change of schools altogether,
- a family under one roof transitioning to two separate homes under different roofs,
- moving from one home or community to a new one, or,
- adjusting to life without an important person or pet in our lives.
Unexpectedly, some families are surprised by the difficulties and challenges they experience following even positive transitions, or transitions which could be considered seasonal, which may include:
- end of the school-year into the summer,
- from fall into the holiday season,
- prior to spring and fall breaks from school
- the joining of new family members, or,
- launching into adulthood after graduation.
Creative Family Counseling now offers Transition Prep Action Plans, which are proactive and solution-focused planning sessions to prepare individuals or families for an upcoming life change or seasonal transition. These Action Plan meetings are an abbreviated service which is focused on helping families anticipate challenges, get ahead of the problem, and establish a plan to eliminate obstacles and minimize adjustment issues. This service is brief and strategy-focused for new clients and can be an augmentation to any other treatment concerns being addressed in therapy with current clients.
