Embracing Change: How to Support Mental Health During Life Transitions

By Kelley Maynard, LMHC

Change is constant, yet it rarely feels natural. Some changes are expected, while others may be unexpected. Whether you are starting a new job, entering or leaving a relationship, growing your family, or managing a new diagnosis, life transitions often bring a mix of excitement and uncertainty.

When entering a season of change, especially when the change is chosen or objectively positive, many people assume they should feel excited. In reality, other emotional responses often go unanticipated, including anxiety, self-doubt, and even grief. These reactions are both normal and valid.

What makes change hard:
Part of what makes life transitions so challenging is that they disrupt one’s sense of competence. Routines that once felt automatic can suddenly feel unfamiliar. This disruption often leads to overthinking, self-doubt, and reduced confidence, especially for individuals who are high-functioning and hold high expectations of themselves. As Hanna et al. (2018) notes, adjustment to change is not a single moment but an ongoing psychological process involving shifts in identity, coping, and behavior over time.

How to approach life transitions:
Being intentional about how you navigate life transitions is an important first step in supporting your mental health and managing stress during the process. Research suggests that solution-oriented strategies, social support, and emotion regulation can be effective ways to navigate stressful situations (Bondarchuk et al., 2024). These approaches can be applied in practical ways, including the following:

Solution-oriented strategies:
• Identify actions you can take to directly address the stressor.
• Develop a proactive plan to respond to the specific change or challenge.

Social support strategies:
• Seek emotional support from family, friends, or loved ones.
• Turn toward faith or spiritual beliefs.

Emotion regulation strategies:
• Reframe stressful situations as opportunities for growth.
• Practice radical acceptance by acknowledging reality as it is, without denial, avoidance, or judgment.
• Use humor thoughtfully to regain perspective and reduce emotional intensity.

If you are in a season of change, remind yourself that there is no right or wrong way to feel. Focusing on what is within your control can help you tolerate the discomfort and uncertainty that often accompany transitions. If you are facing a life transition or having difficulty adjusting to change, therapy at Behavioral Health Partners may help. Behavioral Health Partners is brought to you by Well-U, offering eligible individuals mental health services for stress, anxiety, depression, and ADHD. To schedule an intake appointment, give us a call at (585) 276-6900.

References:

Bondarchuk, O., Balakhtar, V., Pinchuk, N., Pustovalov, I., & Pavlenok, K. (2024). Coping with stressfull situations using coping strategies and their impact on Mental Health. Multidisciplinary Reviews, 7. https://doi.org/10.31893/multirev.2024spe034

Hanna, K. M., Kaiser, K. L., Brown, S. G., Campbell-Grossman, C., Fial, A., Ford, A., Hudson, D. B., Keating-Lefler, R., Keeler, H., Moore, T. A., Nelson, A. E., Pelish, P., & Wilhelm, S. (2018). A scoping review of transitions, stress, and adaptation among emerging adults. Advances in Nursing Science, 41(3), 203–215. https://doi.org/10.1097/ans.0000000000000214

 

Global Administrator | 7/1/2026