Transcript Managing Life’s Transitions:

Managing Life’s
Transitions:
Personal –Relationships– Societal
Education – Work – Military
Figure 1: Man trying to
decide which of two
directions to take
By: Kathleen E. High, M.Ed.
Adjunct Professor , Mt. San Antonio College
Transitions Model1
• Understanding Transitions:
• Anticipated: Graduation, marriage, parenthood, start a job
• Unanticipated: Accident, layoff, untimely death of loved one
• Nonevent: Not married, remaining childless, don’t retire
• 4 Ss System for Coping with Transitions:
•
•
•
•
1
Situation: Situation at time of transition will affect response
Self: Your inner strength for coping with the transitions
Supports: The support available is critical to your well-being
Strategies: Strategies used to change the situation
Schlossberg, N. K. (2011). The challenge of change: The transition model and its
applications
Transitions Defined2:
• Endings
Triggering event, then the loss of the old life:
• Disengagement
• Disidentification
• Disenchantment
• Disorientation
• Neutral Zones
The old life has ended, and the new life has not yet begun
• New Beginnings
It is a Process - not a “To Do List”. “Signs” are generally not available
• Listening to the “inner voice” for patterns and new opportunities
• Launching a new set of priorities, ideas, and goals
2Bridges,
W. (1980). Transitions. Cambridge, MA: Perseus Books.
New Beginnings Reflection:
• To help you understand how this process
works:
• Think back on a significant
• new beginning you had in your past:
What were the “steps” you took to begin?
Many Types of Transitions:
• Personal
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Child to adult
Dependent to independent
Caregiver to “empty nest”
Able-bodied to disabled
Incarcerated to parolee/free
Addicted to Sober
Spirituality (change beliefs or religion)
Home: (apartment to homeowner, etc.)
Personal technology (phones, TV, computers,
etc.)
• Family & Other Relationships
•
•
•
•
•
Single to married (or otherwise committed)
Married to single
Childless to parent
Independent to caregiver (or the reverse)
Death (or separation from) a loved one
Societal
•
•
•
•
•
A Changing World
Native to immigrant
Groups – majority to minority, etc.
Spiritual – place of worship
Move to a new community
Education
•
•
•
•
•
High school to college
Community college to university
College student to graduate
Student to employee
Employee to student
Career
•
•
•
•
•
New assignments, bosses, etc.
Employee to manager
Employed to unemployed
Unemployed to employed
Employee to retired
Military
• Civilian to soldier
• Soldier to veteran
More Than One Transition?
• Q: Is it possible to experience more than
one transition at a time?
• A1: Yes. You can experience several
simultaneous or serial transitions at any time.
• A2: Some transitions may trigger others • Example:
• Loss of job can also trigger:
• New student, family status changes, and
Veteran (if job was military), etc.
Identify Your Personal
Transitions
• TYPE of transitions are you dealing with right now?
• Personal, Relationships, Societal, Education, Career, Military
• ASSESS your transition(s)?
• Is your transition: Anticipated, Unanticipated, or Nonevent?
• PHASE of the process
• Where are you in the process?
• Endings, Neutral Zone, New Beginnings
How Transitions Affect You –
Emotionally:
•
• Emotional
•
• Grief3:
•
• Denial, Anger, Bargaining,
Depression, Acceptance
•
• Resistance
•
• Reminiscing
•
• Mental
• Regret
3Kubler-Ross,
Spiritual
Political
Perception of Reality
Values
Sense of Identity
Personality
E. (1997). On death and dying. New York: Touchstone.
How Transitions Affect You –
In Other Ways As Well -
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Physical
Level of “Productivity”
Relationships
Authority
Roles
The “Rules”
Expectations
Priorities
Financial
Legal
3Kubler-Ross,
E. (1997). On death and dying. New York: Touchstone.
Managing the Effects of
Transitions
• “Neutral Zone” is not the end of the world
•
•
•
•
•
• Learn the “New Rules”
• Envision “New Beginnings”
• Embrace this as an opportunity for pursuing your dreams and goals
Develop a support system:
• Family, friends, support groups, place of worship, resource centers, etc.
Seek professional help if necessary:
• Mental health counselors
• Career Counselors
• Other “professional skilled helpers” (clergy, lawyer, parole officer, VA
officer, drug/alcohol counselor, etc.)
Utilize available resources:
Your personal support system, printed/on-line materials, books, support
groups, resource centers, professional help, place of worship, etc.
Find a mentor (Someone who has gone through your transition before)
How to Manage Transitions4
• Embrace “Neutral Zones” as a productive
“reorientation” process:
• Surrender to the process instead of trying to avoid
or fight it
• Find time and place to be alone
• Log “neutral zone” experiences
• Write your autobiography
• Discover what you really want
• Imagine what would be unlived if you died today
• Take a short “right of passage” retreat
4
Bridges, W. (1980). Transitions. Cambridge, MA: Perseus Books.
How are Your Transitions Affecting
You?
• Reflect on your transitions:
• What challenges are you dealing with?
• Emotional: Mental, Emotional Grief, Resistance,
Reminiscing, Regret, Spiritual Perspective, Political
Perspective, Personality, Sense of Identity, Sense of Reality,
and Values
• Other Ways: Physical, Level of Productivity, Authority, Roles,
Rules, Expectations, Priorities, Financial and Legal
• Should you prioritize them?
Utilize Resources
•
On-Campus Resource Centers
•
•
•
Career & Transfer Services
Veterans Service Center
Disabled Students Programs &
Services
Financial Aid
Student Health Services
EOPS/CARE/CAL-WORKS
Special Program offices (ASPIRE,
ACES, Tutoring, MARC, Writing Center,
etc.)
Special Interest Student Clubs
•
•
•
•
•
•
• Off Campus Resource Centers
•
•
•
•
•
•
Handouts
•
•
•
•
Discerning Seasons
Paradigm Shifts
Hidden Rules
Setting Effective Goals
Local One-Stop Centers (Employment)
VA Office
VFW – Veterans of Foreign Wars
12-Step programs (AA, Alanon, etc.)
Employer’s Human Resources Dept.
Check these institutions for potential
resource centers:
• City, County, and State Governments
• Non-profits organizations (legal, etc.)
• Local houses of worship
• Books
•
•
Transitions
On Death and Dying
Wrap Up
• RESOURCES: What resources can help you?
• Books, handouts, counselors, support groups, etc.
• Do you have mentors / professionals / skilled helpers
who can help you manage the process?
• If not, where can you find one?
• What is your next step?
References
• Bridges, W. (1980). Transitions. Cambridge, MA: Perseus
Books.
• Kubler-Ross, E. (1997). On death and dying. New York:
Touchstone.
• Schlossberg, N. K. (2011). The challenge of change: The
transition model and its applications. Journal of Employment
Counseling, 159-166.