Personal growth · Individual therapy · Chicago
Therapy for Life Transitions in Chicago
A role or routine that once gave you direction may no longer fit. Whether the change was chosen or unexpected, you may need time to understand what comes with you and what you want to leave behind.
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What you may be noticing
- Feeling unsure outside familiar roles
- Conflicting expectations about who to be
- Missing a previous chapter while wanting change
Your experience may look different. These examples are starting points for a conversation.
How we can work on this
We can explore the stories you have learned about yourself and how they are changing. Our work can include making room for mixed feelings, identifying continuity, and experimenting with choices that reflect your present priorities.
I am Sam Rustum, LCPC. My work is collaborative: we will discuss your priorities, choose a starting point, and check whether our approach is useful to you.
Finding yourself outside a familiar role
A role can tell you how to organize the day and how other people expect you to behave. When it changes, even an ordinary question about yourself can become difficult to answer. You may know what you used to be responsible for without yet knowing what you want next.
We can explore the parts of that role you want to keep, the parts you have outgrown, and what feels unfamiliar without it. A session might focus on entering a new relationship, becoming a parent, returning to a different routine, or noticing that an old way of being dependable no longer fits. There can be pride in a change and sadness about what it leaves behind.
Small choices can help you discover what feels like your own. We might consider an interest, a different conversation, or a way of spending time that does not depend on the former role. Related work may include grief and loss or clarifying your present priorities.
Questions you may be asking
What if nothing dramatic has happened?
A transition can happen gradually as your needs, relationships, or priorities change. You can come to therapy because a familiar life feels less fitting, even if there is no single event that explains the feeling.
Can I miss a chapter I chose to leave?
Yes. We can make room for what you valued about that part of life alongside the reasons you wanted a change. Missing something does not by itself settle whether your decision was right or what you should do next.
What if people close to me want me to stay the same?
We can explore the role you have held in those relationships and what a change means to everyone involved. You may want help naming your needs, acknowledging others' reactions, and considering how much explanation or negotiation is useful.
A place to begin
Let’s make room for what you need.
A free 15-minute consultation gives us a chance to talk about what is difficult, answer your questions, and consider whether working together fits what you need.