SUPPORTING CLIENTS IN LIFE TRANSITIONS: REFOCUS THE INNER COMPASS - Practical perspectives and strategies to facilitate stability through life changes.

‘I was fine until I retired’ or ‘I was okay whilst my kids were living at home’ are common statements we hear when we are trying to understand what life was like before a significant life-change. The transition process has thrown the familiar world into chaos and confusion. This course is for all who facilitate/counsel and support these negotiations of ongoing change and stress and want to build resilience in their clients in support of them making healthy, positive choices.

The course will provide an opportunity to reflect on the key transition points of life’s journey and to focus on the challenges of retirement and empty nest syndrome etc.. Depression rates are particularly high during times of change for both men and women.

Empty nest syndrome is not a clinical disorder or diagnosis. It is a transitional period in life that often brings loneliness and loss. However, the experience is often bittersweet or emotionally challenging. It is not experience by both men and women. Retirement is another transition point that can transform an individual’s life with statistics showing depression rates are high in retired men who often talk about unexpected disappointments of this time they had previously looked forward to.

How do we move from a time of chaos and uncertainty e.g. ‘re-tirement’ to a positive ‘re-wirement’ and ‘re-firement’ of our understanding of self? How can value clarification throw light on life’s transition points and possibly open new possibilities? This course will address the challenge of moving through life- transitions with an enduring sense of self and discuss the importance of finding a home in oneself when everything in the outer world changes.

Navigating these ever-changing currents, tides and winds requires knowledge, self-awareness and processes that help us to a point of acceptance. Practical strategies and activities will be provided and experienced to facilitate these processes of self-awareness and understanding.

Instead of being kind and compassionate with ourselves during these challenging times we often tend to become overly self-critical with ourselves and often forget the importance of calming the anxious mind. This course will emphasize the importance to incorporating a self-compassion approach during times of significant change.

Feedback from Beate’s most recent presentations for PDP: (to be updated)

“Very good!! Great info. Lots of links to resources.”

“So much great content. Beate´ is fabulous.”

“Would have loved two days. Loved the body map and image exercise.”

“Very informative and practical – thank – you!”

“Excellent” “Fantastic”

“It was the best PDP Seminar I have attended. Informative, educational, hands on. Everyone was involved it was interactive, different variety of resources used. Really enjoyed it.”

“Great learning today. Thank you.”

“Beate´ shares a lot of relevant, hands on stories that brings reality to the theory and information. Beate´ is a wonderfully warm engaging presenter.”

“Practical, usable, and far more grounded that I had imagined!”

“Wonderful, valuable day – really opened my thinking on loss and grief leaving me feeling much more confident to support my grieving clients (and myself and family).