The In-Between Space
Many of my clients are traversing some sort of life transition: moving, changing jobs, retiring from work, leaving a relationship, letting go of incompatible friends, going no contact with toxic family members, or shedding an old identity, but not quite having fully stepped into the new one yet. Every ending comes with a new beginning, but the in-between phase is often destabilizing. Maybe you’re trying on new things or different ways of being to see what feels good. While this can be a period of discovery and possibility, it can also be stressful and exhausting. Our bodies look to stability and certainty to feel safe, so these changes can be taxing on your nervous system.
Every transition also involves loss, and every loss involves grief. The more meaningful the loss is to you, the more intense the grief can be. Sadness, anger, and confusion can surface, and you might have difficulty processing it all. You might feel lost and overwhelmed. You might find it hard to face the world, but being alone can also feel too isolating. Transitions can be lonely, especially when those around you don’t quite understand the emotions you’re experiencing. What makes it even more difficult is living in a culture that usually only normalizes grief after someone has died, and even then, rushes us to “be strong” and move on. Society doesn’t give us the time and space to grieve other facets of our lives; it’s up to us to provide that for ourselves.
Grief is not meant to be stuffed down or vilified. It’s meant to move through you, at your own unique pace. Every person experiences and expresses grief differently. There’s no set timeline or right or wrong way to grieve. Sharing your story with people who don’t understand this can leave you feeling minimized, invalidated, or simply drained from trying to explain yourself. If you resonate with any of this and would like some support while you find your footing, I offer a compassionate space for you to show up as your genuine self, whether it be through relational coaching, intimacy coaching, a cuddling session, or platonic or GFE companionship. You can share as much or as little of your journey as you’d like, and it doesn’t have to be neat and tidy or articulate. Sometimes things are messy or don’t make much sense, and that’s ok.