Life Transitions Therapist in Los Angeles

• 25+ Years of Experience
• Psychology License # PSY 14489
• Many Insurance Plans Accepted
• Three Degrees in Psychology
• Wide Range of Expertise
• Flexible Scheduling
• Free Initial Phone Consultation

Dr. Thomas can help you better understand your transitions, as well as your feelings and thoughts regarding them. Over time, she can work with you to process, accept, and ultimately, find a healthy way to integrate them into your life.

Understanding Life Transitions

In this context, “life transitions” are pivotal moments that disrupt routine and demand adjustment. While some transitions are planned (including marriage, promotions, and retirement), others arrive unexpectedly (such as divorce, job loss, or health challenges). Regardless of their nature, these periods can evoke stress, anxiety, or self-doubt.

Common Types of Life Transitions

1. Career Changes – Promotions, layoffs, or career pivots can trigger identity shifts and financial stress.
2. Relationship Shifts – Marriage, divorce, breakups, or family estrangement require emotional recalibration.
3. Relocation – Moving to a new city or country involves social, cultural, and logistical adjustments.
4. Aging & Milestones – Midlife transitions, retirement, or empty nesting may prompt existential reflection.
5. Personal Growth – Self-discovery, overcoming trauma, or changing belief systems can be both liberating and unsettling.

Dr. Yvonne Thomas helps individuals process emotions, redefine goals, and embrace new beginnings.

Why Seek a Life Transitions Therapist?

Change is inevitable, but suffering through it alone isn’t necessary. Professional guidance provides objectivity, insight, and structure during uncertain times.

Benefits of Working with Dr. Yvonne Thomas

• Emotional Clarity – Identifying and processing complex feelings tied to change.
• Coping Strategies – Developing resilience tools to manage stress and uncertainty.
• Goal Realignment – Reevaluating priorities to align with current life circumstances.
• Self-Discovery – Uncovering strengths and values that may have been overshadowed.
• Support System Enhancement – Strengthening relationships to foster stability.

Life transition therapy focuses on the unique psychological impact of change, helping individuals move forward in life rather than wallow in fear, doubt, or distress.

Life Transitions Dr. Yvonne Thomas Can Help With

Dr. Yvonne Thomas supports clients through a wide range of changes—whether exciting, challenging, expected, or sudden. 

These can include but are not limited to: 

Career & Professional Transitions

Positive/Anticipated:

• Starting a new job or promotion
• Launching a business or creative project
• Changing industries or career paths
• Retirement (planned)

Challenging/Unanticipated:

• Job loss or layoffs
• Workplace conflicts or burnout
• Forced career changes due to market shifts
• Struggling with imposter syndrome in a new role

Relationship & Family Transitions

Positive/Anticipated:

• Marriage or commitment
• Becoming a parent (pregnancy, adoption, fostering)
• Blending families (step-parenting, cohabitation)
• Reconnecting with estranged loved ones

 Challenging/Unanticipated:

• Divorce or breakup
• Infidelity or trust issues
• Family estrangement or conflict
• Parenting struggles (special needs, behavioral challenges)
• Empty nest syndrome
• Loss of a loved one

Personal Growth & Identity Shifts

Positive/Anticipated:

• Spiritual or religious awakening
• Pursuing higher education or learning new skills
• Midlife reinvention (new hobbies, passions)

Challenging/Unanticipated:

• Existential crises or loss of purpose
• Struggles with self-esteem or body image
• Recovering from trauma or PTSD
• Navigating a late-in-life diagnosis 

Relocation & Lifestyle Changes

Positive/Anticipated:

• Moving for a dream job or better opportunities
• Downsizing or simplifying life
• Relocating for retirement (e.g., to a new city or country)

Challenging/Unanticipated:

• Displacement due to financial hardship
• Feeling isolated in a new place
• Culture shock or difficulty adjusting

Health & Aging Transition

Positive/Anticipated:

• Adopting a healthier lifestyle (fitness, nutrition)
• Recovery from illness or surgery
• Embracing aging

Challenging/Unanticipated:

• Chronic illness or disability diagnosis
• Coping with caregiver burnout
• Grief after losing mobility or independence
• Facing mortality or terminal illness

Financial & Stability Shifts

Positive/Anticipated:

• Paying off debt or achieving financial freedom
• Inheritance or sudden wealth management

Challenging/Unanticipated:

• Bankruptcy or financial loss
• Housing instability or homelessness
• Sudden caregiving costs (e.g., aging parents)

As long as this list is, it is by no means comprehensive. Dr. Thomas can help with these transitions and others. 

How Life Transitions, Even Welcome Ones, Can Disrupt Our Lives

Life transitions—whether eagerly anticipated or unexpectedly thrust upon us—have a profound impact on our emotional, psychological, and physical well-being. 

Even positive changes can create significant disruption. Dr. Thomas can help you in understanding why these shifts can be destabilizing, despite their potential benefits. Then, she can work with you so that you can navigate them in a healthy way and with greater resilience.

Positive Change: What to Keep in Mind 

At first glance, it may seem counterintuitive that welcome transitions—like promotions, parenthood, or retirement—could cause stress. However, any major life shift, regardless of its nature, is capable of doing that.  

Why Even Good Changes Can Feel Stressful

1. Cognitive Overload – New situations demand increased mental energy. The brain must process unfamiliar information, make decisions, and adjust routines, leading to mental fatigue.
2. Loss of Familiarity – Humans thrive on predictability. Even happy transitions disrupt established habits, creating a sense of instability.
3. Identity Shifts – Major changes often alter how we see ourselves (e.g., “new parent,” “recent graduate,” “retiree”). This redefinition can trigger self-doubt.
4. Increased Responsibility – Many exciting transitions come with new pressures (e.g., a higher-paying job may bring longer work hours).
5. Social Adjustments – Relationships evolve during transitions. Friends, family, and/or colleagues may treat you differently, requiring adaptation.

Just Some of the Common Ways Life Transitions Can Cause Life Disruptions

Emotional Turbulence

• Mixed Feelings – Excitement may coexist with anxiety. A newlywed might feel joy, but also mourn their single life’s independence.
• Grief for the Past – Even when moving toward something better, people often grieve what they’re leaving behind.
• Mood Swings – Stress hormones like cortisol fluctuate during transitions, leading to irritability or emotional exhaustion.

Decision Fatigue

Transitions force constant choices—some less serious (how to arrange a new home), others potentially life-altering (whether to accept a job offer, get married or divorced, have children, etc.). Over time, this can deplete willpower, making even small decisions feel overwhelming.

Relationship Strains

• Misaligned Expectations – Partners, family, or friends may have different visions of the transition (e.g., one spouse may expect more time together after retirement, while the other seeks independence).
• Role Adjustments – A promotion might create tension if coworkers resent the change.
• Social Isolation – Moving cities or leaving a job can dissolve support networks abruptly.

Self-Confidence Dips

• Imposter Syndrome – New roles (e.g., “manager,” “parent”) can trigger feelings of inadequacy.
• Comparison Traps – Watching peers handle similar transitions “more smoothly” can fuel self-criticism.

Why Some People Struggle More Than Others

Not everyone experiences transitions the same way. Factors that amplify disruption include:

Attachment to Routine

Individuals who rely heavily on structure (e.g., those with anxiety or autism spectrum traits) may find transitions especially jarring.

Perfectionism

High achievers often struggle when transitions expose unpredictability or the need for new skill sets—they may resist asking for help, fearing it signals failure.

Lack of Support Systems

Without emotional or logistical support (e.g., no friends in a new city), stress compounds.

Previous Trauma

Past negative experiences with change (e.g., unstable childhood) can heighten fear of new transitions.

How Dr. Thomas Can Help You Navigate Disruptive Transitions More Smoothly

While transitions are inherently destabilizing, certain strategies mitigate their toll. Everyone’s life transitions are different. That said, there are many ways that Dr. Thomas can help, which could include: 

Normalize Your Mindset 

Acknowledge that discomfort is natural—it doesn’t mean you’ve made the wrong choice.

Break Changes into Smaller Steps

Instead of focusing on the overwhelming whole (e.g., “I’m moving across the country”), tackle manageable tasks (e.g., “Today, I’ll research neighborhoods”).

Maintain (or Start) Some Positive Routines

Preserve familiar anchors (e.g., a morning workout, weekly calls with a friend) to reinforce or create stability.

Reframing

View the transition as a chapter of growth rather than a threat. Ask questions such as:

• What strengths is this change helping me develop?
• How might this benefit me in five years?

Those are just some of the strategies and skills that Dr. Thomas can help you learn and strengthen. And there are others, also, depending on the life transition you are going through and how it is negatively affecting you.

When to Seek Professional Help

Consider life transitions therapy if for example:

• Anxiety or sadness persists, or is impairing daily life.
• You’re relying on unhealthy coping mechanisms (e.g., alcohol and/or substance use).
• You feel stuck, have difficulty making decisions and/or are not able to move forward.

Dr. Thomas can help you untangle your emotions, provide clarity, and recommend actionable strategies.

What to Expect in Sessions with Dr. Yvonne Thomas

Therapy with Dr. Thomas is collaborative and empowering. Every journey is different, but often includes:

Initial Assessment

Understanding the client’s history, current transition, and emotions.

Goal Setting

Defining measurable objectives (e.g., reducing anxiety, making a career decision).

Exploration & Processing

Delving into emotions, thought patterns, and behavioral responses to change.

Skill Building

Learning coping mechanisms tailored to the client’s lifestyle.

Progress Evaluation

Adjusting strategies as needed to help with continued growth.

How Dr. Yvonne Thomas Equips Clients with Adaptive Coping Skills for Life Transitions

Navigating life transitions requires more than just insight—it demands practical, personalized coping strategies. Dr. Yvonne Thomas specializes in helping clients discover and develop actionable skills to manage the emotional, cognitive, and behavioral challenges of change. 

Her approach blends several psychotherapy techniques with real-world applicability, ensuring clients don’t just endure transitions, but grow through them.

Coping Skills You Can Develop in Therapy

Emotional Regulation Tools

Transitions often trigger intense emotions like grief, anxiety, or feeling overwhelmed. Dr. Thomas helps clients develop:

• Emotional Labeling: Identifying and naming feelings (e.g., “This isn’t just stress—it’s fear of failure”) to reduce their intensity.
• Distress Tolerance Techniques: Ways to calm the nervous system during acute stress.
• Emotional Containment: Strategies to “compartmentalize” emotions when needed.

Cognitive Flexibility Training

Rigid thinking exacerbates transition stress. With Dr. Thomas, you can learn to:

• Reframe Catastrophic Thoughts: Replace “This change will ruin everything” with “This is hard, but I can adapt step by step.”
• Practice “Both/And” Thinking: Holding space for conflicting emotions (e.g., “I’m excited about my new job AND nervous about the learning curve for it”).
• Challenge Assumptions: Questioning beliefs that fuel self-criticism such as, “I must have everything figured out by now.”

Behavior

When transitions lead to withdrawal or paralysis (e.g., depression after job loss), you can learn to: 

• Set and Achieve Goals, Even Small Ones: Starting with tiny, achievable tasks to rebuild momentum and motivation.
• Set and Stick to Routines: Maintaining small, consistent habits (e.g., morning walks) to create stability amid chaos.
• Values-Aligned Action: Choosing activities that align with core values (e.g., volunteering during a career gap to stay connected to purpose).

Interpersonal Coping Strategies

Relationship dynamics often shift during transitions. This can include: 

• Assertive Communication: Using “I” statements to express needs (e.g., “I need quiet time to adjust after work”).
• Support System Audits: Evaluating which relationships are energizing vs. draining and setting boundaries accordingly.
• Conflict De-Escalation: Having a better idea of what to do during heated discussions about changes.

Resilience-Building Practices

Long-term coping involves strengthening mental “muscles”:

• Growth Mindset Cultivation: Viewing challenges as opportunities to develop new skills rather than threats.
• Self-Compassion Exercises: Replacing self-judgment with kinder inner dialogue (e.g., “It’s normal to struggle with this change”).
• Transition Narratives: Rewriting personal stories to highlight resilience (e.g., “I’ve reinvented myself before—I can do it again”).

Gaining Perspective During Life Transitions

Life transitions can feel disorienting, like being lost in a storm without a compass or navigational system. Dr. Yvonne Thomas helps clients step back, reassess, and find clarity amid the chaos. By cultivating perspective, individuals can move from feeling overwhelmed or distressed by change to understanding its role and being better able to integrate it into their lives.

Why Perspective Matters in Life Transitions

When faced with major changes, people often:

• Hyperfocus on immediate stressors, losing sight of the bigger picture.
• Feel “stuck” in negative narratives (e.g., “This divorce means I failed”).
• Struggle to envision a future beyond the transition (i.e., “This situation will never change”).

Gaining perspective helps clients:

Reduce emotional reactivity by viewing challenges as temporary.

Identify growth opportunities hidden within difficulties.

Make values-aligned decisions rather than fear-based ones.

Taking the Next Step

Life transitions can be opportunities for reinvention and adaptability. With the right support, life transitions can transform into growth. Change is inevitable—suffering isn’t. Whether you’re stepping into an exciting new phase or facing an unexpected shift, professional guidance can make all the difference. 

Dr. Yvonne Thomas can empower you to navigate your life changes with clarity, resilience, and growth.