Challenges of Aging
“You don’t stop laughing when you grow old, you grow old when you stop laughing.”
– George Bernard Shaw
Has your warranty suddenly run out?
Humans are living longer than ever. Although we may grow out of many things, we are never too old to encounter obstacles that challenge our ability to cope. You may be saying: “Wow, I never thought I would live to be this age. I wonder what comes next?”
It’s never easy to accept and embrace a new period of your life. Still, it is even more complicated when it is characterized by slowing down (physically and cognitively), saying goodbye to more and more loved ones, and trying to find new reasons to get up in the morning.
Dealing with profound loneliness is one of the most common hardships reported by older individuals. It is often compounded by anxiety and depression, which some people may be experiencing for the first time in their lives.
Although we might feel invisible, we are not. Although you may be entering a new phase of your life, your life is not over. A new chapter awaits with its own set of benefits and obstacles, and you deserve to have someone supporting you through the transition. Even in those moments when you may be feeling your most lonely, you are not alone. We see you and are here to help you navigate the change.
Not particularly coo-coo for cocoa puffs.
For some people, their first visit to a therapist may occur later in life. This is especially true for individuals who grew up in families where mental health was not discussed, and therapy, in general, carried a stigma. It’s unfortunate but to be expected.
You may have grown up in a family where therapy was for “crazy people.” Benign terms like therapy and mental health may have conjured images of people in straitjackets or at least disturbed patients lying on couches.
That’s not what therapy is, and it is undoubtedly not what therapy is with us. First and foremost, therapy is simply a tool to cope with something you probably learned a long time ago – that life can be difficult.
Life brings us challenges that we are rarely truly prepared for, and our whole world can change in the blink of an eye. There is no shame in recognizing that we can benefit from help. And help is something we provide.
First, we ask you to tell us about yourself – your experiences, concerns, and what you want to achieve or enjoy. Then, we become your partners in working through troubles and toward new accomplishments.
Off the couch and onto Cloud 9.
What do you want? When was the last time anyone asked you what you wanted? This may be the first time in years that you have been able to stop and think about what you want and need. It’s ok not to know. It’s ok not to be sure.
Think of therapy not just as a way to help you get what you want and need but also as a way to help you figure out what you want and need. This process can take different forms. You may need us to be an ear to speak to, a shoulder to lean on, or an architect to design something new.
Suppose you need time to come to terms with the past, right past wrongs, forgive yourself for old misdeeds, or heal old injuries. In that case, therapy can be an opportunity to reframe the past and write a new story of your life that acknowledges your flaws, celebrates your virtues, and leaves room for a beautiful present and future.
If you need to address concrete problems and devise practical solutions, therapy can be the perfect opportunity to focus on using what you have to get precisely what you need.
Today is the first day of the rest of your life.
Don’t let another day pass you by.
You have probably reached the point where you realize every moment is precious and there is no time to waste.
Today is the day for you to reach out, get to know us, and give us a chance to help make this new chapter of your life everything you hoped it would be.