On top of being a retirement and aging coach for older adults, I practice as a licensed psychologist in twenty-two states (currently). And as a psychologist one of the first things I like to talk about when a patient enters my office is their life story.
Your life story is a culmination of everything you have experienced throughout the entirety of your life (no matter how large or small), including the framework of your childhood and adolescent years. Everyone’s life story is entirely different from the next and can dramatically influence how one adjusts to their seemingly-sudden aging. It also plays a role in helping determine how one will spend their retirement years.
Whether you feel as if you’ve lived a very full life or you feel as if you’re still missing something, every aging adult can and will benefit from coaching.
There are some who enter my office who are struggling with aging. Some of them have medical problems such as Parkinsons Disease, Multiple Sclerosis, or are recovering from a stroke. The transition from being a healthy adult to now having been diagnosed with a major age-related illness is difficult for most individuals. Others come in with a history of family issues that were not resolved earlier on in their lives.
There are also those who are struggling with the idea of whether or not they should retire.
“I know I should retire, but my identity is directly related to my work. I worry that if I leave this job, I don’t know what else I’m going to do.”
I was trained in coaching twenty years ago and after realizing how many individuals could benefit from the training I received, I decided that is what I would do. My goal as a coach is to help people before they seek me as a psychologist. And I do this first by reflecting on your life.
As I said before, your life experiences greatly influence your transition to retirement and old age.
“What do you learn throughout life that really can help you adjust to life as you get older?”
What can we learn from our life story?
If you would like my help in exploring your life story and implementing those experiences into transition strategies, please reach out.
You can call me at 970-670-0608, or email me at Karen@CoachingAgingAdults.com
We can then explore how I might be able to help you with the stresses you are experiencing now, due to your health issues, your worry about your partner or your kids, or your mom. As an expert in Aging and Mental Health, I can help you work on decreasing your worry, your feelings of loneliness, and stress about the present and previous situations in your life.
