When You’re Managing but Still Struggling: Finding Support in Wisconsin

Oct 8

You can keep going to work after a divorce and still dread coming home. You can look forward to retirement, then find yourself missing the routine you were ready to leave.

I offer life transitions guidance for people who are getting through the day but still feel unsure about what comes next. You can ask for help while you’re still managing. We can talk through what has changed and what you want for yourself now. I won’t make those choices for you, and you don’t need to have the answers before we begin.

You don’t need a bigger problem to ask for help

I don’t expect you to prove that what you’re going through is serious enough. An empty house can be lonely when your children leave, however happy you are for them. A career change can leave you missing your old role even when you wanted to move on.

We can talk about that without assuming you want your old life back.

Perhaps you need to work out what you can take on as an aging parent needs more care. Perhaps you’re managing the practical things and struggling to explain why you still feel so out of place. Either gives us somewhere to start.

I offer life transitions coaching for people who are used to managing well and now find themselves unsure. You don’t need to know what comes next before we meet.

What my background means for our work

My years as a social worker and psychotherapist make the way I listen and work with people. Here, I offer coaching. I’ll explain what that involves and where its limits are, so you can decide whether it’s right for you.

I would want to know how you’re feeling, even if you’re still getting to work and looking after your family. You don’t need a diagnosis to speak with a therapist. The National Institute of Mental Health names grief, prolonged stress and relationship difficulties as reasons people seek psychotherapy.

You may be looking for someone to help you think through where to go from here. We can talk about whether coaching could help. If you need mental health treatment, I’ll encourage you to pursue it. Coaching is not a requirement along the way.

Finding life transitions guidance in Wisconsin starts with the kind of help you need

I would begin by naming what you need help with. Searching for “transition support” can bring up services intended for quite different situations.

Wisconsin has transition planning for young people entering adult services. Aging and Disability Resource Centers help with aging and disability resources. Neither should be mistaken for a general coaching service.

While an ADRC helps you look for local care options for your parent, you may want somewhere to talk about your own experience of caregiving. That is something we can discuss together. You do not have to get all the help you need from the same person or service.

Preparing for death does not require a terminal diagnosis

I also work with people who want to prepare for the end of life while they are well. We can begin with the conversation you have been putting off, or with the wishes you want your family to understand.

Wisconsin's Planning AHEAD program welcomes people of all ages who want to prepare for their own death or a loved one's. Planning before a diagnosis is already part of the support available here.

As your end-of-life doula, I can help you put your wishes into words and think about how to share them with your family. We can also get important information in order. You may want to look back over your life or work on something to leave for loved ones. If you’re caring for someone who is dying, our time can focus on the support you need.

My support is nonmedical. If hospice is already involved, we can talk about the care you’re receiving and where you would like more help. Hospice offers emotional and spiritual support as well as medical care, and I want my involvement to fit alongside that work.

You’re welcome to contact me on a loved one’s behalf. Before we work together, I will make sure they want my support.

Cost and distance deserve a clear answer

I am based in Wisconsin and offer coaching by video nationwide. Doula meetings can take place in person or by video, depending on the circumstances. We can discuss arrangements during our first conversation.

My services are not covered by health insurance. Individual 60-minute sessions are currently $150, with lower per-session rates in packages. In-person doula visits requiring more than 10 miles of travel carry an additional $25 fee per session.

Before paid work begins, we agree on the services. I send a written agreement and an online credit-card payment link; payment is due in advance. I want you to understand the cost before you commit.

We can start with one conversation

You may want to speak with me before you know exactly what to ask for. That’s what the free 30-minute consultation is for. We can talk by phone or video about your situation, the help you’re considering, and whether my services would suit you. There’s time to discuss fees and whether coaching or something else might be more appropriate.

Fill out my website’s contact form to get started. I’ll contact you to arrange a time to talk.

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