Overwhelmed Coping with Life's Ups and Downs

by Schlossberg, Nancy K.

• ISBN13: 9781590771266
• ISBN10: 1590771265
• Edition: 2nd
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2007-10-28
• Publisher: M. Evans & Company

Summary

Overwhelmed helps people make sense of the transitions they face in everyday Life. This book is based on years of research-studies of people moving, adults returning to school, people whose jobs were eliminated, the stresses of retirement, and non-events like not having a baby or not being promoted. These studies resulted in the development of a framework for understanding any type of transition. Based on this research, Overwhelmed presents a step-by-step approach to turning overwhelming transitions into challenging experiences. By systematically sizing up transitions and the resources for dealing with them, people can learn how to build on their strengths, cut their losses, and even grow in the process. Book jacket.

Author Biography

Nancy K. Schlossberg is copresident of Transition Works, a consulting firm, and professor emerita at the College of Education, University of Maryland, College Park

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	p. xi
Preface	p. xiii
Introduction	p. 1
Approaching Change	p. 7
The Transition Process	p. 9
Transitions: A Definition	p. 9
Today Is Not Forever	p. 13
Approaching Change: A Perspective	p. 18
Your Transition	p. 18
Transitions: Their Infinite Variety	p. 21
Elected Transitions	p. 21
Surprise Transitions-When the Unexpected Happens	p. 25
Non-Events: When the Expected Doesn't Happen	p. 28
Life on Hold: The Transition Waiting to Happen	p. 30
Sleeper Transitions	p. 33
Countertransitions: It Never Rains but It Pours	p. 36
The Nature of Transitions	p. 39
Types of Transitions: A Summary	p. 39
Identify Your Transition	p. 41
Taking Stock	p. 43
Taking Stock of Your Situation	p. 45
Your Evaluation of Your Transition	p. 46
Your Ability to Plan	p. 48
Timing	p. 49
Control of the Transition	p. 50
Previous Experience	p. 52
The Permanence of the Transition	p. 53
The Rest of Your Life	p. 53
Summarizing Your Situation	p. 54
Your Situation Review	p. 55
Taking Stock of Your Self and Your Supports	p. 57
Your Self	p. 57
Your Supports	p. 62
Putting It Together: The Case of David	p. 73
Your Self Review	p. 75
Your Support Review	p. 75
Taking Stock of Your Strategies	p. 11
Strategies to Change or Modify the Transition	p. 80
Strategies to Change the Meaning of the Transition	p. 88
Taking Stress in Your Stride: Managing Reactions to Stress	p. 91
Using Many Coping Strategies	p. 101
Your Coping Strategies Review	p. 103
Taking Charge	p. 105
Your Action Plan for Mastering Change	p. 107
Weathering Change	p. 108
Initiating Change	p. 120
Let's Recap	p. 129
Taking Charge of Your Non-Event Transitions	p. 135
Understand Your Non-Events	p. 136
The Dream Reshaping Process	p. 141
Specific Strategies for Coping with Non-Events	p. 148
And in Conclusion	p. 149
Your Non-Event Review	p. 149
Taking Charge of Your Work/Life Transitions	p. 151
Handling Work and Family: Some Cases	p. 152
Work/Life Transitions: Moving In, Through, and Out	p. 162
To Summarize	p. 170
Your Work/Life Review	p. 170
It's Your Turn Now	p. 171
The Transition Guide and Questionnaire	p. 172
Putting the Parts Together	p. 182
Moving Forward-Your Action Plan	p. 185
Afterword: My Final Word: Make the Most with What You Have	p. 187
Chapter Notes	p. 189
About the Author	p. 195
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