Life transitions are influenced by a complex interplay of personal, cultural, and societal factors. For couples, transitions can feel even more challenging due to the mix of values, expectations, and other personal factors that you are now trying to navigate while also integrating your partner’s. Couples in major life transitions often find therapy to be especially helpful, as these tend to be experiences that can become difficult to navigate on your own.
Examples of Different Life Transitions
- Getting married or moving in together
- Becoming parents or expanding your family
- Experiencing loss or grief (e.g., miscarriage, death of a loved one)
- Career or financial changes (job loss, promotion, major stress)
- Health challenges (mental or physical, including caregiving)
- Relocation or major lifestyle changes
- Transitioning into a new phase of life (like an empty nest or retirement)
Couples might start to sense they need extra support when their communication begins to shift, possibly becoming more strained or feeling like you’re no longer on the same page about roles, expectations, or the future. Conversations with a partner may feel tense, and misunderstandings may happen more often, or maybe you start to notice certain topics are being entirely avoided.
Life transitions can be the perfect opportunity to learn something new about one another, to reassess your own values, and to talk about the things you’ve been anxious to address. One study found that, “shared [life] transitions represent windows of change capable of sending couples onto mutual upward or downward trajectories in health and well-being.” (Pauly et al., 2023). Other studies have identified empathy as a relational behavior that protects and promotes relationship well-being in life transitions such as parenthood (Rosen et al., 2017) and cohabitation (Ulloa et al., 2017), as well as the general relationship cycle (Verhofstadt et al., 2016; Kaźmierczak et al., 2024).
Sometimes partners seek help in finding ways to feel heard and appreciated in their relationship. Other times they may want to learn how to be a better support for their partner. Seeking support doesn’t mean something is wrong, support can be what you make it. If you or someone you know may be looking for a way to better understand, rebuild closeness, and strengthen the relationship with a loved one moving forward, feel free to contact us here at Embark Counseling Services. We will match you with a mental health professional who can help.
Sources:
Kaźmierczak, M., Rybicka, M. & Syty, P. Genetic variations as predictors of dispositional and dyadic empathy—a couple study. Sci Rep 14, 27411 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-78857-7
Pauly T, Weber E, Hoppmann CA, Gerstorf D, Scholz U. In it Together: Relationship Transitions and Couple Concordance in Health and Well-Being. Pers Soc Psychol Bull. 2025 Jan;51(1):110-124. doi: 10.1177/01461672231180450. Epub 2023 Jul 11. PMID: 37431764; PMCID: PMC11616220.
Rosen NO, Mooney K, Muise A. Dyadic Empathy Predicts Sexual and Relationship Well-Being in Couples Transitioning to Parenthood. J Sex Marital Ther. 2017 Aug 18;43(6):543-559. doi: 10.1080/0092623X.2016.1208698. Epub 2016 Jul 11. PMID: 27400021.
Ulloa EC, Hammett JF, Meda NA, Rubalcava SJ. Empathy and Romantic Relationship Quality among Cohabitating Couples: An Actor-Partner Interdependence Model. Fam J Alex Va. 2017 Jul;25(3):208-214. doi: 10.1177/1066480717710644. Epub 2017 May 22. PMID: 38505465; PMCID: PMC10950301.
Verhofstadt L, Devoldre I, Buysse A, Stevens M, Hinnekens C, Ickes W, Davis M. The Role of Cognitive and Affective Empathy in Spouses’ Support Interactions: An Observational Study. PLoS One. 2016 Feb 24;11(2):e0149944. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0149944. PMID: 26910769; PMCID: PMC4765893.
