The Power of the Pause: Finding Stillness in a Season of Transition

As a therapist serving Orange County—including Newport Beach, Costa Mesa, and surrounding communities—I often see clients navigating major life transitions. Whether you’re navigating a major life transition (career or relationship change), adjusting to new motherhood, healing from birth trauma, or experiencing postpartum depression or anxiety, one of the most overlooked yet powerful tools in the healing process is the pause.

Right now, I’m personally in a season of pause. It’s a space marked not by doing, but by being. It looks like slowing down, allowing rest, and giving myself permission to simply exist without constant movement. At first, this felt deeply uncomfortable—almost wrong. In a world that values productivity and speed, choosing stillness can feel like resistance. But I’ve learned that leaning into this discomfort is where the real growth begins.

Many of my clients—whether seeking support for postpartum anxiety, trauma healing, or general anxiety related to life changes—struggle with the concept of rest. We're not taught how to pause. Our culture doesn’t normalize it. Especially in times of transformation, such as becoming a new parent or recovering from traumatic experiences, the drive to “keep going” can actually hinder the healing process.

As a postpartum therapist in Newport Beach and Costa Mesa, I’ve seen firsthand how powerful it can be when someone finally gives themselves permission to slow down. Pausing allows your nervous system to reset. It offers space to integrate. Expansion, whether emotional, mental, or physical, often requires a subsequent contraction—a season of rest, quiet, and inner work.

Ask yourself: What season of life are you in? Are you expanding, or are you being called to pause? Where do you resist the stillness? What is this season teaching you?

Whether you're navigating postpartum depression, recovering from trauma, or facing a major life transition, remember that healing doesn’t always look like forward motion. Sometimes, healing looks like stopping. And that’s more than okay—it’s necessary.

If you're in Orange County seeking an in-person therapist (or anywhere in California-- I also work virtually!) who understands the importance of honoring every season of life, especially the hard or quiet ones, know that you don’t have to walk this path alone.