Dealing with difficult life events

Life throws all sorts of challenges our way - sometimes these can feel overwhelming.  Some, but not all, of the life events I have looked at with people include:

• the challenge of transitions in life: getting older, having children, not having children, children growing up and leaving home, going through the menopause, leaving work, retiring, caring for elderly parents
• the challenge of work: not finding fulfillment in work, being affected by a bullying culture at work, becoming stressed and overwhelmed, losing your job.
•  the challenge of illness, whether acute or longer term, chronic pain, chronic fatigue, caring for someone who is ill, contemplating death for oneself or someone you care for.
• the challenge of feeling 'different' in some way: unfortunately we live in a world where 'difference' can be a problem - whether it's for reasons of race, culture, sexuality or gender identity, disability
• the challenge of life: feeling without purpose or meaning, feeling that life is 'passing me by'
• the challenge of mental health: either problems you've experienced yourself, or being the child or parent or loved one of someone with a serious mental illness