Transitions

A transition is any shift — from one place to another, one task to the next, or one state of mind to a different one. For many neurodivergent people, these moments can be particularly hard.

Even a small transition, like moving from reading to making lunch, can feel like a jolt. Larger ones — ending a workday, starting school, or changing environments — can cause stress, shutdown, or emotional dysregulation.

There are lots of reasons this happens: it might involve switching mental gears (executive function), managing a shift in sensory input, or leaving something that felt safe and absorbing.

Support with transitions might involve preparation, countdowns, consistent routines, or just a few moments of quiet decompression. The goal isn’t to avoid change altogether, but to make it feel safer and more manageable.