Quantum Shifts

A guide to weathering life-altering transitions without falling apart and emerging on the other side stronger than ever, from the author of Real Self-Care.

Whether it’s leaving a job or ending a relationship, enduring an illness, death or betrayal, or even larger geopolitical and cultural shifts, when the rules that have governed our lives so reliably no longer apply, we’re left shaken to the core and questioning who we are on a fundamental level. Board-certified psychiatrist Dr. Pooja Lakshmin has dubbed these transitional moments quantum shifts.

During a quantum shift, we might feel depressed, angry, and purpose-less, rushing to resolve our discomfort by making hasty decisions that won't serve us well in the long run or simply freezing in a panic state. But there’s a way to move through these changes without making personally destructive choices.

Presenting six key practices for successfully navigating these life-altering transitions, along with the latest behavioral research, client cases, and her own personal story, Dr. Lakshmin shows us how to do the deep internal work needed to connect with the new person we’re becoming and to emerge on the other side with clarity, agency, and an even clearer understanding of purpose.