Why Sometimes We Can’t “Just Get Over It”

“I really thought I was over it. I mean, it’s been six months already—so why am I still so angry?”

This was how our conversation started last week.

My client had been laid off from her job of 15 years. A job she loved—a career she’d gotten used to. A routine, a momentum, a lifestyle—and a family of coworkers. And, most importantly, a sense of purpose.

And then suddenly it was gone—all of it. And she was left to sort it out for herself.

Life is filled with happiness and feelings of success. Li...