Psychology · 7 min read
Role Exit
Role exit is the structured process of leaving a role that has shaped the self. It has predictable stages and predictable risks.
Ebaugh's four stages
Sociologist Helen Ebaugh described role exit as a four-stage process: first doubts, seeking alternatives, the turning point, and creating the ex-role.
Each stage carries its own emotional load. Many people get stuck not at the exit itself, but at 'creating the ex-role' — answering the question of who they are now.
Implications for support
Effective transition support meets people at the stage they are in, not the stage we wish they were in.
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