How we turn research into a map
Proa Nova turns published research into tools you can use. It is not an invention of mine dressed up as science: it rests on decades of work by researchers who studied how people go through transitions, losses and identity change, and on the work of turning that knowledge into a map you can use in 15 minutes.
Main sources
Each map rests on the research of its own field. The career transition map, which is the one that exists today, starts from: William Bridges (life transitions), Herminia Ibarra (working identity in transition), Nancy Schlossberg (resources for navigating adult transitions), Daniel Levinson (seasons of adult life) and Robert Kegan (the evolving self). For the maps to come, research on burnout is already under review, for example: Christina Maslach and Michael Leiter (burnout and person-job mismatches), and Emily and Amelia Nagoski (the stress cycle). This is complemented by academic work in developmental psychology, career sociology and the anthropology of transition rituals (Victor Turner).
How a map is built
Four steps: reading the published research on the territory; identifying the patterns that repeat; organizing them into recognizable moments; and turning them into questions and practical orientation. Then it's adjusted with what the people who use the map tell us: every result includes a way to say what didn't fit. The texts you receive use that research already digested, with no scholars' names in the middle of your reading, because the map is for you, not for displaying a bibliography.
What sets the professional map apart today
The career transition map distinguishes six moments, running from "I keep delivering, but something inside no longer fits" to "I'm already holding a new direction with decisions, time or people." They aren't steps to follow in order: a person can be in one, move between two, or return to an earlier one. The Quick Map places you among them with four questions; the Full Map does it with more context.
How it differs
It is not the wisdom of a viral post, not a coach's intuition sold as methodology, and not generic self-help content. It rests on research you can name and look up, and it's presented as what it is: a tool, not a universal truth.
How the texts are written
Proa Nova's texts are written with the help of AI tools. A person reviews and edits every text and stands behind it, and each one builds on the research cited on this page.
Limitations, stated plainly
Maps don't substitute professional diagnosis (clinical, legal, medical or financial). They don't work identically for everyone: culture, context and timing all vary. They don't predict the future or guarantee an outcome. What they do, when they work, is offer structure where there was confusion, improve the odds of deciding with clarity, and give shared language for difficult conversations.
Keep reading
The full definition of what Proa Nova is (and isn't) is in What is Proa Nova. The step-by-step flow is in How it works. Specific questions are answered in the FAQ.