Awakening in Midlife and Older Years
“Old age ain’t for sissies.” – Bette Davis
“Getting old is like climbing a mountain;
you get a little out of breath, but the view is much better!” – Ingrid Bergman
Note: I was recently quoted in a New York Times article by the wonderful columnist Paula Span in her column The New Old Age called “Older Generations are Reclaiming Rites of Passage”.
Growing older is an adventure. It presents both challenges and opportunities. Mass media in this country often tries to gloss over the very real concerns of aging by calling it the “golden years”. This Pollyanna approach isn’t realistic or helpful. On the other hand, there are also the ubiquitous messages of doom and gloom, e.g. that the idealized version of youth is all that counts in our society and that depression and feelings of hopelessness are inevitable as you mature.
photo by Marianne York
Neither of these views about mid-life and older years is accurate. Both ends of this continuum mentioned above can leave you feeling confused, overwhelmed, and hopeless. The actual truth is that there’s a deep happiness to be experienced and a profound richness of perspective and peace to be discovered that are only possible in the ripening seasons of life.
To get more of a sense of my approach, please feel free to check out my professional Facebook page.
Experienced Counselor and Guide
It can be tremendously beneficial to have an experienced counselor, consultant, and guide walk alongside you on your path through the “terra incognita” of mid-life and older years. It is particularly valuable when your guide is a specialist in gerontology (the study of aging). A compassionate and knowledgeable specialist can help you find meaning and strategies for navigating the common landmarks inherent in these years.
As a psychotherapist, consultant, and guide, I have served hundreds of clients, assisting them to find balance and illumination on their life journeys. Many people in their forties and fifties face transitions, perhaps the stressors of the sandwich phase of life, and decisions about possible direction changes. Folks in their sixties and seventies typically experience changes in career, health, and relationships, as well as grief and shifting identity/roles. Elders in their 80s and 90s are exploring existential questions, transcendence, mortality, and the paradox of contraction and expansion at the same time. Terminally ill people of all ages are an honor to walk with because they are so real and ask the deepest questions.
People report that, with me, you find a warm environment of nonjudgment, support, safety, compassion, and, often, a healthy dose of humor as we journey together. We review lifelong coping strengths, explore your inner parts, uncover unhelpful habits and defenses that no longer serve you, and set up new tools and practices for strengthening resilience, adaptability, and inner peace. You will show up to face fears, hopes, disappointments, old and new dreams, and create new plans and meaningful practices.
If you are navigating the territory of mid-to-older life, you do not have to “white-knuckle” it alone or reinvent the wheel. As a seasoned therapist, gerontologist, and guide, I will share with you what I’ve learned from my own life and from the many people I’ve served in my many years of private practice. You are invited to call for a free 20-minute initial telephone appointment. If we are a good fit, we’ll move forward together. If not, I will likely steer you toward some good resources.