What is a Midlife Transition or "Crisis"?

People in their 40s and 50s experience a Midlife Transition, during which they realize that half of their lives are over.  They evaluate where they have been, where they are and where they want to go next.  This transition is not problematic for everyone. However, many feelings can surface during this time including anxiety, depression, disappointment, regret, frustration and concerns about the future, which can become a struggle for many.  That is how it became known as a Midlife Crisis.

What triggers strong feelings during a Midlife Transition?

There are many potential triggers for a difficult Midlife Transition. Some are:

• Relationship Concerns
• Health Issues
• Physical Changes
• Changing Career Focus
• “Empty Nesting”

Being unhappy in your relationship is a different experience in your 40's or 50's, than in one's 20's.  You may have built a life with someone that no longer works for both of you, but the fears about making changes overtakes the feelings with the status quo. The same applies for career choices and fearing switching gears towards a more fulfilling career.  You may not feel satisfied, but fears about starting over and financial concerns overshadow making a change.  Of course there are other issues that arise which are out of one's hands like health issues, physical changes or even "empty nesting" that are most prevalent during this life stage.  These, too, trigger feelings that can make this time challenging.

During this transitional time, it is helpful to sort through past patterns, current feelings and future options with a professional in order to carve a path that works for you.  It can be scary to think about making changes at this stage of life, even though the way things are may not be ideal.  Our goal is to help you get unstuck so that you can imagine what a next chapter might look like and take steps towards realizing it. We will help you explore what is important to you so that you can live your life consistent with those values moving forward.  You can be who you want to be.