Kathleen Brehony, Ph.D.
Contact Information
Awakening At
Midlife
The baby boomer generation is well entrenched in midlife, in fact, last
year alone 2.7 million Americans turned fifty. What does that mean? A large
percentage of these people are stuck in what could, otherwise, be a profound and
meaningful passage into the second half of life. Many experience a loss of
identity, a broken marriage, anxiety, depression, boredom, hopelessness,
emptiness. Some will enter this period of life through a sudden, dramatic
crisis. Others will simply notice subtle shifts in their feelings and behavior.
But everyone will experience some aspects of the psychological and spiritual
changes that occur between the ages of 35 and 50. This book, though based on
clinical material, is written in real life, humanistic terms. It has been
developed specifically to meet the needs of people experiencing this midlife
transition, and is written to appeal to the average American reader.
Along with those mentioned above, this book
will also provide essential information to individuals who influence or are
influenced by them including children, parents and friends. It will also be of
value to psychologists, clinical social workers, psychotherapists, psychiatrists
and others interested in understanding this important human experience.
This book is divided into three powerful,
life-enhancing sections. The first chapter, "Are you...?" enables
readers to determine if they have enough of the characteristics to indicate
whether they are experiencing a midlife crisis or transition. Topics to be
covered include: changes in the body, intimate relationships and work; crisis;
depression; anxiety; ennui; and spiritual emptiness.
Section one, "Beyond the symptoms: What is
really happening at midlife," describes the causes behind the profound
psychological, attitudinal and behavioral changes associated with midlife.
Topics include: midlife as a normal phase of adult development; a searching for
wholeness and individuation; over identification with the persona; the emergence
of unconscious material; the rise of the inferior function; changing internal
masculine and feminine energies; life as loss; and confronting mortality.
The second section, "Strategies for growth
in midlife," puts the midlife experience in its proper, positive perspective
and offers strategies for change. This will allow the reader to take major steps
toward his or her emotional and spiritual growth. The third section,
"Helping Others and Understanding Gender Differences in Midlife,"
directly addresses the needs of those affected by loved ones confronting the
midlife transition. The concluding chapter, "Transformation and Deepening of
the Self," focuses on the application of the knowledge gained during this
experience towards living a richer, more authentic second half of life.
Millions of people are experiencing and will
continue to experience the challenges of midlife. Awakening at Midlife
will help people identify, understand and grow from the life enhancing
opportunities that present themselves during this critical passage.
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