Mid Life Crisis

Jungian analyst and writer, Marion Woodman writes:

“Many people are being dragged toward wholeness in their daily lives, but because they do not understand initiation rites, they cannot make sense of what is happening to them. They put on a happy face all day, and return to their apartment and cry all night. Perhaps their beloved has gone off with someone else; perhaps their business has failed; perhaps they have lost interest in work; perhaps they are coping with a fatal illness; perhaps a loved one has died. Perhaps, and this is worst of all, everything has begun to go wrong for no apparent reason. If they have no concept of rites of passage, they experience themselves as victims, powerless to resist an overwhelming fate. Their meaningless suffering drives them to escape through food, alcohol, drugs, sex…….

….They are being prodded to renounce life attachments that have become redundant…..but because they do not understand, people cling to the familiar, refuse to make the necessary sacrifices, resist their own growth. Unable to give up their habitual lives, they are unable to receive new life.”

(The Pregnant Virgin: A Process of Psychological Transformation)

She writes this in the context of a western culture where few rites of passage exist or are acknowledged, and observes that without these rituals, we flounder. We become unsure of who we are as we pass through the most natural of life phases – from child to teen – adolescent to adult – adult to partner – partner to parent –  into mid-life and elder years.  Add losing parents and friends to those phases too!

Each phase comes as a shock. Often we avoid these deep dark places voluntarily as we feel an injustice, a disillusionment, something too painful or overwhelming. If we understood this as growth we would feel our passion and effort rather than feel crushed with disillusionment and despair. It is understanding that evolution is guaranteed to evolve.

I offer you a very safe place to help explore you with you.  We will go at your pace and you will know it is safe enough to be vulnerable knowing that I will maintain complete confidentiality.  I can reassure you that whatever you are feeling right now happens to everybody at some point.

Please call me on 01923 800000 for an introductory chat.  I offer this for you to ask me anything you want and for me to help you understand what we would do with our time together.

In my experience, it is a life change that typically forces us inwards. A pandemic. A loss. Disappointment. An illness or accident. A time in life where a particular role comes to an end; childhood, parenthood, being someone’s partner, a career identity etc.