Meaning Making for the Childfree Woman in
Mid-Life and Beyond: Starting online in Winter 2022
Group DetailsThis is an online, ongoing interpersonal process group.
Goals include:
Screenings: Potential members may be asked to attend up to 3 screenings to ensure maximal participation for all. The initial screening takes between 20-30 minutes and will be held via Zoom. Follow-up screenings may be longer or shorter in duration. To schedule your initial screening or to get more information on the group, please contact Jackie at 805-766-4585 Jacquelyntoth@gmail.com Groups will be limited to a maximum of 10 members. Waiting lists are available for upcoming groups once all spaces are filled. In-person groups for local participants may be formed in 2022 based on demand. More Information: What is an interpersonal process group? Are online groups effective? What can I expect? |
For many middle-aged women hovering around 50, there is usually plenty of social and family support to draw upon as they approach the traditional transitions of this period of life. From facing empty nest syndrome to planning their kids’ weddings or becoming grandmothers, these happenings are so accepted and expected that conversations about them take place everywhere: at the grocery store, all over the media, around the family dinner table, or during Wine Wednesdays with girlfriends. But what about the middle-aged woman that does not have kids—who is Not-a-Mom, either by choice or due to circumstances other than fertility challenges? Where does she fit in? Where are the water cooler convos, meet-ups, happy hours, or family conversations that directly address her unique realities and feelings about her past, present, and future as a childfree, 50-ish-and-beyond woman in today’s world? “Childfree” is a term commonly used to refer to women who have chosen to not have children or who feel that ambivalence and/or life circumstances (not meeting the right partner, dedication to career or vocation, financial hardship, etc.) led them to not becoming mothers. This decision impacts their lives differently than middle-aged mothers in ways that sometimes lead childfree women to feel like they do not fit in with their families, friends, or the larger world. Often, childfree women experience feelings of being misunderstood or regarded as selfish, immature, and misguided. Childfree women approaching or arriving upon middle age may begin to internalize negative messages around the taboo of not becoming mothers or following a non-traditional life script, resulting in feeling depressed, anxious, or like they are a failure or let their loved ones or ancestors down. Self-doubt and regret are prone to creep in at this time, even if a woman has felt confident about her choices throughout her life. Loneliness and isolation are common, and feelings of loss and grief often emerge. Questions on the legacy one wishes to leave—or even how to leave a legacy without signing on to a traditional script—can cause feelings of being lost, un-anchored, or without value or purpose. This time of life brings up the importance of having a community of support that can provide us with validation and a space to be seen and heard in our unique stories. Having a community of support helps us see ourselves more clearly, encouraging us to embrace our present with more vigor and face our futures with more hope and purpose. Join us in a welcoming space where you are invited to sharpen your sense of identity in order to reclaim your voice and inspiration that can lead to reconnecting with a happy and meaningful life. See the column to the left or download the flyer below for full details. |
