Navigating the In-Between

Midlife is full of change, loss, and transitions.

You can ignore them, fight them, or learn to embrace them.

One thing is inevitable...

Midlife is a time of change for everyone.

New demands arise as we find our parents, our children, our partners, and yes—surprisingly—even ourselves growing older. We encounter role changes, body changes, health challenges, and inevitably, loss.

In midlife, nearly every aspect of your identity has the potential for major change: daughter, mother, wife/partner, career…

You may experience a big shift in just one role, such as the loss of a parent or partner, or several at once, like when you lose a parent, have your last child leave home, and lose your passion for your career all at once.

No matter the number or timing, these changes can be confusing and disorienting. You wonder why it’s such a struggle to get on with your life like everyone tells you to do.

You exist in your own unique kaleidoscope of feelings that can change day to day and even moment to moment.

You may feel unmoored, and wonder how to redefine your life outside of your previous roles and identities.

Struggling to recreate your life, you can be rocked by grief even as you long to rediscover a sense of direction or purpose.

And of course there's often the ever-present feeling of overwhelm, as you hope that someday life will be less stressful and feel "normal" again, which often dances with a simmering irritability that threatens to blow at any moment.

Whatever you're feeling, it's compounded when you worry that your distress is burdening others, or when you simply feel alone in all the confusion.

And beneath it all is a feeling, even a knowing, that your usual ways of "doing life" won’t work anymore.

Change and loss can throw us into the "in-between".

The place between the familiarity of what was and the unknown of what is yet to be.

Liminal space.

The space of the threshold.

While it’s a difficult time, full of uncertainty and often accompanied by grief, it is also a space that is ripe with potential for transformation.

The courage to resist the push

By and large, our Western culture seems to be uncomfortable with change and loss. Hence the big push for you to move on.

So you do your best to smile, or at least keep a stiff upper lip. You try to keep busy. Maybe you even join a support group, which can be so helpful.

And yet you till feel a little lost and not sure what to do next. And perhaps worried that these feelings are here to stay.

The truth is that these transitions take time. Sometimes lots of it.

Because of your life is a interconnected web of roles and relationships, and changes in one place can impact everything else.

Because change can affect your very sense of who you are, shaking your foundation and requiring deeper work.

As counterintuitive as it may seem, the way forward is to resist the impulse to push through your distress and instead Pause: to slow down and honor whatever transition you are experiencing. These are changes in the major roles of your life, and each one can bring on a need to review and perhaps revise the ways in which you “do” your life.

Stories of healing and transformation

I started working with Julie at a very low period of my life: Financial stress, dissatisfied with my job, and my relationship with my adult daughters was not great.

I felt that not only had I not achieved my goals, but I no longer had the time to achieve them because I was in my 50's.

Having Julie validate that my feelings were there for a reason was very comforting and uplifting. She has a wealth of knowledge to share, and went above and beyond by providing recordings of our sessions and notes on any suggested reading or processes to use on my own. Our Zoom sessions were easy and convenient.

My work with her has helped me to quiet my negative mind chatter and to be more positive about my future.This process helped me move forward versus getting stuck in “pity party” mode, and now I have resources to use when I need to work through an issue. Best of all, I feel like the big dark cloud is gone.

Judi D.

Fort Wayne, IN

At age 54, I lost my job and my relationship. Shortly after that, I was in a car accident and lost aspects of my physical health.

As it turns out, all that has happened to me is part of my path – my journey back to myself – and Julie has been an integral and caring part of that journey with me.

Transitioning for me has not been without some pain and challenge. One of the greatest gifts Julie has given me is a means to explore, acknowledge, “put in its place,” and then re-channel this pain through SoulCollage®.

Working with Julie has resulted in a flooding of new awareness: why my work and personal lives were literally killing me, how my past has shaped my self-imposed limitations, how my “real” journey is broader, deeper, and more spiritual than I could have ever imagined, why it is that I can never “go back,” and most importantly, how it is imperative that I now develop my gifts and share them with the world.

Jill H.

Bexley, OH

I contacted Julie for some help and guidance during a time in my life when I felt somewhat lost, with no direction.

I was nearing a crossroads in my career and ready to make a big change but not sure which way to turn. Having two young children and a husband that worked an opposite shift than mine, I was so busy and consumed by my family's needs that I often felt like I was just treading water, barely hanging on. The thought of putting my need to devoting some energy into finding my path onto the front burner seemed almost impossible.

Julie helped me learn how to listen to myself. That may sound silly, but I had a tendency to pay attention to my "Inner Critic" a little too much.

Julie helped me make decisions about my future based on being true to my authentic self. What truly feels right to me, right now.... and it feels great! I feel much more fulfilled in my life. I'm excited about the future I am designing!

Carrie P.

Columbus, OH

The art of navigation

Navigating the In-Between is triage for women whose sense of self has been upended by major change, or who simply know they need some short-term support.

It is companionship and guidance for finding your way to the other side of whatever change or challenge has shaken your sense of self.

It is space and encouragement for grieving when needed.

It’s a healing journey to find the essential threads of your story so you are able to weave a new tapestry of your life.

This program is not intended to rush you through to “the other side”, but rather to honor where you are as a tender and sacred place — a place that is meant to usher you into the next phase of your life.

A place intended to be met with mindfulness. And courage.

So you can find your way with grace.

This program is not intended to rush you through to “the other side”, but rather to honor where you are as a tender and sacred place.

A place that is meant to usher you into the next phase of your life.

A place intended to be met with mindfulness. And courage.

So you can find your way with grace.

Explore the longings of your soul so you know who you want to grow into in the future.

When you enter into an intentional process like Navigating the In-Between, you bring shape and containment into what can be an overwhelming, seemingly endless process of grief and wandering. You learn the art of transition and transmutation, skills that will serve you for the rest of your life.

Finding your way

Navigating the In-Between developed from seeing friends get knocked for a loop by major life transitions. It was easy to see that some women need support to process and integrate these changes, but something other than support groups or therapy, and something less than my year-long mentoring program, Midlife Renaissance.

It’s based on knowing that when in the midst of a big change, it’s essential to have a certain kind of support.

Somewhere you can sift through what you're feeling at your own pace, feel comfortable and safe in doing the deep inner work that is surfacing, and be supported through your process.

Someone outside of your day-to-day life and usual roles that can help you discover new ways of being, and support you in staying there until new patterns establish themselves.

This is my role as your Midlife Mentor, a guide for your journey through the in-between. And because one of my superpowers lies in accompanying people into tender, scary places within themselves, you’ll have an ally and companion always at hand when the going gets tough.

The intention of our time together is to engage your inner wisdom, support self-discovery, and promote healing. Over the course of 3 months you will discover healing, clarity, direction, and new perspectives as you find your way into whatever is next, in your own way, in your own timing.

Accessing your inner guidance

Neither counseling or therapy (I am not trained or licensed as a therapist or counselor, and I do not treat people with clinical disorders) this work is more in alignment with coaching or spiritual direction.

In your private sessions (held either in person in my office, or via Zoom or phone) we draw on my diverse background and expertise in intuitive healing, my academic background in developmental psychology (specifically adult development and aging), and my training as a SoulCollage® Facilitator and Certified Creative Depth Coach to support your healing and transformation.

And in case you're worried, please know that it's not necessary to think of yourself as “creative” or “artistic” to do this work!

Creative Depth Coaching, developed by Cat Caracelo of JourneyPath Institute (TM), combines traditional coaching with healing modalities and transformative art, all of which are anchored in the world of “depth process”. It is rooted in Jungian depth work, which explores the subconscious, underlying structures of roles and relationships, personal mythology and archetype, and harnesses the power of imagination and imagery.

“Artistic skill” is never a requirement for the work we will do. Rather, “art as process” or “expressive art” is an invitation to use common creative mediums like collage or paint to express and create movement with your emotions, energy, and inner feelings. We use these creations to explore the deeper layers of meaning contained within them. It's a powerful way to explore tender areas gently and even beautifully. This approach is extraordinarily powerful and invites you to discover deeper layers where you want to experience active change, and where blocked energy and unconscious beliefs are in your way.

In Navigating the In-Between you will:

Get support for your healing journey so you can fully process your unique experience.
Reexamine the stories of your life and redefine your roles so you can move into what’s next for you with grace.
Discover a clear sense of your own needs and lovingly set boundaries that prioritize your own self-care so that you can be more fully present to your life.
Learn to access your inner wisdom to guide your steps so that you can confidently follow your own knowing and natural rhythms.
Explore the longings of your soul so you know who you want to grow into in the future.

The invitation of these times

Much as midlife, with all its changes, causes uncertainty and unpredictability, few can argue that recent years have created a similar dynamic on a global scale. The pandemic, the fights for racial and economic justice, the economy, politics, and international agressions that threaten to destabilize the world we've known. Many of us are reeling from this once-in-a-lifetime level of unprecedented change.

There's an ever-present sense instability—of not being able to land on anything resembling solid ground.

Yet if you take the time to breathe and quiet your mind, perhaps you can sense a subtle undercurrent of potential and possibility at play.

When I can hear past the fear, I become sure that this time of deep challenge is also an unparalleled opportunity to create potent change.

I am sure that we, humanity, are in the midst of the ultimate Sacred Pause.

On every level, from the global community to the individual level, there is an invitation to deep healing and discernment.

As women in midlife, we are being worked upon not only by our personal midlife challenges and changes, but by this nexus of world events, which makes the potency available to us even greater.

We have a chance to consciously choose how we want to create our lives. To decide who we want to be and how we want our lives to feel.

This program provides guidance and support to find the answers to these questions and more, for those who want to make the most of this unprecedented opportunity for growth.

What’s included:

An in-depth intake process and prework featuring An Invitation to Pause, so that you can enter this healing intensive with a solid foundation
Six Private Creative Depth Coaching sessions, which are customized around your individual needs and intentions, bringing together multiple modalities that will offer effective and supportive experiences.
Forever access to “Midlife Essentials”, a 5-module online program that gives you foundational support that is essential to finding and maintaining balance in challenging times. This program is a self-paced resource in course format which and includes workbooks, recordings, guided journeys, and creative process prompts.
Recorded sessions. An MP4 recording (and video for Zoom sessions) of each mentoring session, so you can focus on our session without worrying about taking notes. These recordings are yours, and you can listen to them as often as you wish at your convenience.
Targeted Support calls - When something unexpected or difficult arises and you want to check in, we can arrange a brief (10 minute) support call.
Unlimited email support - Need to make sure you’re using a process correctly, have a question or an insight you want to share? I’m always available by email, and I do my best to respond within 24 hours during the business week.
One month free membership in Midlife Evolutionaries, an online community of curious, compassionate women seeking to harness the transformative potential of midlife to become their fullest selves.
An abundant Wayfinding Kit with supplies you’ll need to gently and creatively explore all the issues as they arise.
Rich, curated, and continuously updated Resource Lists so that you know where to go for further exploration.

$1800.00

Payment plans and Equity Pricing for Women of the Global Majority* or those experiencing financial need available

*The term Global Majority is a collective term that encourages us to recognize that together, those of African, Asian, Latin American, and Arab descent, along with people of dual heritage and Indigenous people from around the world, comprise roughly 80% of people worldwide.

Wondering if this is for you?

Schedule your free 60-minute Wayfinding call to explore the possibilities

In your wayfinding call, we'll take the time to:

Explore the struggles and longings that are alive in you right now
Get clear on which of the major midlife hurdles are derailing your “prime of life” experience
Discern the most impactful thing you can do to start finding your way forward

There's no commitment, no obligation, and whether we decide to work together or not you will come away with a better understanding of your situation, and the relief that comes from being deeply witnessed.

LET'S CHAT

Don't just muddle through this alone

Please don’t fall victim to the “just push through it” mentality, or to the “this too shall pass” school of thought. There's need to be tough.

I know for certain that these times of deep challenge deserve to be mindfully honored, and can offer unparalleled opportunity for potent change. If you can't imagine that right now, that's OK. I'll hold it for you.

Just know that there's no need to simply "carry on", and no need to go it alone.

I currently have a few spaces available. Reach out now, and let's see how I can support you.

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Schedule a Wayfinding Session

(Valued at $195)