“Throughout my therapeutic career most of my clients have been between the age of 35 and 55 and arrive in the state of anxiety, overwhelmed by some intractable problem. We have come to call this the midlife crisis.” – Andrew Jamieson
Andrew Jamieson identifies that only two species of mammal have an extensive, post-reproductive life: killer whales – whose elders can sniff out food for their pods – and Homo sapiens. While the rationale behind the whale’s longevity seems clear, what is the point of ours? This question intrigued Carl Jung who observed that if a culture is to thrive, it must find a balance between the energy of the young and the experience of the old. But to obtain this equilibrium, we need to pass through the dreaded middle years.