Betwixt and between: a reflexive thematic analysis of experiences of change in midlife

Since the end of the 20th century the UK population has been steadily getting older (ONS 2023). The research shows that how people navigate the challenges of midlife can profoundly shape the course of later life. Yet despite burgeoning research in the area, it is acknowledged that “strikingly little is known about development in midlife” (Infurna et al., 2020) and much of what we do know comes from studies undertaken more than 50 years ago in the U.S.

This study examined the process of midlife transition within a contemporary UK sample of men and women and sought to weave the complexities of psychological processes back into a field that has been dominated by quantitative studies.

Eight men and women were interviewed, and the resulting data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. The analysis identified five themes of ‘Dissatisfied and Frustrated under the Ticking Clock of Mortality’; The ‘Horrible Dark Tunnel’ on the Path to Authenticity; ‘Developing the Capacity to ‘just stop and be with myself’; ‘Renegotiating the self in Relationship’ and ‘Rebalancing and Reorienting through Experiences of Loss’.

Midlife transition presented as a highly liminal and relational process in which experiences of crises were interwoven into the process of development. Implications for counselling psychology are discussed and recommendations made for further research.