"All of us, as we age, retire. We retire not just from jobs, but from relationships, ways of thinking, and how we think about ourselves. We move on. We no longer find validation in activities and tasks that have been important to us for decades. We can no longer do the things we used to do. ...

For some, the step through the door is a defined moment: the transition away from employment, learning to live in the empty nest, an unexpected illness, the death of a parent, or the loss of a spouse. Others of us recognize the door only as we look back. We realize that gradual losses have built up in recent years, family dynamics have changed, and we are not getting as many calls for professional input. Whether the step through the door is clear or not, it is always a step into liminal space."