An innovative psychotherapist tackles the overlooked stage of Quarterlife—the years between adolescence and midlife—and provides a “fascinating” guide “on how to navigate and thrive—rather than just survive—these odd years” (
PureWow
).
“
Quarterlife
is an insightful, revealing look at the messy and uncharted paths to wholeness, and a powerful tool for anyone navigating early adulthood.”—Tembi Locke,
New York Times
bestselling author of
From Scratch
I’m stuck. What’s wrong with me? Is this all there is?
Satya Doyle Byock hears these refrains regularly in her psychotherapy practice where she works with “Quarterlifers,” individuals between the ages of (roughly) sixteen to thirty-six. She understands their frustration. Some clients have done everything “right”: graduate, get a job, meet a partner. Yet they are unfulfilled and unclear on what to do next. Byock calls these Quarterlifers
“Stability Types.”
Others are uninterested in this prescribed path, but feel unmoored. She refers to them as
“Meaning Types.”
While society is quick to label the emotions and behavior of this age group as generational traits, Byock sees things differently. She believes these struggles are part of the developmental journey of Quarterlife, a distinct stage that every person goes through and which has been virtually ignored by popular culture and psychology.
In
, Byock utilizes personal storytelling, mythology, Jungian psychology, pop culture, literature, and client case studies to provide guideposts for this period of life. Readers will be able to find themselves on the spectrum between Stability and Meaning Types, and engage with Byock’s four pillars of Quarterlife development:
•
Separate:
Gain independence from the relationships and expectations that no longer serve you
Listen:
Pay close attention to your own wants and needs
Build:
Create, cultivate, and construct tools and practices for the life you want
Integrate:
Take what you’ve learned and manifest something new
is a defining work that offers a compassionate roadmap toward finding understanding, happiness, and wholeness in adulthood.