Early and Middle Adulthood Decisions, Essay Example

A consideration of important elements for counselors to keep in mind when evaluating clients in stages of development from early to middle adulthood might start with the increased responsibilities that many adults are feeling during this period. The case of intimate relationships is case in point: in early adulthood, intimate relationships often become deeper and more meaningful—and also more complicated (Newman & Newman, 2012, p. 436-442). In the course of maturation, many young adults are increasingly desirous of forming relationships based on deeper attraction, and transitioning into such relationships, including cohabitation and marriage, comes with new psychological and emotional pressures. Counselors should bear in mind the many issues that can result from two people trying to build a life together, including different expectations, trouble finding the right roles, and challenges in working together as a team (pp. 437-442). All this becomes even more true if/when children enter the mix, since children have their own needs! (pp. 450-453).

If early adulthood is a time of challenges with respect to increased commitments for many young adults, the transition to middle adulthood comes with the crisis of generativity versus stagnation (Newman & Newman, 2012, pp. 513-515). Adults who reach this stage may be generative, able to draw from inner sources of strength and the love and support of friends and family, or stagnant, fearful of the loss of youthful dreams (pp. 513-515). The so-called “mid-life crisis” epitomizes this phenomenon for those adults who have trouble with the transition: many adults, upon hitting middle age, wrestle with questions about what they have achieved, and the meaning of their lives thus far (Werner & De Simone, 2008, p. 391). Counselors should keep these issues firmly in mind when helping clients in this stage, and try to help them find sources of creativity and strength in order to enter a more generative state of mind. By so doing, counselors can help their middle-aged clients make peace with where they are in life.

References

Newman, B. M., & Newman, P. R. (2012). Development through life: A psychosocial approach (11^th ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.

Werner, J. M., & De Simone, R. L. (2008). Human resource development (5^th ed.). Mason, OH: South-Western Cengage Learning.