Framing Lives: Therapy with Women of a “Certain Age”

Women face powerful and negative stereotypes of who they will become as they age. They can either fight against them or they can succumb. From a social constructionist position, one may question any given formulation of reality, including the nature of aging. Because no image of aging is compulsory, there are ways of resisting the tide of negativity associated with it. Combating these negative stereotypes are the increasing numbers of older people who have greater financial resources and political influence than ever before. Enriching relationships also help undermine these stereotypes. Therapists, as relational partners, can support negative stereotypes or resist them. Working in favor of resistance is the general tendency for older people to be less emotionally labile and to be wiser than younger people in confronting adversity. Therapists also are helpful to clients facing the diverse transitional challenges of aging and in realizing aging's positive potential.