Women at Midlife

Life Experiences and Implications for the Helping Professions

This is a savvy and useful book for practitioners, researchers, and policy makers. It is firmly rooted in research that is treated prudently, with a critical eye toward both its scholarly value and its usefulness for understanding and helping women in this period of life. The authors focus as much on the resources and strengths that come from this life transition as on its challenges and stresses, carefully demonstrating the unique significance of ethnicity, class, race, and sexual orientation in the process. For the researcher, the appendix is a gold mine. I highly recommend this book for practitioners and educators—it is sophisticated and relevant, and just plain interesting.

Dennis Saleebey, DSW

Professor, School of Social Welfare, University of Kansas

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Women at Midlife is a superlative discourse on an under explored and frequently ill-served population. This book is a must for those concerned with serving women regardless of their social class, educational levels, race or ethnicity, or their maternal or marital status. The book will be equally helpful to women experiencing the passage through this sometimes unsettling stage in their life span. Recognizing the different experiences that women may have in terms of their “midlife” journey, the authors offer self-help perspectives as they explore particular stresses and vulnerabilities. At the same time, they provide sound research-based information that makes the book an excellent reference document for use by students, faculty, and practicing professionals.

Mary Davidson, PhD

Dean, School of Social Work, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Newark, New Brunswick, and Camden, New Jersey

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Incisive and current, Women at Midlife is a “must read” for all persons who work with women. It provides essential theoretical and practical guidelines for students and practitioners, educators, policy makers, and researchers, and is a comprehensive resource of the most current research and knowledge on women in midlife from recognized social work experts. Mental health professionals and students who care about and work with women and women who are approaching or are in their midlife years should read this outstanding new book.

Dorcas D. Bowles, PhD

Dean, Whitney M. Young, Jr. School of Social Work, Clark Atlanta University