Many women think of midlife as the end of the line — a stage of life when it is too late to change roles, coping styles, or ways of relating to others. But midlife is a vital stage of personal development, one with unique challenges, reports the Harvard Women’s Health Watch in its August 2011 issue.  As in all other phases of life, midlife women must respond to (or initiate) changes in relationships, physical health, and work life.

It’s never too late for women to seek the help they need to gain greater satisfaction in their lives. One avenue is psychotherapy. Women often benefit from professional help in adjusting to a range of issues that can arise in midlife, including:

Perimenopause – At a time when hormones are in a state of flux, women are especially susceptible to depression and other mood disorders.

Eating disorders – Although eating disorders are most often associated with adolescent girls, there’s increasing awareness that women at midlife can also face anorexia, bulimia, or other problems with food or body image in response to their changing bodies and life circumstances.

Sexual concerns – With age may come a need to adjust to sexual problems—a woman’s own or her partner’s.

Alcohol and drug use – Women who are depressed, grieving, or simply adjusting to common midlife transitions are at increased risk for harmful use of alcohol or drugs.

Chronic illness – Psychotherapy not only helps with the difficult problem of adjusting to illness or disability, it can also improve certain medical conditions, including type 2 diabetes and arthritis, when added to standard medical therapy.

Harvard Women’s Health Watch discusses these issues in depth and provides guidance in choosing psychotherapy, including what types of therapy are available, how to find a therapist, what to expect in working with a therapist, and whether insurance will help pay.

Read the full-length article: “Psychotherapy at midlife”