Midlife Man Rising
Midlife Man Rising is a podcast for men after 50 who sense something’s off — the quiet grief of identity loss, the ache of midlife crisis depression, and the restless urge for midlife reinvention.
If you're tired of performing roles, chasing what no longer fits, or waking up with a hollow ache in your chest, this space is for you.
I bring clarity and courage through stories, reflections, and experiential practices that help midlife men:
- Reclaim who you once were and honor what you’ve lost
- Face the hidden grief of midlife, instead of pretending it doesn’t exist
- Redefine purpose beyond legacy, expectations, or success metrics
- Begin a midlife transformation that feels authentic, aligned, and meaningful
Each episode blends simple, evidence-based experiential techniques with narrative reflection so you can move forward with agency, not guilt.
Join me, Nelson Pahl, Ph.D., experiential psychologist, as we help the midlife man rise — turning midlife funk into personal reinvention.
Current and upcoming series include:
- Good Grief, John Doe mini-course
- Midlife Resurrection series
- Six Stones Reclamation suite
- Legacy Lab mini-course
👉 Follow the show if you're ready to stop surviving midlife and start rebuilding it with clarity and courage.
Midlife Man Rising
Men After 50: 6 Simple Rituals to Shed Outdated Identities (Mini-Course Part 3)
How men after 50 can use ritual to release the past, move beyond the midlife crisis, and step boldly into a new chapter.
Midlife isn’t just a crisis. It’s a crossroads. And for men after 50, one of the most powerful ways to move forward is through ritual. In this episode of Good Grief, John Doe, experiential psychologist Nelson Pahl explains why the midlife man needs symbolic moments to close one chapter and begin another.
You’ll learn simple but meaningful rituals — from burning old memories, to creating playlists, to revisiting important places — that help you honor identity loss, release the past, and reclaim authorship of your life.
If you’ve felt stuck in a so-called “midlife crisis” — drifting, restless, or disconnected — this practice can spark midlife transformation and give you the clarity, closure, and courage you need for a true midlife reinvention.
👉 Discover how ritual helps men after 50:
- Let go of outdated identities
- Mark the shift from “who I was” to “who I’m becoming”
- Reinvent purpose with meaning and momentum
This is Part 3 of the Good Grief, John Doe mini-course — designed to help midlife men name their losses, reconnect with their bodies, and begin their journey of personal reinvention.
Topics in this Episode
- Rituals for Midlife Men After 50 (1:17)
- Simple Ritual Ideas to Try (1:31)
- A Personal Example of Midlife Reinvention (2:48)
- Planning Your Own Midlife Ritual (5:33)
Healing Links
28-Day Challenge: Resurrection Camp
Supporting Links
Evidence-Based Article: Psychological Benefits of Ritual
Anthropological Research: Van Gennep's Rites of Passage Theory
Clinical Research: The Psychology of Rituals
Professional Article: Midlifers Need a Rite of Passage
Next Episode: Men After 50: 5 Signs Your Midlife Crisis is Really Grief in Disguise (Midlife Resurrection Series - Part 1)
About the Host
Nelson Pahl, Ph.D. is an experiential psychologist that helps midlife men move from midlife crisis depression to midlife reinvention. Through his proprietary approaches — Resurrection Camp, the Six Stones Retreat Arc, and his Legacy Lab — he guides men after 50 through identity loss, midlife transformation, and personal reinvention. He's also author of the book, Escaping Sartre's Hell: A Guide for Self-Validation in Midlife.
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