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: 5 Signs Your Midlife Crisis is Really Grief in Diguise (Midlife Resurrection Series - Part 1)
Why Your Midlife Crisis Isn’t What You Think: 5 Hidden Signs of Grief
Most men think a midlife crisis is about buying sports cars, switching careers, or chasing thrills. But beneath the surface, midlife is often something deeper: grief — the quiet loss of old identities and roles.
In this episode of Good Grief, John Doe, experiential psychologist Dr. Nelson Pahl reveals five hidden ways unresolved grief disguises itself as the midlife funk. You’ll see why this so-called “crisis” isn’t an ending, but an invitation to grow.
👉 You’ll learn how to recognize:
- Why unexplained sadness may actually be grief for your younger self
- How nostalgia signals midlife identity loss, not just fond memories
- Why old passions feel empty — and what it really means
- The link between restlessness and unprocessed grief in men after 50
- How feeling like a stranger to yourself is actually a call to evolve
Whether you call it a midlife crisis, transition, or reinvention, this episode will help you name what’s really happening — and begin the grief recovery process that frees you to reinvent yourself after 50.
🎧 Tune in now and discover how unspoken grief can become the key to midlife renewal.
Topics in this Episode
- Midlife as Death of Old Identities (0:24)
- Historic Study of Midlife Crisis in Men (1:23)
- Five Signs Midlife = Grief (2:43)
- Growth Through Midlife Grief (5:01)
Healing Links
28-Day Challenge: Resurrection Camp
Supporting Links
Empirical Research: Core Identity Transition Research
Foundation Research: Successful Midlife Development Study
HelpGuide Article: Analysis of Midlife Research
Next Episode: Men After 50: Why You Struggle to Let Go of Old Identities (Midlife Resurrection Series - Part 2)
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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