“What Now?” Clinical Tools to Help Older Adults Reconstruct Meaning in the Second Half of Life
- Speaker:
- Julie Erickson, PhD
- Duration:
- 1 Hour 01 Minutes
- Format:
- Audio and Video
- Copyright:
-
May 15, 2026
- Product Code:
- POS150832
- Media Type:
- Digital Seminar
Description
Later life often brings profound questions about identity, purpose, and how to live meaningfully in the time that remains. As clients navigate changing roles, losses, and a growing awareness of mortality, these existential concerns can create both distress and powerful opportunities for growth.
In this session, Dr. Julie Erikson will share practical, evidence-based strategies to help clients clarify values, reconnect with purpose, and cultivate vitality — even in the face of life’s finiteness. You’ll learn how to:
- Distinguish normative meaning struggles from clinical distress
- Explore identity transitions, grief, and mortality with sensitivity
- Use CBT, dignity therapy, and acceptance-based interventions to address existential anxiety and support meaning-making
Credit
Speaker
Julie Erickson, PhD Related seminars and products
Dr. Julie Erickson is a clinical psychologist, author, and educator dedicated to reshaping how aging is understood in both clinical practice and society. She is the author of The Aging Well Workbook for Anxiety and Depression (New Harbinger Publications), a pioneering CBT self-help resource designed specifically for older adults. Dr. Erickson is the founder of a thriving private practice in Toronto, Canada, where she provides evidence-based treatment to adults across the lifespan, with expertise in anxiety, mood, OCD, and trauma-related disorders. She also serves as an adjunct faculty member in the Department of Applied Psychology and Human Development at the University of Toronto, where she teaches graduate-level courses in CBT and supervises emerging clinicians. A sought-after speaker and trainer, Dr. Erickson delivers workshops and continuing education programs for mental health professionals across North America, with a focus on adapting CBT for older adult populations. Her scholarly work has appeared in journals including Aging & Mental Health, Depression & Anxiety, and Cognitive and Behavioral Practice.
Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Dr. Julie Erickson maintains a private practice and has an employment relationship with the University of Toronto. She receives royalties as a published author. Dr. Erickson is an advisory board member of Evergreen Certifications. She receives a speaking honorarium from PESI, Inc. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Dr. Julie Erickson is a member of the Ontario Psychological Association, the Canadian Association for Cognitive and Behavioural Therapy, and the Anxiety and Depression Association of America.
Additional Info
Access for Self-Study (Non-Interactive)Access never expires for this product.
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Additional CE Info
For a more detailed outline that includes times or durations of time, if needed, please contact cepesi@pesi.com.
Objectives
- Identify the developmental and existential challenges commonly encountered in later life, including shifts in identity, purpose, and mortality awareness.
- Differentiate between pathological distress and normative meaning-related struggles that arise during the aging process.
- Integrate practical interventions from therapeutic approaches such as cognitive-behavioural therapy, dignity therapy, and acceptance and commitment therapy, to help clients reconstruct purpose, manage existential anxiety, and enhance well-being in later life.
Outline
The Developmental Landscape of Later Life
- Shifts in identity, purpose, and meaning
- Legacy, mortality, and living fully with finite time
Common Existential Themes in Older Adulthood
- Identity transitions and changing roles
- Loss, grief, and evolving sources of meaning
- Confronting death and dying
Differentiating Universal Struggles from Clinical Concern
- When existential questioning becomes distress
Therapeutic Frameworks & Approaches
- Existential perspectives
- Cognitive-behavioural strategies
- Acceptance-based tools
Reconstructing Meaning & Purpose
- Supporting self-acceptance
- Clarifying values and direction
- Cultivating vitality in the face of finitude
Clinical Integration & Application
- Practical guidance for therapy conversations
- Supporting growth for both clients and therapists
- Risks and Limitations
Target Audience
- Counselors
- Social Workers
- Psychologists
- Psychiatrists
- Marriage and Family Therapists
- Other Mental Health Professionals
Reviews
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