Quarterlife - by Satya Doyle Byock (Paperback)

About the Book

"What's wrong with me? I feel so stuck. Is this all there is? Satya Doyle Byock hears these refrains regularly in her psychotherapy practice, Quarterlife Counseling, where she works exclusively with individuals between the ages of eighteen to thirty-five. She understands their frustration. Some clients have seemingly done everything "right": earn a degree, get a job, meet a partner, settle down. Yet, even after checking these boxes, they are left unfulfilled and unclear on what to do next. Others are uninterested in following this prescribed path, but often feel unmoored as a result. And while society is quick to label these emotions as traits of generations like Millennials or Gen Z, or offer diagnoses and prescriptions to get rid of these feelings, Byock sees it differently. She believes these struggles are a natural part of the developmental journey of Quarterlife, a distinct stage of life, like adolescence or midlife, that every person goes through, but has been virtually ignored by popular culture and psychology. In Quarterlife, Byock utilizes her twenty years of experience to help Quarterlifers and those who love them better understand this unique phase of life. Using personal storytelling, mythology, pop culture, literature, and history, with references ranging from Rilke to Harry Potter, Doyle introduces us to the two primary types of Quarterlifers, as well as the four stages of the Quarterlife development, providing context and practices to help orient readers along their own journeys"--

Book Synopsis

An innovative psychotherapist tackles the overlooked stage of Quarterlife--the years between adolescence and midlife--and provides a "fascinating" guide "on how to navigate and thrive--rather than just survive--these odd years" (PureWow).

"Quarterlife is an insightful, revealing look at the messy and uncharted paths to wholeness, and a powerful tool for anyone navigating early adulthood."--Tembi Locke, New York Times bestselling author of From Scratch

I'm stuck. What's wrong with me? Is this all there is? Satya Doyle Byock hears these refrains regularly in her psychotherapy practice where she works with "Quarterlifers," individuals between the ages of (roughly) sixteen to thirty-six. She understands their frustration. Some clients have done everything "right" graduate, get a job, meet a partner. Yet they are unfulfilled and unclear on what to do next. Byock calls these Quarterlifers "Stability Types." Others are uninterested in this prescribed path, but feel unmoored. She refers to them as "Meaning Types."

While society is quick to label the emotions and behavior of this age group as generational traits, Byock sees things differently. She believes these struggles are part of the developmental journey of Quarterlife, a distinct stage that every person goes through and which has been virtually ignored by popular culture and psychology.

In Quarterlife, Byock utilizes personal storytelling, mythology, Jungian psychology, pop culture, literature, and client case studies to provide guideposts for this period of life. Readers will be able to find themselves on the spectrum between Stability and Meaning Types, and engage with Byock's four pillars of Quarterlife development:
- Separate: Gain independence from the relationships and expectations that no longer serve you
- Listen: Pay close attention to your own wants and needs
- Build: Create, cultivate, and construct tools and practices for the life you want
- Integrate: Take what you've learned and manifest something new

Quarterlife is a defining work that offers a compassionate roadmap toward finding understanding, happiness, and wholeness in adulthood.

Review Quotes

"With all the chaos and disorientation of the post-pandemic era, young adults seeking some comfort and guidance as they trudge a path forward would do well to pick up this book."--The New York Post

"For decades now, there's been a psychological, existential crisis among America's young adults hiding in plain sight. There is no better person to address this than Satya Doyle Byock, who has made this age group her life's work. Quarterlife is compassionate, specific, forceful, lucid, and very wise. This is the book many people have been waiting for, whether they know it or not."--William Deresiewicz, New York Times bestselling author of Excellent Sheep: The Miseducation of the American Elite

"I'm obsessed with this book. If you're a younger millennial, or a Gen-Zer and trying to figure out why do I feel this way, why don't I feel satisfied, why do I always feel like I'm behind?--this is the book for you."--Anne Helen Petersen, author of Can't Even: How Millennials Became the Burnout Generation

"The years between adolescence and middle age are arguably the most formative in one's life, and yet so many young people spend them dissatisfied, confused, and unmoored. Quarterlife makes sense of this period and offers a roadmap for finding both meaning and stability on the path toward maturity. If you're a young adult looking for a way through, or if you're seeking to understand the struggles of young adults, you must read this timely and illuminating book."--Jill Filipovic, author of OK Boomer, Let's Talk: How My Generation Got Left Behind

"Absent structured rites of passage to emerge from childhood into adulthood, how is a young person supposed to grow up today? Quarterlife is a valuable guide to the perplexed in those seas. Filled with illustrative examples, Byock provides tips, clues, and guidance for those who otherwise feel alone."--James Hollis, Ph.D., Jungian analyst and author of Finding Meaning in the Second Half of Life

About the Author

Satya Doyle Byock is a licensed psychotherapist, writer, and the director of The Salome Institute of Jungian Studies. Her work is informed by analytical psychology, history, and social justice advocacy. She lives in Portland.