DEVELOPMENTAL CRISIS IN EARLY ADULTHOOD: A ...

heralds a major shift from a self dominated by what she felt she “should” do, to a
more agentic self that heeds the call of an inner, previously suppressed, passion:
“Now with the art, that’s not detrimental to me obviously, because that’s what I
always loved. I’m finding it very exhausting, because it is intensive, but I think that I
am actually doing something now for the first time in my life that I always wanted to
do, since even before I was ten.” (p.12)
Camilla, having made the separation from job and affair, is able to re-assert control
over her own life, start seeing her friends again, and plan a new career. She starts a
new job as a carer and continues her studies in psychology. She reflects on a much
improved life since the crisis:
“I’m going back to college, I’m doing a degree, I am doing positive things, this is
where I want to be. My career is just perfect at the moment, I couldn’t ask for
anything else, so its changed me for the better.” (Camilla, p.8)
6.3 Male Cluster: All-Consuming Crisis (N=4)
The men were divided into three clusters – “All Consuming Crisis”, “Marriage
Crisis” and “Career Crisis” (see Chapter 5, p.73). “All Consuming Crisis” includes
those crises that emerged out of difficulties in work and relationships, leading to a
complete, rather than partial, demise of the previous life structure.
Neil, Guy, Ben and George together compose the cluster “All Consuming
Crisis”. They all described crisis episodes that involved becoming trapped in, and
then breaking out of, work environments and home environments that had both
become dysfunctional and stressful. Neil was an engineer, Guy a banker, Ben an
academic and George a social worker. All change their profession over the course of
crisis, and three of them divorce too. George, who is gay, loses his circle of friends,
rather than a partner.
Phase 1 - Early Crisis: Locked In
In this cluster, Phase 1 is described by narrative portrayal of intense pressure,
of restricted movement and a gradual degradation of marriage and/or social
relationships.
In The Pressure Cooker
Prior to their crises, all four in this cluster were living highly pressured lives.
Neil was an engineering executive and was married with no children; Guy was
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