Write your next chapter
Unbecoming to Become
A live storytelling workshop for women in midlife who've outgrown who they were and aren't sure who to be now.
Thursday, October 8 · 6 to 9 p.m. Eastern on Zoom + Replay · $88
Come back into your body, tune into your inner knowing again, and (re)write your story, without waiting for permission, overthinking every step, or needing to have it all figured out.
Midlife can feel like everything is falling apart
You've outgrown who you were, and you're not sure who to be now. You built a life you worked really hard for, and some days you don't recognize yourself in it. Maybe the kids left home, a relationship ended, you lost someone, or you walked away from a career. Or maybe nothing big happened at all and you just feel it, usually around 3 a.m.
It can feel like an identity crisis, but really it's an identity shift. It's the messy middle between who you were and who you're becoming, and more books, podcasts, and advice from everyone you know only add more noise. I've been there more than once, so I get it.
The blueprint has been there all along
Before a caterpillar becomes a butterfly, it outgrows its skin and seals itself inside the chrysalis, and then much of its body breaks down. If you could peek inside partway through, it would look like a mess. (Kind of like some mornings feel right now, right?)
But inside all that breaking down are tiny clusters of cells called imaginal discs. They hold the blueprint for the wings, the legs, and the eyes, and they were there the whole time, even back when it was a caterpillar munching on milkweed.
I love this story because it makes so much sense of the in-between. The unraveling you're feeling is part of the process, and the blueprint of who you're becoming has been inside you all along, underneath the roles and everything the world told you to be.
I've been in the chrysalis more than once
At the end of 2010, when a long relationship ended, I realized I'd been half of something instead of whole on my own, and I'd lost myself in it. I had no idea who I was. So I started asking myself one question every day: what's one thing that would bring me joy today? Slowly, I found my way back to me.
When my mom died in 2021, the grief was suffocating. I didn't know how I'd survive it, and I slowly dragged myself back to the land of the living.
And when I left my corporate career last year, my big trust fall, burnout hit and it hit hard. Instead of hitting the ground running, I had to slow way down and take a real look inward at the life I'm building and the chapter I'm writing now. Every time, what brought me home was getting out of my head, back into my body, and listening for my own answer. That's why I created Chrysalis.
If we haven't met yet, I'm Rachel. I've been doing this inner work for nearly 30 years and guiding women on this path for the past 11.
Midlife transition coach, E-RYT 200, RYT 500, YACEP, certified CBT life coach, holistic health coach, and Reiki practitioner
One evening to (re)write your story
Chrysalis is a live, three-hour storytelling workshop on Zoom. Maybe you're on a path that doesn't feel right anymore, or maybe you're not sure where you're going at all. Either way, midlife isn't a reinvention, it's a remembering. The stories you've been telling about yourself have shaped you more than you probably realize, so we'll look at them together, gently, and remember who you are beneath all the roles and identities. Breathwork and gentle movement help you get out of your overthinking mind and into your body, so what comes through is what you feel instead of what you think you should say.
Here's how the evening goes
- We settle into your body first. We start with breath and gentle movement, because asking a racing mind to sit still is a big ask. Once your body has something to do, the stillness comes a lot more easily.
- We look at the old stories. Storytelling paired with guided prompts helps you see the limiting beliefs, outdated roles, and identities you've outgrown, so they aren't the ones writing your next chapter.
- You find your next chapter. Every story builds on the one before, so by the end of the evening you have a clearer sense of who you're stepping into and what comes next.
And the conversation doesn't end when we log off. For a week afterward, through Thursday, October 15, you'll have our private Telegram community, a space to share your reflections, insights, and challenges by voice or text with women who are in the in-between too. It can be such a powerful place to realize you're not the only one. I'll also be in there offering support and guidance.
A few practical things: we meet Thursday, October 8, from 6 to 9 p.m. Eastern on Zoom. Feel free to bring your dinner, come and go as you need to, and keep your camera on or off. You never have to share unless you want to, and you'll get the recording afterward.
What you leave with
You'll leave with a clearer sense of your next chapter and your next aligned step, plus a few simple practices to help you slow down and ground into the moment in the days after.
Chrysalis is for you if you don't feel like yourself anymore
Maybe you see yourself in one of these:
- You were half of a "we" for so long that now you don't know who you are on your own.
- You poured everything into your kids or your career, and now that you finally have time for yourself, you don't know what you want to do.
- You reached the goal you set years ago, and find yourself struggling to feel worthy of the success.
- You checked all the boxes and did everything "right," and find yourself lying awake at 3 a.m. because you're not sure you want it anymore.
- A new decade is coming, and you've started taking inventory of what you've put off and what you really want.
- You're at a crossroads, you don't feel like yourself anymore and you're not even sure why. Something's got to give.
- You lost someone you can't imagine life without, and when people ask how you're doing, you say you're fine because it's easier than telling the truth.
Of course, this list isn't all inclusive. Whatever is going on for you, you're likely feeling stuck in the in-between, and Chrysalis was made for this season.
If you're in crisis or need clinical support, please reach out to a therapist or your doctor first. Chrysalis is a supportive evening of reflection and it isn't a replacement for that care. And if you already know you'd love more support over several months, email me at [email protected] and we'll talk about 1:1 coaching.
Kind words from a past workshop
“I've basically burned myself out taking care of everyone else and put myself on the back burner. Recently I've decided I need to be on a journey to take care of me first. I was not exactly sure what to expect from the session and it was even more than I hoped for. I left feeling very relaxed, very clear, and like I had dropped loads of emotional and physical baggage. I don't know when, if ever, I have felt this relaxed and free.”
Here's what's included
- A live, three-hour storytelling workshop on Thursday, October 8, from 6 to 9 p.m. Eastern on Zoom
- Storytelling, guided reflection, breathwork, and gentle movement
- The workshop recording, for participants only
- A week in our private Telegram community through October 15, with voice and text support from me
- Workshop bonus: Back to Sleep, my 30-minute yoga nidra for those 3 a.m. wake-ups
$88
(re)write your story
You'll get everything you need to get started right after you register.
A few questions you might have
What if I can't make it live?
No worries at all. You'll get the recording, and you're welcome to come and go during the live session, too.
Do I need any yoga experience?
Not at all. We'll lean mostly on breathwork and a few simple yoga concepts, with a little gentle stretching you can do in a chair or wherever you're comfortable. If you can breathe, you can do this.
Will I have to share?
Never, unless you want to. You're welcome to have your camera on or off, too.
What's the Telegram community?
Telegram is a free messaging app, and for a week after the workshop, through Thursday, October 15, our private community is where we keep the conversation going. Share your reflections, insights, and challenges by voice or text, see that you're not the only one in the in-between, and get support and guidance from me along the way.
What's the refund policy?
If something changes, email me at [email protected] by Wednesday, October 7 and I'll refund you in full. Prep materials go out the morning of the workshop, so refunds aren't available after that.
What do I need?
Access to Zoom, something to write on and with (a computer works, but pen and paper feel a little more special), comfy clothes, and room to stretch. No mat needed. Bring your dinner and your favorite drink, and anything that helps set the mood, like a candle, incense, or a favorite crystal.
I'd love to have you there
If some part of you has been waiting for someone to hand you a map, this is your invitation to stop waiting and start listening. Come spend an evening with me, get back into your body, and remember who you are beneath all the roles.
p.s. Your bonus Back to Sleep, my 30-minute yoga nidra for those 3 a.m. wake-ups when your mind just won't stop spinning unlocks October 8th.
Walking this journey with you,Rachel