WHO AM I NOW Ten years ago Ten

WHO AM I NOW? Ten years ago? Ten years from now?

Personal Identity

“For most of us, by the age of 30, the character has set like plaster and will never soften again. ” (William James, 1890)

Social Identity

“A man has as many social selves as there are individuals who recognize him and generally shows a different side of himself to each of these different groups. ” (William James, 1890)

Who am I? • Personal Identity • Social Identity • The “ I ” • The “ Me ”

Identity Over the Life Span • • • How do the “ I ” & “Me “ coexist? When do they emerge? How do the “ I” & “ Me” evolve? Implications for counselling? Future research?

Adolescence and Identity Erikson’s identity vs confusion

Identity and Young Adulthood Identity and intimacy

Identity and Middle Adulthood Mid-Life Astonishment

Identity and Old Age “My core has stayed the same (“ I “). Everything else has changed (“ Me”). ” Edna, 103 years old

Implications for Therapy • Narrative • Auto-photography • Multi-sensory

Future Research • Different settings, different subjects • Influences • AFFECTIVE response

How does the core of the “ I “ cope with the chaos of the “ Me“?