Embrace the Middle is a gentle yet powerful invitation to say yes to midlife.
It offers a fresh, mindful perspective that challenges the outdated “midlife crisis” narrative and instead honors this season as a time of growth, gifts, and renewed purpose. Whether you’re navigating perimenopause or menopause, adjusting to an empty nest, caregiving elders, or feeling the pull toward something deeper—this is a space for you.
A Paradigm Shift on Midlife
Midlife brings real challenges—loss, hormonal shifts, aging bodies, and changing roles. But these experiences are only part of the story.
The middle decades can also be expansive, clarifying, and liberating. With more self-awareness, less external pressure to please or prove ourselves, and decades of lived wisdom, midlife is an amazing opportunity to awaken to our most authentic self.
Embrace the Middle helps you turn toward this season with curiosity, compassion, and courage—so you can move forward with confidence and clarity.
An Approach Rooted in Presence
At its heart, Embrace the Middle is a mindful way of navigating midlife—one that welcomes the full range of experience and brings you back to yourself.
Through guided practices, self-reflection, and a supportive community, you’ll learn to:
- Meet transitions with softness and clarity
- Reclaim your inner voice and desires
- Expand your perspective by awakening to the gifts of the middle
- Step into what’s next with authenticity and intention
This isn’t about fixing yourself. It’s about coming home to yourself.
Is This for You?
If you’re a woman in midlife in the midst of changes, or longing for more tools, meaning, spaciousness, or connection, you're in the right place.
Whether you're navigating menopause, a career shift, a new phase in motherhood, or the knowing that something within you is evolving, Embrace the Middle offers a compassionate space to explore and grow.
Let’s Walk This Together
Midlife isn’t the end of something. It’s the beginning of something deeply true.
Join me for a workshop, a meditation group, or a soulful conversation—and discover how midlife can become the most empowering chapter of your life.
✦ Explore Retreats & Events
✦ Join My Weekly Meditation Group
✦ Read the Book: Embrace the Middle
✦ Work With Me 1:1
Testimonials
Thank you, Shayna! Your groups are always amazing and have a high rate of return on value and worth when the time, energy and vulnerability is invested!
Angela B.Shayna holds space in the most loving and effective way. Her workshops are full of great information that allows one to step inside with full authenticity while being held with the felt sense of love and acceptance. I walked away with insight that continues to feed and fuel me everyday.
Elizabeth S.This was a profoundly powerful day. The location, the greeting, the content, and the exercises allowed for a beautiful ease and flow of a remarkable experience. Shayna has a keen ability to hold space and create a nurturing environment where everyone can interact and share freely…or not.
Christine B.Shayna’s workshop completely changed the way I think about my life—from blah and overwhelmed to YES!” Her SOFTT model is like giving myself a hug. Shayna’s daylong workshop literally transformed the way I process all that we, as midlife women, experience.
AnonymousThank you beautiful sister for such a magical gift of your day retreat yesterday Your softness and compassion shone bright and transformation happened
I have found the workshops to be very insightful, and potentially transformative. It is a wonderful idea to have a workshop for women in similar places in their lives. It is beautifully lead by Shayna, who offers insight, guidance, and wisdom. I highly recommend these workshops!
Donna B.Thank you so much Shayna Gothard Kaufmann!!! What a wonderful, positive, encouraging, supportive and enlightening experience! All of what you were saying were things I definitely can relate to, and your facilitated exercise was so very valuable. Thank you for creating this for our community of women and beyond. You really are amazing and I admire you deeply!
Shannon W.Through her “Embracing” series, Shayna graciously extends her extensive knowledge, experience, insight, guidance, healing, zen-like leadership and obvious love for what she does with her fellow “middle” women. I gained significant insight about “me” in ways I hadn’t considered before, and that allowed me to begin a wonderful journey of much needed acceptance, forgiveness, healing and peace. I also gained a network of amazing, wonderful women! Thank you, Shayna. You are a trusted adviser and forever friend.
Kelly B.Ongoing growth and development is a huge priority in my life, but I was having a difficult time finding the right context for creating it. Within the confines of Shayna’s group I found camaraderie, laughter, fellowship, connectedness, a feeling of interpersonal relatedness, a sense of safety and mutual respect, and an overall feeling of being truly heard without judgement. I trust Shayna implicitly and in her group I always feel comfortable and safe; a nurturing space to reflect, engage in lively conversation, explore new options and possibilities, and find new ways of thinking about old challenges. I cannot think of a better person to facilitate personal growth and development workshops than Shayna Kaufmann.
Claire Y.