Ask Dr. Betty Polston, the Midlife Relationships Expert

Betty Polston, Ph.D, is a psychotherapist who for the past 28 years has counseled couples and individuals on mid-life, communication, empty nest, and retirement issues.

A few years ago, when her husband retired and her children left home, Dr. Polston found herself struggling with emotions she hadn't expected. Based on her experience as a clinician, she took familiar steps and turned to research for answers. Her findings resulted in her recent book, Loving Midlife Marriage: A Guide to Keeping Romance Alive from the Empty Nest Through Retirement (John Wiley & Sons, 1999), which addresses the emotional and relationship transitions that couples experience as they age.

Dr. Polston has conducted numerous studies on midlife marriage, presenting her findings to such organizations as the American Society on Aging and the University of California at Los Angeles' Center on Aging. Dr. Polston has led the workshop "Exploring Sexuality" for many years, for individuals and couples from 20 to 80 years of age. She has also trained professionals, including M.S.W. and Ph.D candidates at the Northridge Hospital Outpatient Mental Health Clinic in California where she was on staff from 1972 to 1981.

Dr. Polston earned a Ph.D. in Psychology in 1994 from Pacific Western University and an M.A. in Educational and Counseling Psychology from California State University, Northridge, in 1973. She is also the mother of two grown children and lives with her husband, Bernard.

Learn more about Dr. Betty Polston on her Web site.

 Back to Dr. Betty intro