Everyone might benefit from a little female bonding, but experts say many boomer women have unique challenges unrecognized or experienced by generations who preceded them. For instance, a loneliness may plague women in their 50s and 60s who, because they have been working most of their adult lives, may have workplace friends but not a lot of deeper female connections.
Margaret Marsh, a historian and executive dean of the faculty of arts and sciences at Rutgers University-Camden, noted that many of these women were exploring terrain their mothers never did.
"Typically, the women in the generation before the boomers were marrying early and having children early," she said. "In many ways, their lives were more confined, and more predictable."
Boomers, Marsh said, may be the first generation to experience autonomy fully. Sexual freedom, career opportunities, and a smorgasbord of lifestyle choices are relatively new concepts.
"It can be exhilarating - and it can be a little shocking, too."
After the hike, a 90-minute discussion ensued under the gentle stewardship of Osborne, 58, an elementary schoolteacher for 25 years who transitioned into life coaching. As part of her coaching, she leads group sessions with boomer women, conducts individual coaching, and also organizes what she calls Boomer Chick Adventures, outings and excursions that include hikes in the New Jersey Pine Barrens, kayaking on local lakes and streams, and paddleboard lessons and horseback riding (see story at right).
The theme of this night's boomer group gathering, the Summer Solstice, is a jumping-off point for conversation about change, relationships, and growth. Although Osborne conducts individual coaching, she believes the group dynamic makes a difference for boomer women.
