Instead of letting loneliness weigh them down, they are finding joy in old passions and new connections
Can you dance and paint your way out of misery? Theatre artist Geetika Goyal believes so. Over the last 16 years, she has played many characters, but nothing prepared her for the role life handed her — that of an empty nester.
“After my son left for college in 2014, I was shaken. Tears would roll down my cheeks just thinking of him,” says Goyal. She threw herself into work, using her pain and loneliness to fuel her art and performances. That search for meaning opened new doors. “I realised that many other women must also be silently suffering in this new phase of life,” she says.
Seven years ago, the 53-year-old became a life coach, blending her training and art to help fellow empty nesters rediscover value and purpose. Her workshops and one-on-one sessions explore guilt, loss of self-worth, and the possibility of new experiences. “Many mothers suddenly feel a sense of loss of identity after their kids leave. They also feel that their relationship with their partner has changed. I help people navigate all these emotions by making them express through art,” she explains.
One exercise involves giving participants a blank canvas, asking them to fill it with colours that reflect their emotions, and then discussing what the images reveal. What began as personal healing has now become a thriving profession. Her group sessions are Rs 1,000 per participant, while individual sessions range from Rs 5,000-7,000. And she has never been busier.
Every year, once the frenzy of college admissions is over, a home somewhere falls silent. A mother hesitates to enter the kitchen; a father sits alone with the TV remote; an empty chair stares back at the dinner table, and there’s no one left to nag about phones at mealtime. Empty nest syndrome — the loneliness parents feel when their children leave — arrives sooner or later, whether for studies or work.
Even celebrities have spoken about it: chef Gordon Ramsay once admitted he felt so low he wore his son’s pants, while Michelle Obama revealed she went to counselling after both daughters left home. On a podcast recently, the former First Lady said, “I’m in therapy right now because I’m transitioning, you know? … I’m 60 years old, I’ve finished a really hard thing in my life with my family intact, I’m an empty nester, my girls are in — you know, they’ve been launched! … This is a whole other phase in life for me.” While some parents go into therapy, others weep into their wine glasses, but a few, like Goyal, build new careers and passions. It becomes a time to rediscover friendships, recalibrate relationships, and finally spend some time on self-care rather than picking up wet towels and reorganising closets for your kids.
Nupur Ghosh, former teacher at Bishop Cotton Boys’ School in Bengaluru, recalls the silence when her children moved out more than 20 years ago. The house was so quiet without the Bruce Springsteen songs being played at full volume. “I was still 10 years away from my retirement when my children left home and it was only after retirement that it hit me — I had nothing to do. I was sure that I did not want to live this life, so I picked up my paint brush,” she says.
How to deal with empty nesters syndrome
Acknowledge your feelings of loneliness and grief Create rituals to symbolise the transition Stay connected to your children Pursue interests and hobbies that you had put aside earlier Invest in your social circle, reconnect Create a new routine, include more time for physical activity Open up to friends and family about your feelings Speak to professionals if getting overwhelmed Remember it's a transitional phase and give yourself some judgement-free time to overcome these feelings By Dr Sneha Sharma, consultant psychiatrist, Anvaya Healthcare
Can you dance and paint your way out of misery? Theatre artist Geetika Goyal believes so. Over the last 16 years, she has played many characters, but nothing prepared her for the role life handed her — that of an empty nester.
“After my son left for college in 2014, I was shaken. Tears would roll down my cheeks just thinking of him,” says Goyal. She threw herself into work, using her pain and loneliness to fuel her art and performances. That search for meaning opened new doors. “I realised that many other women must also be silently suffering in this new phase of life,” she says.
Seven years ago, the 53-year-old became a life coach, blending her training and art to help fellow empty nesters rediscover value and purpose. Her workshops and one-on-one sessions explore guilt, loss of self-worth, and the possibility of new experiences. “Many mothers suddenly feel a sense of loss of identity after their kids leave. They also feel that their relationship with their partner has changed. I help people navigate all these emotions by making them express through art,” she explains.
One exercise involves giving participants a blank canvas, asking them to fill it with colours that reflect their emotions, and then discussing what the images reveal. What began as personal healing has now become a thriving profession. Her group sessions are Rs 1,000 per participant, while individual sessions range from Rs 5,000-7,000. And she has never been busier.
Every year, once the frenzy of college admissions is over, a home somewhere falls silent. A mother hesitates to enter the kitchen; a father sits alone with the TV remote; an empty chair stares back at the dinner table, and there’s no one left to nag about phones at mealtime. Empty nest syndrome — the loneliness parents feel when their children leave — arrives sooner or later, whether for studies or work.
Even celebrities have spoken about it: chef Gordon Ramsay once admitted he felt so low he wore his son’s pants, while Michelle Obama revealed she went to counselling after both daughters left home. On a podcast recently, the former First Lady said, “I’m in therapy right now because I’m transitioning, you know? … I’m 60 years old, I’ve finished a really hard thing in my life with my family intact, I’m an empty nester, my girls are in — you know, they’ve been launched! … This is a whole other phase in life for me.” While some parents go into therapy, others weep into their wine glasses, but a few, like Goyal, build new careers and passions. It becomes a time to rediscover friendships, recalibrate relationships, and finally spend some time on self-care rather than picking up wet towels and reorganising closets for your kids.
Nupur Ghosh, former teacher at Bishop Cotton Boys’ School in Bengaluru, recalls the silence when her children moved out more than 20 years ago. The house was so quiet without the Bruce Springsteen songs being played at full volume. “I was still 10 years away from my retirement when my children left home and it was only after retirement that it hit me — I had nothing to do. I was sure that I did not want to live this life, so I picked up my paint brush,” she says.
How to deal with empty nesters syndrome
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