I am a psychologist in private practice in New York City who specializes in helping dancers, models, actors, and athletes who struggle as they age out of their professions.

I have served as a consultant to a major cosmetic company interested in promoting age-related beauty products, and I've  made numerous appearances on television discussing issues about beauty and aging.

My book Face It: What Women Really Feel As Their Looks Change was published earlier this year.

How did you get to where you are now?

I left the professional ballet world when I was in my early 20s after having injuries. In the ballet life span, age 19 is about mid-life, so obviously it's a culture that values youth.

From there, I became a model, mostly to support myself. I had put my education on the back burner to become a ballet dancer, so now I had to figure out what I wanted to do. The modeling world puts value not so much on a youthful body as on youthful beauty, and in that world you learn very early on that the person right behind you is ready to take your job at any minute.

It was at that point that I had my “a-ha” moment, realizing that I wanted a profession that I could get better at as I got older. It was such a novel idea: Instead of fighting time, I'd make it an ally. I think not enough women understand the asset that our experience brings, because we live in a culture that tells us the opposite. And we need women to join together who have gained so much at this time in their life in order to combat the opposite cultural onslaught that youth and beauty is what makes us relevant and noticeable.

Having been in both the youth/beauty-focused worlds of ballet and modeling and in the mind/spirit-focused world of psychology, I blend these two very different perspectives, and I’m trying to find that middle ground with other women in saying both are obviously important. We identify with how we appear in the world. We can’t live in the real world without an investment in the face we present. But we need to balance that with some of the other things that are important to us that we all know and value.

How do you see yourself differently now than you did 10 years ago?

There are so many answers to that one. Maybe that’s the answer. Ten years ago, I was more narrowly focused. Now, I think of my identity as a woman, as a mother, as a therapist, and now as an author, much more broadly. And a broader base is more stable, right? I think of myself with broader strokes and in broader terms, and that makes me feel more solid.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

I would like to think that that process can only continue, and that beauty will play some role in my life even when I'm old. One of the most beautiful women I know is my 93-year-old mother-in-law. She has a cane because her bones and body are not as sturdy as they once were. But she carries herself in such a way with that cane that it is beautiful. And it’s a great image for me to keep in mind for myself as I age.

I tell women to imagine being 70 and looking back at their 50- or 60-year-old selves. They would say, “Wow, I looked great.” I think we have to be very flexible in how we define ourselves, because it is constantly changing. And if we can do that together as a group, I think we’ll all be happier and kinder people.

Whenever one phase of life is over, look forward. There is always another ready to take its place, with unexpected and new experiences. Until that one is over, when it's time to look forward again.

My daughter Jordana, who always seems to find time to engage with others, making them feel they are special, no matter who they are; friend, stranger, young and old. It's a quality that comes naturally to her, but one that I admire and emulate.