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Abstract

Retirement is commonly framed as a normative and voluntary developmental milestone; however, access to a psychologically healthy retirement is unevenly shaped by social, economic, and structural conditions. This conceptual article applies a social determinants of mental health (SDMH) framework to retirement, conceptualizing it as a complex psychosocial transition involving identity change, shifts in purpose and meaning, relational adjustment, and emotional variability. Drawing on interdisciplinary scholarship, the manuscript examines how socioeconomic status, race and ethnicity, gendered work histories, caregiving responsibilities, health status, and access to benefits influence both the ability to retire and the experience of retirement itself. Particular attention is given to constrained, delayed, and involuntary retirement pathways, which are often associated with heightened distress, grief, burnout, and identity disruption in counseling settings. Implications for counseling practice are emphasized throughout, including culturally responsive assessment, strengths-based and contextualized case conceptualization, and advocacy-oriented interventions. By situating retirement within broader life-course and structural contexts, this conceptual article offers counselors an equity-informed framework for supporting clients navigating later-life transitions.

Author ORCID Identifier

Janelle L Jones - 0000-0002-5798-7075

Lauren B. Robins - 0000-0002-8898-3499

Melanie Calhoun -  0000-0003-4562-8435

Aaliyah Bond-Richardson - 0009-0001-8939-2340

Zoe N. Stuckey -  0000-0002-4085-6829

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