What Is Liminal Space And How Does It Affect You?

Liminal space meaning often points to something both physical and emotional: a transitional or in-between area, or a period of life that feels ambiguous and uncertain. These might be literal places like empty bus stops and airport terminals, or they might be moods and states of mind that arise during times of change. Liminal spaces can feel unsettling, but they're a normal part of how people move through life. Below, explore examples of liminal spaces, why they can feel so strange, and how you might navigate them with a little more ease.

What is liminal space?

You can define liminal space in several different ways. The etymology of "liminal" comes from the Latin word "limen," which means "threshold." It can point to that sense of standing at a doorway between one place, or one stage of life, and the next.

Liminal spaces are often associated with a forlorn atmosphere, a disconnection from the concept of reality, and a fluid or sometimes neglected aesthetic. They can be the waiting areas between one point in time and space and the next. Often, when people are in liminal spaces, they have the feeling of being just on the verge of something.

Liminal space can, of course, be a literal place, and there are plenty of examples of physical spaces that feel liminal. But there are also spaces of liminality in mental states. Indeed, the places that exude a sense of liminality are usually unremarkable as far as physical structures go. It's only in the context people give them that they become unusual.

The term was popularized by the anthropologist and folklorist Arnold van Gennep in his 1909 work "The Rites of Passage." He described liminality as the middle phase of a rite of passage, where individuals are neither here nor there, in a state of ambiguity and transition. That framing helps explain why a transitional or in-between state can feel so distinct from ordinary life.

If you're navigating a period of transition and feeling unsettled, connecting with a licensed therapist can offer support along the way.

Examples of physical liminal spaces

Liminal spaces are often physical places. In some cases, the same place may be at one time liminal and at other times not. Whenever people are in a place that is outside of their routine, it can feel unsettling, and if they linger longer than necessary to pass through, they may notice that same sense of something being "off." Here are some common examples of physical liminal spaces:

• Stairwells and elevators. These are in-between spaces or thresholds whose purpose is transportation from one place to another, which is why lingering in an empty stairwell or elevator can seem a bit creepy. An elevator may feel comfortable during a crowded day, but not so much late at night.
• Empty parking lots. A parking lot only functions in conjunction with another space. Usually the lot itself is not your destination, which can make an empty one feel like the ultimate liminal space.
• Schools during breaks. When no classes are in session, a school can seem a bit like a ghost town. You may expect to hear the sounds of students and teachers, but instead there is silence.
• Hotel hallways late at night. Hallways are another in-between zone that can feel "normal" when others are passing through. At night in an unfamiliar place like a hotel, though, these spaces can feel like they've been shut down, leaving you feeling out of place.
• Abandoned buildings. These are spaces that no longer serve a purpose. They can be unsettling because they once held people and activity, but stand now as mere husks of their former use.
• Airport terminals. Terminals act only as waiting spaces, since people's real destinations are the plane and the places beyond. Media depictions of airports build on this feeling, often placing a key moment of change at the terminal or the platform.

Physical spaces aren't the only places that can leave people feeling this way. Understanding why they unsettle people can shed light on the feeling itself.

Why liminal spaces can feel unsettling

Part of what makes a liminal space feel strange is that it lacks a clear purpose or identity. Liminal spaces often evoke a sense of ambiguity, transformation, and the potential for change, and that open-endedness can leave people without a familiar script for how to behave. The ambiguity and uncertainty of these spaces can be disorienting.

The absence of other people can heighten the effect. Spaces people usually expect to be full of activity, like a school or a waiting room, can feel eerie when they're empty. Without the hum of other people, a place can seem to lose the meaning people have assigned to it.

There can also be a sense of temporal uncertainty, where time feels suspended or slowed down. When you're passing through rather than arriving somewhere, the usual markers of "here" and "now" can blur. Here are some factors that may contribute to the unsettling feeling:

• A lack of clear purpose or definition in the space.
• The absence of other people or signs of activity.
• A sense that time feels paused or in-between.
• Unfamiliarity and a disconnect from your usual routine.

These same qualities can show up in inner lives, too, during major life transitions.

Psychological liminality and life transitions

In addition to places that have liminal qualities, there are also non-physical liminal spaces. Rather than actual places, these are liminal mental states, and they're most often the result of transitional moments that give you the sense of a new identity or role. In these in-between periods, you may not have a clear understanding of your roles or identities, which can feel vulnerable. Yet these same moments can also become opportunities for growth and self-discovery. If you're moving through one of these transitions, therapy can be a supportive space to process it.

Divorce and relationship endings

Marriage is often seen as a beginning, an entry into a new life and an ongoing shared journey. Divorce, however, can sometimes happen unexpectedly, so it can leave you thinking you don't know where you are, or sometimes even who you are. When you've devoted years to a marriage, it can be hard to see who you are and where you're going without that relationship, though this waystation can also become a place where a new sense of self begins to take shape.

Career transitions and job loss

Jobs are also milestone markers in your life. Losing your job can put you in a particularly stressful liminal space, as you may be scrambling to find a new role and avoid income loss. This can be an especially difficult place to be after you've been employed somewhere for a long time.

Moving to a new place

While relocating likely involves some physical liminal spaces, you may very well find yourself in a mental liminal space throughout the process as well. You know where you are geographically, but you may not yet know where you are as a person. Moving can involve leaving behind a community and building new friendships, which can raise real questions about how you fit into this new place.

These transitions aren't limited to any one point in life. Liminality can appear at recognizable stages across the years.

Liminal states across the lifespan

One of the first psychological liminal states to be explored by researchers was the concept of "a rite of passage." During a rite of passage, an individual stands at the threshold between two different states of being. Some familiar developmental examples can include the following.

Adolescence

Growing up can leave many teenagers believing that both their social standing and their physical development are in an ambiguous place. Their bodies are in a distinct transition period, with adulthood as the end destination. Many belief systems create ceremonial rites to coincide with this time in a young person's life, encouraging self-reflection along the way.

Midlife transitions

Reaching a certain point in midlife can leave many people feeling in-between, unsure of what lies beyond the threshold. When people find themselves in that place mentally, they may feel afraid or act in ways that surprise them. This experience may be one reason why some people go through what's often called a "midlife crisis".

Gender identity exploration

Another state of liminality can arise when a person feels that they do not belong to their assigned gender, or as if they are between genders. This experience can involve both physical and mental liminality. Your body may undergo physical changes, while your sense of self shifts to accommodate a fuller understanding of who you are.

Liminality doesn't only shape personal lives; it has long shaped the way people tell stories and make meaning.

Liminality in art, culture, and personal growth

Creation and art have a unique relationship with liminality. Capturing the idea of liminality has been key to many creative careers, in part because it can provoke a strong emotional response. Consider stories about "coming of age," a classic tale of liminality that describes the time when one is not quite an adult but no longer a child.

Creatives can emphasize this idea in various art forms. The poem "Rime of the Ancient Mariner," by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, is a classic tale of liminal space, in which the Mariner is caught between life and death, living while his shipmates do not. Artists themselves can be said to enter a liminal state when they create, which may be why some writers feel anxiety before beginning, even after doing it many times before.

Liminality is also thoughtfully discussed in academia and the humanities. Author and theologian Richard Rohr writes that liminal spaces can be considered introspective rather than simply unsettling. He describes liminality as the threshold between one stage of life and another, a place where genuine newness can begin and a bigger world can be revealed.

Seen this way, liminal periods aren't only something to endure. They can be moments that invite reflection, creativity, and change, which raises a practical question: how might you move through them?

How to navigate liminal periods

Being in-between can feel disorienting, but there are gentle ways to steady yourself while you wait for clarity to arrive. The goal isn't to rush the transition, but to care for yourself within it. Here are a few approaches that may help:

1. Acknowledge that uncertainty is a normal part of transition. Naming the feeling can take some of its edge off.
2. Practice self-compassion, and try to speak to yourself the way you might speak to a friend going through something similar.
3. Maintain small routines where you can, since familiar anchors can offer a sense of stability when much else feels unsettled.
4. Reach out for support, whether from friends, family, or a licensed therapist who can help you make sense of the in-between.

Support can make a real difference during these stretches, and it doesn't have to be something you seek out alone.

Support for navigating life transitions

Liminal spaces and liminal periods can present a challenge for some people, whether they're physical or emotional. If you feel like you're living in a liminal space, talking to a therapist can help you make sense of transition-related uncertainty. An experienced, licensed therapist can offer insights and tools to help you better navigate these in-between moments and reconnect with a sense of direction. For some people, a broader mental health care experience may also include psychiatry. BetterHelp now offers psychiatry services through Uplift as an additional care option available alongside therapy, and these services may include medication management when clinically appropriate, as determined by a licensed psychiatric provider. Not everyone needs or benefits from medication, and any such decisions are personalized and based on a full clinical evaluation.

Medication availability and coverage may vary by member location, clinical appropriateness, and individual pharmacy/insurance benefits. Prescribing decisions are made by the treating clinicians. We do not guarantee that any specific medication will be prescribed or covered by a member's insurance plan.

Some providers on BetterHelp may be in-network with certain health plans, and co-pays average about $23/session for eligible members. Coverage varies by plan, provider, and therapist availability, so you can check your in-network status on the BetterHelp site. BetterHelp is currently working with select insurance carriers to expand coverage; the states served include VA, DC, MD, FL, NY, AR, IN, KY, TX, PA, IL, NC, MT, MI, CO, OK, CT, MO, NV, OH, NJ, TN, AZ, MA, NE, DE, WV, VT, NH, NM, AL, UT, and GA. If you don't see your state, our flexible subscription model continues to be an option to receive quality care from our extensive therapist network. The cost of online therapy via BetterHelp ranges from $70 to $100 per week, billed weekly or monthly, with costs based on your location, referral source, preferences, any applicable discounts, and therapist availability.

Feeling out of sorts can make seeking in-person therapy difficult, and you may prefer to stay at home when you're not quite yourself. Online therapy can be a helpful alternative in these cases. With internet-based counseling, you can connect with a licensed mental health professional from one of the world's largest networks of therapists—more than 30,000 qualified providers globally—from the comfort of your home, and you can also save the time you might normally spend sitting in traffic or a waiting room. When you're ready, you can get started and be matched with a therapist who fits your needs. If you'd like to explore psychiatry services through Uplift, you can get started with psychiatry here. Remember that support is available whenever you decide to reach out.

*Based on finalized paid psychiatry visits with a copay. Insurance availability, coverage, and costs vary by state, plan, provider network, and provider availability.

How online therapy can support you through transitions

Online therapy has also been found to be effective in treating a wide variety of mental health challenges, which can be reassuring if you're navigating an uncertain in-between period. One randomized non-inferiority trial published in the Journal of Affective Disorders (Wagner, Horn, & Maercker, 2014) found that an internet-based intervention for depression may be comparably beneficial to face-to-face therapy. This is reflected in real-world outcomes as well, as 72% of BetterHelp users experienced a reduction in symptoms in 12 weeks, highlighting how supportive online care can be during times of change.