Liminal spaces, and why they affect your mental health

You’ve probably experienced it: standing alone in a silent airport lounge late at night, walking through an empty office on the weekend, or feeling lost during a life change that’s left you unsure of what comes next. These moments can feel oddly still or off-kilter, even if nothing is technically wrong.

That uneasy feeling is often your mind responding to what psychologists refer to as liminal space - a threshold between what was and what’s still taking shape.

These spaces can be physical, like a stairwell or waiting room, but they also show up in emotional and psychological transitions, such as grief, divorce, or career changes.

Though uncomfortable at times, liminal spaces can also be some of the most powerful and transformative experiences we face, if we learn how to sit with the uncertainty rather than push it away.

What are liminal spaces?

The word “liminal” comes from the Latin limen, which means threshold. In psychological and cultural terms, it refers to states where our usual identities, routines, or structures are suspended. The old has fallen away, but the new hasn’t yet arrived.

Common examples of physical liminal space are:

• Airports and train platforms

• Hotel hallways in the middle of the night

• Empty schools during holidays

• Unfinished or abandoned buildings

• Stairwells and lifts

• The lighting section of a hardware store

These places can feel strangely eerie or disconnected. They’re usually designed to be passed through quickly, not occupied or contemplated.

Emotional liminal spaces can also show up during life transitions, such as:

• Ending a long-term relationship

• Moving to a new city or country

• Experiencing loss or grief

• Questioning your gender, beliefs, or career path

• Leaving one phase of life without being firmly in the next

In these situations, you might feel adrift or unlike yourself, as if your internal compass has lost its bearings.

Why liminal spaces feel unsettling

The brain’s need for predictability

Our brains rely on environmental cues to create a sense of stability. When familiar patterns disappear, the mind enters a state of mild alertness.

This response, which forms part of our predictive coding system, is designed to help us adapt, but it can also cause unease when the brain can’t quickly make sense of what’s happening.

The uncanny effect

Liminal spaces often mimic real life but lack the usual markers of activity, making them feel just slightly "off." This sensation is similar to what cognitive scientists call the uncanny valley, where something looks familiar but doesn’t feel quite right.

Emotional limbo

Being in a liminal state can feel like standing in the dark, unable to move forward but no longer able to go back. You may feel numb, stuck, or restless, or like you're watching your life from the outside.

This emotional limbo can cause distress, especially if you try to rush through it or resist the discomfort.

Life transitions that trigger liminality

Some of the most common life transitions also bring with them a liminal quality. For example:

Everyday moments of liminality

You don’t need a major life change to experience liminal space. It can also appear in everyday moments, like when you’re:

• Waiting for medical results

• Sitting alone after finishing a big project

• Feeling unsure between two decisions

• Waking up in the early hours and not falling back asleep

• Standing quietly in nature with no one else around

These moments often feel emotionally charged or subtly strange. But they can also be beautiful, offering insight, reflection, or unexpected peace.

Creativity, dreaming, and spiritual liminality

Some people actively seek liminal states to access creativity or connect spiritually.

Artists often describe entering a kind of “gap” or altered state before ideas flow. In literature, liminality features in coming-of-age stories or supernatural tales that explore the unknown.

Spiritual traditions often use liminal space intentionally (through silence, retreat, fasting, or ritual) to invite insight and transformation. Theologian Richard Rohr calls these periods “God’s waiting room,” describing them as places where deep change can occur.

Finding purpose or healing in liminal spaces

Liminality isn’t a problem to solve. It’s an experience to understand and move through slowly. Here are some strategies that can help:

1. Label what’s happening

Naming your experience gives the brain a reference point. Try saying, “I’m in a transition,” or “This is a liminal space.” It may not fix anything, but it helps you stay grounded.

2. Create small rituals

Use a morning walk, lighting a candle, journaling, or even preparing a favourite tea as a way to structure your day. Rituals offer familiarity when life feels uncertain.

3. Explore creatively

Art, writing, photography, or music can help you express what you can’t yet explain. You don’t need to understand everything before you create something meaningful.

4. Connect with others

Talk to someone who’ll listen without judgement. Therapists are trained to hold space during these transitions, but close friends can help too, especially if they’ve experienced similar shifts.

5. Stay in your body

Practices like yoga, grounding exercises, or mindful breathing bring attention back to the present. This supports your nervous system and reduces rumination.

Can anything good come from liminal space?

Absolutely. While liminal spaces often feel disorienting, they can also be profoundly transformative. These periods give you time to:

• Re-evaluate your values and priorities

• Deepen self-understanding

• Tap into your creative side

• Reconnect with your body, intuition, and emotions

• Let go of roles or identities that no longer fit

Final thoughts

Feeling uneasy in a liminal space is absolutely normal. These moments of “in-between” are part of life, even though we don’t always talk about them.

You might be standing on unfamiliar ground, but that doesn’t mean you have to navigate it alone. Intentionally sitting with your discomfort or speaking with a psychologist or a trusted friend about it can help you make sense of the uncertainty, reconnect with your strengths, and move forward with clarity and confidence.