Therapy for College & Young Adults
Your 20s and 30s can be the best of times…and the worst of times. Let me count the ways:
1. Identity exploration
Many young adults are still figuring out who they are and what they want from life. You may be struggling with questions related to your gender or sexual orientation, body image, cultural or religious identity, or core values and beliefs. Questions of spirituality, meaning, and purpose are common during this time.
2. Anxiety
Anxiety is the most common mental health-related issue across most age groups. For you, that might look like panic attacks, uncontrollable worrying, overthinking, or avoiding people and places you once cared about. Anxiety can feel very physical, too, bringing on racing thoughts, rapid heart rate, and a feeling like you’re drowning in air. These symptoms can be caused by a range of factors, from genetics to environmental stressors, and can have a significant impact on your quality of life–especially if your coping skills aren’t the greatest.
3. Relationship issues
This can include romantic relationships, family dynamics, and friendships. Many young adults are navigating new relationships, trying to figure out what they want and need from their partners or friends, learning to set boundaries, or coping with the fallout from a breakup. You might also need help negotiating a more adult relationship with your parents, or processing rejection or social anxiety.
4. Career-related stress
Many young adults in this age range are applying to or trying to survive college or graduate school, starting out in their careers or trying to move up the ladder, and this can be a source of significant stress and anxiety. They may be struggling with finding their path, managing workplace relationships, or dealing with difficult bosses or coworkers. Having a compassionate, low-pressure space to explore choices and challenges can be essential during these times.
5. Life transitions
How Can Therapy Help?
Therapy with me is like working together to create a big bubble–a safe, compassionate, nonjudgmental space–where you can feel grounded and secure enough to fly around and explore these issues, without the pressure or criticism that comes from friends, family (OMG family), and coworkers.
You might not like everything that comes up for you in therapy (like strong feelings or realizations), but I think you’ll like how you feel after coming to a few sessions: My clients tell me they feel more centered, grounded, and aware of new possibilities and choices after starting therapy.
Some experience a major shift in how they see themselves and the world. And all of them enjoy the regularly scheduled oasis from judgment, pressure, and confusion that therapy offers.
What do you want out of therapy? Even more importantly, what do you want out of life?
Let’s get to work on answering your biggest questions.