TEEN |
YOUNG ADULT | COLLEGE THERAPY

You might feel like, “nobody gets me,” or “you just don’t understand!” You might have the sense to scream, “stop telling me what to do!” Or “I know what I’m doing.”

 

Late teen, young adult years can be incredibly painful and challenging at times. They are pivotal years with compounding transitions, individuation, growth, and development. Sometimes it can feel really lonely. As you might feel you are not who you were and you are not quite who you are becoming. Old ways of being no longer work and new ways feel challenging and awkward.

 

The transition from living with your family to living on your own, is a big one. There are so many changes happening all at once: new environment, new social circles and norms, new independence and expectations, immense freedom juxtaposed with a lot of new responsibility.

 

You might feel overwhelmed by emotions and be experiencing a heightened sense of uncertainty and instability. It is understandable, the period from high school to college, or beyond comes with big reactions and big emotions, sometimes those emotions are so big we shut down, go numb, and get depressed or we get overwhelmed and anxious. This time of life can also evoke deep and profound questions. It is a potent and powerful time, and can be enhanced and stabilized by working with a trained professional.

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Perhaps you notice there are thoughts like, How am I going to do this? What am I even doing? Who am I now? What is my purpose? Where do I go from here? Am I being true to myself or just doing what my parents want? You might be confronted with a deluge of sudden insights and awareness of patterns and habits that were previously unconscious.

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In pivotal times, it is common to judge our intense experience and think we are ‘doing it wrong,’ because it is so much all at once. Feelings of isolation can be intense, and the idea that ‘I am the only one going through this,’ can be frequent. The urge to just ‘put on a happy face,’ while your inner world is in turmoil is heightened. A conflation of feelings is normal and healthy during big life transitions like this. You might notice that you seem to experience ambivalent or seemingly contradictory feelings about the same thing. For example, when gathering with new friends you sometimes feel insecure, sad, overwhelmed, and anxious, in addition to moments of empowerment, excitement, and joy. This is normal! Perhaps you have just experienced a major loss, like a break-up—and you are experiencing unimaginable grief, and you notice that feelings of relief, humor, and anger are present as well. That is normal!

 

You are navigating a major change in life, it can hold a lot of impact and meaning. Nuanced and complex reactions are to be expected. In therapy, you are invited as you are, all of you.

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Maybe you feel full of doubt and you notice you are questioning your choices, yourself, your life as you adjust to change. Maybe you are angry and feel you had no agency in your decisions for change. Maybe you have been thrust into dealing with something you never imagined, don’t want, and have no choice but to deal with it.

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Change is difficult for everyone, and it can be confrontational, scary, painful, and uncomfortable. Big transitions also come with the potential for big growth.

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Working with a therapist during this time can support you in making sense of the adjustments you are having to make, track and contextualize larger themes and patterns in your life, and shed light on some areas of potential unconscious—to support you in moving as lucid and grounded as possible through what can feel like unsteady times. Changing times are often filled with difficulty and uncertainty, and with that they are fertile fields for transformation and healing.

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As a therapist, I have supported many individuals through young adult years. There is a powerful and creative space in groundlessness, and to access the potentiality takes some bravery. I offer a safe and supportive space to feel all your feelings. No feeling is ever wrong, “too big,” or “too much!” There is no “right” timeframe for feelings, or the process you are traversing. It is my hope to align with the cadence of your own healing journey. By honoring you and your rhythm, we encourage recognition and guidance from your inherent wisdom. In honoring this deep knowing, you will come through your changes with integration and wholeness.

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Perhaps, you think your change is not ‘that big,’ and ‘I can do it alone.’ Or maybe the thoughts show up as, ‘everyone has to go through this, and they’re fine—I should be fine too’ and yet you continue in discomfort. Possibly, you think this time in your life is just something to ‘get through,’ or ‘tough out.’ These are normal thoughts! And sometimes our thoughts can keep us stuck, and keep us from the support we really need to grow into who we are becoming. If you’re wondering if therapy is right for you right now, feel free to reach out! I offer a free consultation session, which means we can talk about what you’re going through, and discuss honestly whether we feel like therapy is a good option for you at this point.