Sometimes things don’t go the way you thought they would. Being away from home can be great, but it can be scary too. Having someone you trust to help you figure it out can be a great thing for young adults.
College students are my absolute favorite group of people to work with. Much of my career has been working with adolescents as they reach graduation – and there were always frustrating limits of working with kids who were still living at home and dealing with parental pressure. College is often the first time that a young adult has the freedom to make their own choices and mistakes – both are limitless. It is a time of exploration, making different choices, and exposure to a lot of new things. It can be difficult trying to incorporate old values and parental expectations with freedom and new ideas. This conflict can create stress, anxiety or depression. Sometimes there are old childhood wounds or traumas that emerge in the freedom that comes from being independent.
While some kids get to college and have no problem whatsoever – things are great academically, socially, and financially – other new students struggle with a variety of issues – motivation, loneliness, relationship issues, stress. It is normal to feel anxious in a new situation, but when that anxiety becomes overwhelming, therapy can help.
It is both an exciting and a scary time and sometimes it helps to talk to someone confidentially that can help you figure out your best path and the choices that make you happy. I offer a free introductory session so that you can come in and meet me; during this hour we can discuss how I might be helpful and you can make an informed decision regarding what therapy is about. If needed, I can help you practice telling your parents that you want to talk to someone – it can be hard telling a family member that you want help to feel better.
Young adulthood is both amazing and confusing. If you are struggling with any of the above issues, I encourage you to come and meet me to see if therapy is right for you.