How You Feel

You thought college was going to be amazing. You were ready to be in a new place with new people and have new experiences. You had a ton of goals going in and felt nervous, but excited. Then you started college and anxiety set in. You feel overwhelmed with balancing out school, friends, family, relationships, and self care.

You knew what you wanted to major in going into college and now you’re not so sure. You’re figuring out who you want to be, while also struggling with things you’ve gone through and/or are currently going through. You feel so much pressure to make all the right decisions so you don’t screw up your entire future.

What You Struggle With

Some people around you make college seem so easy, so you’re doubting yourself and your abilities. Insecurities are building up at a time when you thought you’d finally feel more confident. You’re second guessing everything you’re doing and are terrified to make the wrong move. You find it difficult to concentrate and have to read the same chapters over and over again when studying.

You want to go out with people and enjoy the college scene, but sometimes your anxiety makes it difficult to be present and have fun. Relationships seem like a lot of work and you wonder if it’s worth it. You feel sort of lost and confused about what direction to go in. You find yourself consumed by your worries and stresses: replaying conversations, overthinking all the time, and struggling to just be present. 

Photograph: Pexels-Cotton Bro

Photographer: Unsplash-Sincerley Media

My Approach 

Therapy can be heavy, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be fun or interesting too. If you saw an Instagram post or TikTok that perfectly describes your experience, let’s watch it together and process it. If you went to a party with friends and are feeling good about your outfit, let’s work on continuing to build your confidence up. Got into an argument with a friend and are unsure of how to move forward? Let’s dissect the disagreement and work on how respond in the healthiest way.

Unsure about a date you just went on? We can talk about why and how to proceed. I’m not going to make you read a bunch of books or do a ton of therapy homework (though if you want podcast or book recommendations, I got them for you). But there will be small tasks to do occasionally between sessions, like practicing a new skill you’ve learned in sessions or setting a boundary.

I want therapy to be a great experience for you! You should feel comfortable, heard, and understood when you leave the room. You can say no to someone without feeling guilty. You can learn how to be nicer to yourself and find your identity. You can get to a point where you feel more comfortable with yourself, both physically and mentally. You can make a decision and feel good about it, without spending hours or days overthinking it. In therapy, you can learn tools and techniques to help you be your ideal self. If you come to sessions open and honestly, and work on yourself in and out of sessions, you will get something out of it. 

Doing this work now as an emerging adult will set you up to be a more functional, healthy adult!