Young Adults And College Students Face A Wide Range Of Problems
For young people, graduating high school and entering college or the workforce often means facing an overwhelming combination of academic pressure, financial worries, and lifestyle adjustments.
Is the constant strain to perform and manage demanding coursework overwhelming you?
Do you struggle with anxiety and asserting your independence under the weight of financial concerns, such as tuition payments, rent prices, and high living expenses?
Are you experiencing physical and mental exhaustion, chronic stress, and burnout?
Lifestyle Stressors Can Amplify Personal Challenges
It takes time to get used to managing your own spaces away from family and close friends. In a fast-paced urban setting like New York City, it’s not easy to adjust to new environments, manage housing and living situations, and deal with roommate challenges.
Maybe you grapple with anxiety brought on by inner conflicts. Dating and relationships may have taken on a new level of emotional complexity for you. And perhaps societal ideals causing you to have low self-esteem and body image issues, or even depression.
While these years can be trying for young adults, with the right support, they can also be transformative! A skilled therapist can provide you with compassionate space to explore your concerns, develop resilience, and discover strategies to thrive both academically and personally.
Have any questions? Send us a message!
Why Are The College Years So Difficult?
Young adulthood marks a new chapter in life defined by an increasing level of independence. Personal factors like limited life skills, cultural expectations, social isolation, and constant exposure to technology contribute to the difficulties college students experience in overcoming these challenges.
Academic Stress: Completing college coursework requires substantially more effort than keeping up in high school classes, and many students deal with anxiety over their grades.
Financial Concerns: College tuition is expensive, and countless students take out loans to cover tuition payments and other living costs, leaving them worried about their ability to keep up with loan payments in the future.
Social Pressures & Anxiety: Sometimes, it can be tough to connect with true friends in college. Navigating new friendships and adjusting to social norms in an unfamiliar environment triggers stress.
Identity Exploration: During a chapter in life that is often defined by identity exploration, some students question their sexuality, gender, or other core facts of their identity for the first time in college, which can feel confusing and uncertain.
Dating & Relationships: It can be hard to meet romantic partners, and the challenges inherent in maintaining healthy relationships can cause emotional strain.
Depression & Low Self-Esteem: Young adults frequently question their accomplishments in contrast to their peers, leading to self-doubt and struggles with self-worth.
Body Image Issues & Disordered Eating: Social media, cultural ideals, and endless comparisons to others can fuel unhealthy habits among young adults.
Unique Challenges For Student-Athletes
While many student-athletes gain fulfillment and camaraderie from playing college sports, they often have difficulty juggling their athletic and academic obligations.
Added Performance Pressure: Balancing demanding athletic commitments with rigorous academic schedules can feel like managing two full-time jobs.
Academic Load: It’s not easy to maintain high grades while dedicating substantial time to training and competitions.
Scholarship Maintenance: For student-athletes, the need to perform well in their sport to keep scholarships adds significant pressure, as underperformance can jeopardize their financial support and future opportunities.
High Expectations: Subtle pressure from coaches, peers, family, and public perception to meet or exceed standards as “exceptional” or “gifted” individuals can lead to mental and emotional strain.
Limited Social Life: The intense focus on sports and academics leaves little time for student-athletes to build relationships outside of their team or engage in the broader campus community.
Strict Physical Health Standards: Athletes are held to specific body and fitness standards that can contribute to a higher rate of undiagnosed eating disorders.
No matter the specific issues you’re facing as a university student, therapy with Repose can help you thrive during this complicated stage of life.
Therapy For Young Adults Can Help You Gain Confidence And Cultivate Resilience
Living in a metropolis (such as NYC) as a college student presents unique challenges, and we understand the pressures of balancing academic demands with the fast-paced city lifestyle. Through personalized counseling, we can help young adults and college students navigate issues such as financial stress, lifestyle adjustments, social pressures, housing and roommate issues, burnout, and feeling overwhelmed by city living.
The Repose team takes an inclusive, LGBTQIA+ affirming, feminist, and progressive approach to therapy. Since our therapists come from multicultural and multilingual backgrounds, we can provide culturally attuned care to our diverse clientele.
Mental Health Specializations For College Students
Our team specializes in a variety of college mental health issues to help you overcome the many challenges students face.
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We can equip you with practical techniques and personalized strategies to manage academic stress and prevent burnout.
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In relationship counseling, we provide guidance and support for young adults navigating dating, sex, and platonic relationships in college. You can learn about healthy communication skills, explore your boundaries, and foster meaningful connections.
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Our therapists offer a safe space for you to explore your emotions and challenge negative self-perceptions, helping you develop a positive self-image and find fulfillment in your college experience.
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Whether you are exploring sexuality, gender and gender expression, race and culture, or other aspects of identity, our sensitive and affirming therapists are here to support you.
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In therapy, we apply evidence-based techniques for students struggling with social anxiety. Working with us can help you overcome fears and develop effective social skills, allowing you to thrive in social settings and build meaningful connections with others.
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With a culturally sensitive approach, our therapists can guide you in addressing issues like homesickness, cultural adjustment, language barriers, and identity exploration. Our aim is to empower you with a sense of belonging as you embrace your international college experience.
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We’ll support you in navigating the unique financial landscape of college life, reducing economic stress, and building a solid foundation for your financial well-being.
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We offer evidence-based interventions that promote self-acceptance, body positivity, and a healthy relationship with eating in a welcoming setting.
Treatment Approaches For Young Adult Therapy
At Repose, our therapists can draw from a diverse range of treatment approaches to guide young adults along their individual healing journeys. The combination of approaches we use for Individual therapy for young adults and university students will be tailored to your specific needs.
Art and Dance Movement Therapy
These engaging modalities allow you to express emotions through creative physical movement, fostering emotional release and insight. You’ll tap into your imagination and process your complex feelings through dance, drawing, and other artistic mediums.
Therapeutic Yoga and Breathwork
These practices can enhance your body-mind connection, promoting relaxation and emotional stability. Your therapist can recommend yoga sequences and breathwork practices that you can apply at home outside of sessions.
Somatic Experiencing
Somatic therapies target trauma stored in the body, encouraging recovery and resilience. When you engage in somatic experiencing, you can let go of trauma you may have been storing in your body for years.
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) Therapy
EMDR can be a powerful, highly effective alternative to talk therapy for processing past trauma and reducing emotional distress. This modality will allow you to release past trauma without describing the events in specific detail to your therapist.
IFS (Internal Family Systems) Therapy
IFS facilitates self-understanding by addressing inner conflicts. You’ll gain a new understanding of how different “parts” of your personality work to protect you, and how you can integrate these parts to enhance your wellbeing.
DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy)
Through DBT, young adults can learn valuable skills for emotional regulation and distress tolerance. For example, you’ll practice skills such as mindfulness, coping techniques for stressful situations, and handling conflicts while staying calm.
CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy)
CBT enables young adults to redefine negative thought patterns and adopt new, positive beliefs. This modality enables individuals to critique beliefs that may be holding them back so that they can adopt thought patterns that serve them instead.
ERP (Exposure and Response Prevention) Therapy
ERP can aid in reducing anxiety and compulsive behaviors, particularly for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). Your therapist can support you in gradually overcoming your fears so that eventually, you’ll be prepared to face challenging situations on your own with ease.
But You May Still Have Questions About Therapy For Young Adults…
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Many students experience similar struggles, even if they don't openly discuss them. Seeking therapy is a proactive step towards understanding yourself better and developing effective coping strategies for the challenges you face as a college student. It’s a resource that can help you gain perspective, validate your feelings, and enhance your ability to navigate life's challenges.
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At Repose, we believe in individualized therapy. Our therapists customize approaches based on your unique needs and goals. By collaborating closely with you, we can identify what works best for your situation, ensuring that you receive tailored support that aligns with your journey toward healing and growth.
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We understand the financial challenges that students are faced with and, therefore, accept Wellfleet and Aetna Student Health insurance plans to make access to high-quality therapy more affordable for young adults. We’re also preferred partners with colleges and universities in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut, including New York University, Columbia University, Sarah Lawrence College, School of Visual Arts, Pratt Institute, and Fashion Institute of Technology.
You Can Overcome College-Related Challenges And Find Balance In Your Life
Therapy for young adults at Repose can help you get in touch with your innate wisdom and cultivate resilience to overcome challenges and lead a more fulfilling life. Furthermore, you can strengthen your mind-body connection through somatic integration sessions and group healing classes.
We offer in-person therapy at our offices in NYC and Pleasantville and online therapy across New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. To schedule a consultation and get matched with a therapist who aligns with your unique therapeutic goals, preferences, and requirements, please contact us.
More for young adults from the Repose Journal
Yes! We Accept Insurance!
Many of our therapists accept Aetna, Aetna Student, and Wellfleet Student health insurances. When using these in-network insurances, you will only be required to pay the cost of your copay at the time of service.
If you want to use other insurance providers with out-of-network benefits, you are required to pay the full fee at the time of service. When using out-of-network insurance only, we provide you with a monthly superbill (a receipt of the therapy services you paid for) with all of the necessary information for you to submit the claim to your insurance.