Therapy for Life Transitions
In our 20s and 30s, change can feel particularly constant and overwhelming.
Change and transitions are hard!
We know that admitting that change is inevitable – and often a good, healthy thing – doesn’t make it any easier! Even positive changes, like a new job or new relationship, often come with stress and growing pains.
And with change comes emotion – good and bad – and a lot of uncertainty. Times of transition can lead to increased stress, anxiety, fear, depression, and fatigue and can cause problems with sleep, appetite, and more. When we don’t know how to cope with change effectively, we tend to resort to unhealthy coping skills that feel like a relief in the short term, but ultimately exacerbate the challenges.
Common Life Transitions Young Adults Go Through
Graduating from college or graduate school
Starting full-time employment
Job and/or career changes
Changes in friendships or social lives
Moving
Family dynamics
Grief and loss
Transitioning to College Life
College is an exciting time that we work toward and look forward to for much of our lives. But this newfound independence and freedom comes with many new challenges! Moving away from home, having roommates for the first time, harder classes, new responsibilities, making new friends, and more. In fact, nearly everything in our lives changes when we step foot on that college campus – our location, home, and living situation; the people we see every day; our schedules and activities; expectations and responsibilities, etc!
And if all this change wasn’t enough, the new college phase can bring up thoughts, questions, and struggles related to our identity. You may have questions like… Who am I and who do I want to be as I start this path to adulthood and independence?
Much of how we define ourselves in high school will change when we enter college. Therapy can help you process all these changes and develop new coping strategies to adjust to life as a college student with greater ease and confidence.
Transitioning from Student to Working Professional
Graduating and closing the door on decades of books, essays, and exams can be a huge relief. But now what? Time to enter the highly competitive job market and embark on a new career! Talk about stress and pressure.
Transitioning from student life to working full-time brings with it new pressures and challenges: a new schedule, new responsibilities and expectations, navigating new relationships with managers and colleagues, learning how to monitor our progress and “success” without the structure of grades and semesters, and the realization that summer break no longer exists.
Therapy for life transitions can help you adjust to post-college life and work through early career challenges. These may include performance anxiety, imposter syndrome, setting boundaries, establishing work-life balance, and navigating new expectations in the professional world.
Adjusting After Moving to DC
Moving to a new city – even for exciting reasons, like a new job or new experiences – is hard! Sometimes the excitement wears off when faced with all of the adjustments that come with a new location. You may be far from the support system you had where you used to live, and making new friends can feel daunting. You have a new neighborhood and city to learn and get used to. It’s normal to feel lonely, isolated, and overwhelmed as you settle in!
Therapy for life transitions can help you process the emotions of adjusting to a new place and the loss of the home and comforts you left behind. Our therapists are here to help you work through those conflicting feelings, develop healthy coping skills, problem-solve the challenges, and take tangible steps to ease into your new life in Washington, DC with more confidence.
Relationship Transitions
The relationships in our lives can change drastically during young adulthood. We leave behind our “home” friends when we start college, and after graduating college, we may move away from the friends we have lived so close to for four years. Family dynamics can shift and change as we figure out what it means to be an adult “child” to our parents and other relatives. And of course, romantic relationships may begin and end during our 20s and 30s – sometimes several times – as we figure out what we want in a partner and relationship.
Therapy for life transitions can help you unpack the shifting and complex relationship dynamics in your life so that they feel healthier and more aligned with your needs and values. You can learn skills related to assertiveness, communication, and boundary-setting as you work to build a solid support system.
Our Approach to Therapy for Life Transitions
Our life transition therapists fully understand the array of growing pains and changes that come up in young adulthood. We are authentic, relatable, and here to collaborate with you so that you feel like you are moving through these changes with more ease and confidence. We will help you identify and build upon your strengths while developing the skills you need to cope, adapt, and even thrive in the face of change!
We use therapeutic models such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Internal Family Systems (IFS). This mix of approaches helps us support our clients going through major life transitions. Our goal is to partner with you so that you feel supported working through change and learning the skills to conquer stress and anxiety and cope with uncertainty.
Start Therapy for Life Transitions in Washington, DC
If you are experiencing a life transition (or several at once!), the life transition therapists at our therapy practice in Washington, DC can help you adjust to change, navigate your challenges, and learn new coping strategies that allow you to better adapt in uncertain or difficult times. We specialize in supporting 20- and 30-somethings as they navigate the unique and complex transitions experienced by young adults today. Let’s get started with these steps.
Schedule a consultation with us using our contact form.
Meet with one of our skilled therapists.
Handle transitions in your life with more ease!
Other Services at The Sterling Group
Life transitions can bring up past trauma and current anxiety, and our therapists get that. So, we offer a multitude of services to support you including EMDR Therapy and IFS Therapy. Our individual therapy services include support for relationship challenges, depression treatment, and exploring identities as well as executive function support. We also offer couples therapy for those that are looking to grow in their relationships. We would love to chat with you today about the ways we can support your growth at our counseling practice serving the Washington, DC area, and Online Therapy in Virginia!