Counselling and Therapy for Calgary Teenagers and Young Adults

Create the life you want.

Mastering the Transition to Adulthood

The college and young adult years can be an exciting time of adventure, freedom and opportunity. At the same time, the transition to adulthood is a more daunting task than ever before. For many individuals this time can be filled with insecurity, self-doubt and uncertainty. One minute you might feel excitement and anticipation, the next fear, anxiety and dread. You might experience a sense of “feeling in between”—struggling with feeling responsible for yourself and craving independence, and still feeling closely tied to your parents and family.

Young adulthood, also defined as emerging adulthood, spans the period from 18-25 years, and is a defining time—a time you get to dream about your future, your family, your career, and life goals. It’s time filled with new roles in relationships and new challenges and responsibilities. During this time you get to choose the path you want to take and define who you want to become. It’s a time filled with essential life questions: “Who am I? What do I want? Who do I want to love? What do I want my life to look like?” At the same time, it can seem as though you are suddenly expected to know exactly what to do with your life. Unfortunately, the pressure, responsibility and uncertainty of building your whole life ahead of you can leave you feeling unmotivated, confused and overwhelmed.

The Struggle is Real

The evolution from adolescence into adulthood is a time of tremendous transformation. Leaving the security and dependency of your younger self to step into the greater responsibilities and freedoms of adulthood is a big adjustment. This adjustment can be socially, emotionally and academically challenging. You keep asking yourself “Is this all there is?”. You secretly want to reinvent yourself and take a leap, but you’re too overwhelmed and afraid. You thought you knew yourself, but are not sure anymore. Your social life is changing. Your love life is changing. Your workload and financial obligations are changing. Finding a balance between work and leisure is becoming difficult, and maybe you feel hopeless or overwhelmed about the future—confused about what to do and where to go from here. On top of this, there may also be the temptation of drugs and alcohol.

Although many people manage this transition smoothly, this is also a time when many individuals will experience symptoms of depression and anxiety for the first time. There is no question that this stage of life can be fraught, difficult, and painful, even for the most resilient people. Grappling with mental health issues, while managing the mounting pressures of impending adulthood can be overwhelming.

 

Being a young adult these days is not easy. There are so many decisions to make and so many options. You are trying to figure out a career, finish school, build relationships, and start living the life you want to live.

I understand. You have big decisions to make about your life, and about your future. Everyone struggles now and then. But if you feel stuck and have no idea where to go from here, I can help you.

How Therapy Can Help

I understand that you have big decisions to make about your future and that it’s tough. I help you navigate the challenges and twists of life, and help guide you through the various issues you face. I will honour your unique set of life experiences, circumstances and capacities, and work with you to understand your concerns in order to collaborate on mutually identified goals and objectives.

I offer a caring, safe space for you to explore your struggles with openness, curiosity, and compassion. I aim to help you:

  • Identify and define your goals

  • Find your passion and discover your potential

  • Step out of fear and into purpose

  • Develop greater clarity and refine focus

  • Build confidence

  • Manage stress

  • Improve your relationships

  • Develop healthy habits to create positive changes

  • Recognize your innate abilities and develop your strengths

  • Learn how to see with compassion and perspective

  • Learn how to deal with uncertainty and change

  • Become your best self and create the life you want

You are more capable than you know. Are you ready to take the first step?