Nearly half of all lifetime mental health illnesses develop by age 24, and many mental health conditions begin to emerge in young adults.. A mental health disorder is not your fault, and you have the power to improve your mental health. Working with a mental health professional could substantially improve your chances of achieving wellness. It starts with a conversation.

During the pandemic, many young adults struggled with feeling a bit off balance as the world crisis caused or exacerbated social isolation, job changes, and in some cases changes in living situations and relocations. Many report feeling a loss of of stability,, and even a sense of self-estrangement.

I have deep appreciation and interest in this developmental phase, as at least half of my clients are young adults. Many of my clients are grappling with mood disorders, self-esteem problems, relationship issues, and general difficulties around self-assertion, identity, direction, and work-life balance/

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Graduating from High School and moving on to university life is a great accomplishment. Yet, some students may struggle with navigating this new developmental phase and the the transitions to which they must adapt including: increased independence, cohabitating with roommates, separation from friends and the familiarity of home, and establishing new relations in addition to meeting academic demands. 

While mental health conditions like depression, anxiety, and eating disorders have not been common among college students, rates of mental health concerns have increased significantly among college students across America during the pandemic. 

Most universities have counseling resources and may provide counseling sessions on site although it tends to be short-term, and many students are referred to outside providers. I work with college students to first help them create balance and stay grounded, as we work through their difficulties to achieve wellness. 

Graduate students are up to 6x more likely to experience a major depressive episode, and 3x more likely to experience a mental health disorder per a Harvard study.  These numbers increase for Ph.D programs.  Graduate students may lack the support and attention that undergraduate students have access to at school. Grad students may struggle with self-doubt or experience a sense of isolation, as unlike their fellow alumni they are not establishing careers but are not quite the university student. The graduate curriculum is rigorous and demanding, and not purely academic in the classroom. Graduate students are often spending dozens of hours per week participating in research and writing journal articles, attending internships, or working for minimal compensation  teaching undergraduate courses. 

If you are a student in graduate school experiencing symptoms that interfere with your quality of life, contact me to find out how we can work together to control symptoms, create balance, and achieve wellness.