Young Adults in Transition
The years between about 17 and 25 are full of big firsts: leaving home, starting college, finishing college, and figuring out what comes next. It's an exciting time. It can also be really, really hard. And so often, young adults are sure everyone else has it figured out, and they're the only one struggling.
Maybe your college freshman calls home every night, overwhelmed and homesick, or has stopped calling at all. Maybe your student came home on a medical leave and isn't sure how to go back. Or maybe your recent grad is back in their childhood bedroom, scrolling job listings and feeling stuck, unsure who they're supposed to be now. If any of this sounds familiar, you're not alone, and neither are they.
Heading off to college
College means suddenly managing so much on your own: classes, sleep, friendships, roommates, money, and your own mental health, often without the routines and people who held things together at home. I help students and families get ready for that leap, and I'm there for students once they've made it, whether they're adjusting to a new place, feeling buried academically, or navigating a medical leave and the return to campus.
From college into the working world
Leaving college can be just as big a shift, and it gets far less attention. Suddenly there's no syllabus, no built-in community, and a lot of pressure to have a plan. I help young adults sort through the big questions about direction and identity, build confidence, handle the stress of job searching and new responsibilities, and start building a life that truly feels like their own.
How I help
So much of this stage is about learning skills nobody really teaches you: managing your time, speaking up for yourself, bouncing back from setbacks, setting boundaries, and taking care of yourself when things get hard. Together, we work on those skills using practical, proven tools like CBT and DBT. But I don't just focus on what's hard. I help young adults rediscover the strengths they already have, and lean on them as they grow. When it helps and your young adult is on board, I'm glad to include parents too, who are often going through a transition of their own.
Why work with me
I spent 14 years as Director of Counseling at Milton Academy, walking alongside students as they got ready to leave for college, and hearing from many of them once they got there. I know what this transition really looks like, from the inside. I've also coordinated closely with colleges, families, and medical providers around leaves and returns. And as a mom of two college-aged sons myself, I get it on a personal level too.
Getting started
If you or your young adult is in the middle of one of these big transitions, I'd love to help. I see young adults in person in Milton or by telehealth, with morning, evening, and Sunday times. It starts with a free 30-minute call with me, and together we'll figure out whether I'm the right fit.