The transition to adulthood has become more complex. Increased job competition and costs of living along with decreased job and pay security have affected young people’s decisions about careers, housing, and relationships. The volume of information available on the internet about jobs, different locations, and other people’s opinions is difficult to process and complicates a young adult’s decision making. Added to these complications are the expectations young adults may have of themselves and the expectations they perceive others have of them.
Given these challenges and stressors, many young adults resort to a variety of more or less effective coping responses. Many young adults however can benefit from a therapeutic space where they can process information, gain perspective on the pressures they experience, reflect on their options, and develop more effective coping responses. I have worked with young adults who have emerged from such a process with more effective coping and interpersonal skills and who begin to make choices that are more thought out, deliberate, and consistent with their personal values.