Quarterlife Center - Counseling for Young Adults

  Are you a parent, grandparent, friend, or loved one of an adult quarterlifer? Quarterlifers are individuals who are in their twenties or thirties. They’re the millennials or Gen Zers in your life who you may notice are struggling right now. Whether they’re back home living with you, suffering from unemployment, generally lacking motivation, sleeping a lot, socially isolating themselves, or just not opening up to you about it, then you may wonder… What can I do to help? If you think someone you know is having a quarterlife crisis, you can help. Here’s what we suggest. What should I do if I think my loved one is having a quarterlife crisis? If you know a quarterlifer who is struggling, you’re not alone. We often hear from family members or other loved ones who believe that their child or friend is suffering. This is what you can do. 1. Recognize the symptoms Symptoms of a quarterlife crisis include: Lack of motivation Irritability Tearfulness Anxiety about the future Difficulty mak...

  The quarter-life crisis is real .  It is an identity crisis (experienced by some as an existential crisis) that occurs as a quarter-lifer (in their twenties or thirties) struggles with the transition to adulthood. If you are facing a quarter-life crisis, here are 3 things you need to know. 1) It’s ok not to have life figured out as a quarter-lifer. If you are unclear about who you want to be and how you want to live your life, try to see this as an opportunity to explore options and experience new adventures. You may feel pressure to have more certainty about where you’re headed in your life, but it’s ok not to have it all figured out–too much certainty can be a bad thing, if it prevents you from taking appropriate risks to grow and move out of your comfort zone. 2) You are not alone. Often, the quarter-life crisis is exacerbated by a perception that your friends have it all figured out already. You may worry that friends are moving forward with their lives while you’ve gott...

The recent shootings in Uvalde and Buffalo have put most (if not all)  quarterlifers  o n edge. These 20- and 30-somethings are right on the cusp – either reeling from their own experiences of shootings in their childhood or fretting about their young children’s safety in public spaces. Managing fear, anxiety, and difficult conversations after incidences of mass violence isn’t something they give adults instructions for. Here’s our best guide on how to cope if you’re feeling especially worried these days. The Rise of Mass Shootings A mass shooting is an incident involving several victims of firearm-related violence. Over the past 25 years, hundreds of mass shootings have occurred, which only contribute to young adults’ general sense of anxiety and instability. Today’s young adults (Millennials and Gen Z-ers) grew up in a world where safety wasn’t guaranteed in schools, grocery stores, concerts, movie theaters, and other public spaces. Here’s a list of just a fraction of the ma...

  Given all the changes that come with pregnancy and parenthood, you might be wondering if the emotional and physical differences you are feeling are cause for concern. While adjustments, including some feelings of sadness and worry, can be normal, there are also signs that might indicate it is time to seek additional support. Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders (PMADs) are a group of emotional and sometimes physical symptoms that can affect pregnant and postpartum parents. Symptoms of PMADs can appear anytime from conception up until 1 year after birth. This group of disorders can affect parents in every financial, cultural, racial, religious or age group and can be caused by changes in biology (hormonal), physiology, and environmental factors. Although less commonly talked about, partners can also experience these symptoms, for men referred to as Paternal Perinatal Depression (PPND). While experiencing symptoms of a PMAD or PPND can be distressing, it’s important to remember tha...

  Dating someone with anxiety can be challenging for both people involved. Anxiety can stand between you and your partner and create doubt and confusion for seemingly no reason at all. Yet, there’s no reason a mental health condition should stand between you and someone you love. Dating someone with anxiety is possible, and there are some key ways that you can prepare. We’ll break down some of those ways in this blog. 1. Learn about anxiety disorders. Learning about anxiety and what it is doing to your partner is the first step. You’ll most likely see it show up in two ways: Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) and/or panic attacks. GAD has symptoms that are similar to panic disorder, OCD, and other types of anxiety. Living with this disorder is often a long-term challenge for those experiencing it. They may persistently worry about a number of areas in their lives or over-think plans and solutions. They may perceive situations and events as threatening, even when they aren’t, or the...

  Given all the changes that come with pregnancy and parenthood, you might be wondering if the emotional and physical differences you are feeling are cause for concern. While adjustments, including some feelings of sadness and worry, can be normal, there are also signs that might indicate it is time to seek additional support. Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders (PMADs) are a group of emotional and sometimes physical symptoms that can affect pregnant and postpartum parents. Symptoms of PMADs can appear anytime from conception up until 1 year after birth. This group of disorders can affect parents in every financial, cultural, racial, religious or age group and can be caused by changes in biology (hormonal), physiology, and environmental factors. Although less commonly talked about, partners can also experience these symptoms, for men referred to as Paternal Perinatal Depression (PPND). While experiencing symptoms of a PMAD or PPND can be distressing, it’s important to remember tha...

The recent shootings in Uvalde and Buffalo have put most (if not all) quarterlifers on edge. These 20- and 30-somethings are right on the cusp – either reeling from their own experiences of shootings in their childhood or fretting about their young children’s safety in public spaces. Managing fear, anxiety, and difficult conversations after incidences of mass violence isn’t something they give adults instructions for. Here’s our best guide on how to cope if you’re feeling especially worried these days. The Rise of Mass Shootings A mass shooting is an incident involving several victims of firearm-related violence. Over the past 25 years, hundreds of mass shootings have occurred, which only contribute to young adults’ general sense of anxiety and instability. Today’s young adults (Millennials and Gen Z-ers) grew up in a world where safety wasn’t guaranteed in schools, grocery stores, concerts, movie theaters, and other public spaces. Here’s a list of just a fraction of the mass shootings...

Have you, or someone you know, dealt with panic attacks? They can be scary and overwhelming. Our therapist, Emily Rieve , discusses panic attacks and how you can get through them and help prevent them. Check out our new vlog to learn more. If you’re interested in scheduling an appointment or you’d like more information, please  contact us .

  The recent shootings in Uvalde and Buffalo have put most (if not all) quarterlifers on edge. These 20- and 30-somethings are right on the cusp – either reeling from their own experiences of shootings in their childhood or fretting about their young children’s safety in public spaces. Managing fear, anxiety, and difficult conversations after incidences of mass violence isn’t something they give adults instructions for. Here’s our best guide on how to cope if you’re feeling especially worried these days. The Rise of Mass Shootings A mass shooting is an incident involving several victims of firearm-related violence. Over the past 25 years, hundreds of mass shootings have occurred, which only contribute to young adults’ general sense of anxiety and instability. Today’s young adults (Millennials and Gen Z-ers) grew up in a world where safety wasn’t guaranteed in schools, grocery stores, concerts, movie theaters, and other public spaces. Here’s a list of just a fraction of the mass sho...

  If you’re a parent of a quarterlifer, you may be looking at your son or daughter in distress. These 20- or 30-something Millennials and Gen Z-ers are at a pivotal point in their lives, and along with everything else going on, the last couple of years haven’t been easy on them. Yet, as much as you want to help, sometimes your actions may be making the situation worse (doesn’t every parent love to hear that!). In this blog, we’ll discuss the top 3 mistakes that parents of quarterlifers make and how you can redirect your energy and actions to actually improve their situation. 1. You offer too much help We all know these types of parents — and you might be one of them. Those that are overbearing and micromanaging. Of course, they mean well and want to help their child. It’s difficult to see your child struggling, and as a parent, you want to do anything you can to help them. However, now that your children are emerging adults, they’re developing independence and autonomy. This is the...

What is Impostor Syndrome? Impostor syndrome describes the feeling that you are an impostor despite evidence to the contrary. For example, you may believe that you’re inadequate or a fraud, and tend to negatively compare yourself to others whom you perceive to be smarter and more successful. Impostor syndrome can happen in many areas of life, but is especially distressing and prevalent in the workplace. Those who experience impostor syndrome at work report having thoughts such as: “I’m just not as smart or accomplished as everyone else. They were foolish to hire me.” “How long is this going to last before people realize I don’t know what I’m doing?” “Maybe if I just take on more hours, more projects, more training, etc., I will start to feel better.” Many who struggle with impostor syndrome have a tendency to focus on their perceived flaws or limitations instead of assets and accomplishments. They often have perfectionist tendencies (setting very high expectations with little-to-no roo...