Quarterlife Center - Counseling for Young Adults

  One thing is certain–uncertainty is an unavoidable part of life. From global crises to personal dilemmas, uncertainty can lead to anxiety, stress, and even mental health challenges. We love predictability–it facilitates decision making and puts much less stress on our brain, which is wired for predictability. We struggle when faced with ambiguity and the unknown. Studies conducted by neuroscientists have shed light on why uncertainty can be so mentally exhausting, and they have provided insight into coping strategies that can help mitigate the impact of uncertainty. The Neuroscience of Uncertainty Our brains are designed to seek stability and security in an unstable and insecure world. The prefrontal cortex is responsible for decision-making and reasoning, and it tries to predict future events based on past experiences. As long as our present experience falls within reasonable norms consistent with past experiences or knowledge, our prefrontal cortex smooths out the bumps and kee...

  Introduction As we step into a new year, it’s essential for young adults to consider their mental well-being (perhaps as part of their new year’s resolutions). Balancing the demands of life can be overwhelming, and prioritizing mental health can lead to a more fulfilling and resilient year. Here are  three valuable tips  for young adults to foster mental health in the coming months. 1. Establish Healthy Daily Routines. Creating and sticking to a consistent daily routine can significantly impact mental health. Set aside time for self-care activities, such as exercise, adequate sleep, and nutritious meals. Consistency in these habits can provide a sense of stability and contribute to improved mood and overall well-being. Small, manageable improvements in routine can pave the way for lasting mental health benefits. 2. Connect and Communicate. In the digital age, social connections are crucial for mental well-being. However, it’s not just about the quantity of connections b...

  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 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...

  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...

Prior to the pandemic, “invisible disabilities,” like mental health struggles, were already prevalent and now they are even more. A silver lining of the pandemic is that mental health is receiving much-needed attention and more people are recognizing its importance. As a result, companies must amp up their mental health support and learn how to properly respond to employees in need. If you’re looking for resources for your company, keep reading! This is bound to have a positive impact on your office dynamics and bottom line. How Can Management Help? 1. Recognize the value of vulnerability It wasn’t too long ago that mental health was a taboo topic everywhere. Slowly but surely the stigma around it is decreasing. The barriers are being broken, and people are discussing how their mental health impacts the overall quality of their life. If anything, the pandemic has increased this effort and has continued to normalize mental health challenges. If leadership is able to genuinely share thei...

Nervous that you haven’t figured out what to do with your life? Worried that you’re getting left behind as your peers move on? Lacking motivation or direction? Trying to find your passion? Thinking about starting graduate school? Struggling in a relationship? Feeling pressure to get married and settle down? Relying on your family for financial support more than you’d like? Feeling overwhelmed by all of the options available to you? If you answered yes to any of these questions, meeting with a therapist can help you figure these things out.  Our therapists   are compassionate and dedicated to supporting you as you make some of the most important decisions of your life. They are skilled at listening and providing feedback about challenges you’re facing and ways to resolve them. It’s common to feel nervous when beginning the therapy process. Our  professional and caring counselors   will work with you to help you feel comfortable opening up about yourself and your relat...

Prior to the pandemic, “invisible disabilities,” like mental health struggles, were already prevalent and now they are even more. A silver lining of the pandemic is that mental health is receiving much-needed attention and more people are recognizing its importance. As a result, companies must amp up their mental health support and learn how to properly respond to employees in need. If you’re looking for resources for your company, keep reading! This is bound to have a positive impact on your office dynamics and bottom line. How Can Management Help? 1. Recognize the value of vulnerability It wasn’t too long ago that mental health was a taboo topic everywhere. Slowly but surely the stigma around it is decreasing. The barriers are being broken, and people are discussing how their mental health impacts the overall quality of their life. If anything, the pandemic has increased this effort and has continued to normalize mental health challenges. If leadership is able to genuinely share thei...

Pronouns: she/her Emily is a licensed clinical social worker who specializes in working with quarterlifers and their families in  individual ,   couples ,  and family therapy. Often her clients find themselves facing more decisions and questions about who they are and what they want out of their lives and relationships than ever before. This is an important time in life when many people ask themselves: How can I feel like what I do matters? Emily became a therapist because she was asking herself the same questions in her quarterlife, and her experiences through therapy helped her answer them. When she’s not working on what matters in therapy, she is usually spending time with her family, cooking, and hiking in Rock Creek Park with her rescue chocolate lab. Education: MSW, Catholic University BA in Philosophy, Barnard College, Columbia University Advanced Training The Washington School of Psychiatry Alvord, Baker & Associates Licenses Licensed Clinical Social Worker Wa...

An interpersonal skills group to support those who want to improve their relationships. When you are in your twenties and thirties, there is a lot that life can throw at you. And here at QLC, we aim to give quarterlifers the skills to deal with those challenges. There are plenty of ups and downs in relationships, whether it’s relationships with your partner, your parents, your friends, or coworkers. One way to improve your relationships and cope with stress is to learn how to observe your experiences, regulate intense emotions, tolerate distress and develop effective interpersonal skills in a DBT interpersonal skills to foster relational satisfaction in a group therapy setting. In this group, you’ll get to learn new skills AND practice them with one another all with the guidance of an experienced DBT therapist. Let’s Dive into DBT Dialectical Behavior Therapy was developed by Marsha Linehan in the 1970’s. While it has initially used for those with borderline personality disorder, or su...