An inside look at how we help our clients shake things up and move forward

“I just feel… stuck.”

If this phrase sounds familiar, you’re not alone. It’s one of the most common reasons young adults seek out therapy. Many of our clients come to us feeling like they’re doing everything they’re supposed to: going to college, getting a job, exploring who they are, finding their path in life. But rather than feeling accomplished, it just feels like treading water. 

Maybe you feel “trapped” in a job, a major, or even a relationship that isn’t fulfilling. Maybe you wonder if all your hard work has been “pointless.” Maybe you simply feel “hopeless” about the future. Regardless of the terminology, the underlying theme is the same. Surviving rather than thriving. 

This sense of “stuckness” is something we specialize in and help our clients with every day. Here’s how.

Step 1: Acknowledge & accept.

1. The very first thing we do with our clients is get to know their stuckness. How long have you felt this way? Is it a new experience or has it happened before? What sensations are associated with your stuckness? Where do these feelings live in your body? 

As unpleasant as it is, this feeling is there for a reason. It’s a message from our subconscious mind that something isn’t quite right, we aren’t being truly fulfilled. If we try to fight or ignore this feeling, we might continue trudging onward toward a future that doesn’t really make us happy. The stuckness is uncomfortable, but it isn’t there to harm us. It’s there to help prompt change.

Often, simply identifying and understanding this feeling lessens some of the tension you may be carrying around. We help our clients analyze their stuckness as a part of themselves, but not who they are. By separating it — and viewing it with curiosity rather than judgement — we can better understand where it’s coming from and learn how to lessen it or even repurpose it. 

Step 2: Make a plan.

Once we have learned more about what makes you feel stuck, we can begin getting you unstuck. As experienced therapists, this is where our work really begins. We are often able to provide insights on feelings or experiences that clients may not be able to see on their own. Having an outside perspective can reveal root causes, associations, or behaviors are much more difficult to recognize from the inside.  

After these “sticking points” have been identified, we can create a game plan that includes actionable steps. For example, some young adults may find an association between their current stuckness and an earlier childhood trauma. As adults, trauma doesn’t simply go away. Instead, our bodies and brains often try to work through these traumas in new ways, often relying on ineffective coping strategies or harmful cycles of behavior. 

In this case, we would create a plan to reprocess the trauma, support them in gaining more positive beliefs, and build on those new beliefs with concrete accomplishments. Each plan is individualized for each young adult we work with. 

Step 3: Rewrite your future.

You’ve gotten to know your stuckness. You and your therapist created a plan to help you heal, cope, and move forward. Now it’s time to imagine life without it.

What would life look like if you didn’t carry around those background feelings of anxiety, discomfort, or hopelessness? This is the best part of the process — allowing yourself to breathe and simply envision the life you want. Maybe it’s applying for college, getting the job you’ve always wanted, exploring new romantic relationships, or finally feeling at peace. The world opens up when you’re no longer preoccupied with feeling down. 

When young adults feel stuck — overwhelmed, hopeless, or unmotivated — it can be so difficult to imagine putting in the work to get yourself unstuck. But we promise, it is not only possible but also well worth the effort. 

You deserve a life you love, and we are here to show you a new path forward. Book a free consultation today to get connected with one of our therapists.