Counseling for young adults and college-aged students in Annapolis, Maryland
Being a young adult comes with unique challenges and life transitions.
At Cedar Counseling & Wellness, our goal is to offer you the skills and support you need to navigate these transitions because we believe you don’t have to do it alone.
Why do young adults come to therapy?
Being a young adult comes with its unique set of challenges. Young adults are faced with big life decisions and transitions (what to study, what career to pursue, where to live, who to date, being independent, if/where/when to go to college). These heavy questions and decisions can feel overwhelming at times, made worse if you don’t have a safe space to process it all.
You might be coming to therapy to learn how to manage mental health conditions like depression, anxiety, panic attacks, or just daily stress and overwhelm.
You might be coming to therapy to develop an authentic sense of “self,” figure out who you are and what you want out of life, and develop confidence in both yourself and in your decisions.
You might be coming to therapy to find greater satisfaction in your relationships. Whether it’s issues with family, friends, roommates, or romantic partners, we can help you sort out your feelings and gain skills to build better relationships.
You might be coming to therapy to grieve losses and rekindle hope for a brighter future.
How can therapy help?
Mental health counseling provides a safe, comfortable, non-judgmental place to share your story and process your experiences.
Therapy helps you develop tools, skills, and techniques to deal with trauma, difficult emotions, or experiences.
Therapy helps you learn to develop and solidify your sense of self, embrace yourself, and builds self-compassion and self-confidence.
Relationship counseling for young adults teaches you how to improve your relationships with family, friends, and romantic partners.
Therapy can teach you effective communication skills.
What can you expect in the first session?
The intake session serves two big purposes. First, you’ll introduce yourself to your therapist. We’ll collect information about your background, the concerns that are bringing you into therapy, and what your goals are for sessions moving forward. Your therapist will probably ask some questions to help gather information. You’ll collaboratively create a treatment plan with your therapist, which will guide our future sessions together!
More importantly, this session is an opportunity for you to interview the therapist, to make sure they’re a good fit for you! Having a positive therapeutic relationship is a key ingredient, and we want to be sure that you feel comfortable opening up to them.
What happens after the first session?
Once we’ve established a treatment plan (your presenting issues and goals for therapy), the real work begins!
Every session provides an opportunity for you to talk about recent events, discuss any concerns that have been on your mind, and develop a skill-set for facing the challenges you’re going through.
Some common skills that are learned in therapy include:
Mindfulness: developing an awareness of your thoughts, feelings, and physical sensations without judgment. Learning to redirect your focus back to the present moment.
Using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to identifying and address the thoughts that are holding you back or hurting you.
Deep relaxation techniques for calming your mind and body down when you’re anxious, upset, or overwhelmed.
Basic self-care techniques.
Interpersonal skills: setting healthy boundaries, assertive communication skills.
If you’re ready to get started, schedule your first appointment below.
