Life Changes therapy for teens and young adults
I work with people who are figuring out who they are, where they’re going, and how to manage everything that comes with growing up and becoming your own person. If a big transition has left you unsettled or unsure of yourself, we can talk through what’s changed and what it’s bringing up.
What people bring me
People often come in when something in life changes and the old way of coping stops fitting. It might be a move, a breakup, a new school, a new job, or just the feeling that they’re not who they were before. That can bring grief, pressure, relief, confusion, or all of it at once. Sometimes they know they should be adjusting, but they feel behind, stuck, or unsure where they fit now.
- Everything feels different and I don’t know where I fit.
- I thought I’d handle this better than I am.
- I’m not who I was before, and that feels strange.
- I can’t tell if I’m relieved or just overwhelmed.
We’ll make sense of the feelings that show up when life shifts under your feet.
How I work with it
I use CBT, DBT, and Psychodynamic approaches to work with both the practical and emotional sides of change. That may mean sorting through the thoughts that keep looping, finding ways to handle the feelings that come up, or looking at how this change connects to older parts of your story. I keep the focus on what this transition is like for you, not just what it looks like from the outside.
- CBT
- CBT can help us look at the thoughts that get louder during a major change. We pay attention to how those thoughts affect what you do next and how you feel about yourself.
- DBT
- DBT gives us tools for moments when the change feels hard to hold all at once. We work with the feeling in a direct way instead of trying to push it aside.
- Psychodynamic
- Psychodynamic work helps us understand why this change lands the way it does. Sometimes a present-day transition touches older losses, expectations, or roles you’ve carried for a long time.
What the first sessions look like
In the first sessions, we talk about what changed and what the change has stirred up for you. We also look at what feels most unsettled right now, so we can decide together where to begin.
Questions people ask
Can therapy help when I’m just trying to figure out who I am now?
Yes, that’s a common reason people come in. We can use the work to look at what feels different and what still feels like yours.
What if I’m not sure whether the change is the problem or just bringing stuff up?
We can sort that out together. Often it’s both, and the therapy room is where we can look at the whole picture.
Is this the same as life changes therapy for young adults?
It can be. Young adulthood brings a lot of transitions, and we can focus on whichever change feels most pressing.
Do I need to know what I want before starting?
No. We can begin with the feeling of being thrown off or unsettled and go from there.
About Katie McHugh Psychotherapy
Katie McHugh offers therapy for teens in New York for anxiety, self-doubt, relationship stress, and life changes. My first session starts with what brings you in.
Katie McHughLCSW
Talk it through with Katie
Tell us what has been going on and we will take it from there.