Young Adults
Figuring out adulthood is hard. You thought it would get easier by now.
I offer therapy for college students and young adults in Los Angeles and virtually in California and New York.
The first few years after high school are supposed to feel like freedom. Sometimes they do. But a lot of young adults hit this stage and realize the structure that was carrying them is gone, and they're not sure who they are without it or what comes next. Some feel stuck or lost, some are struggling with anxiety or stress that didn't used to feel this heavy, and some look completely fine from the outside while quietly falling behind some invisible timeline only they can see.
This is honestly some of my favorite work. You're old enough to start seeing the patterns but young enough that changing them is very much still on the table.
If you're a parent reading this, you probably recognize some of this too. You're watching your kid struggle and aren't sure whether to step in or let them gain their sea legs. I work with parents at this stage too, not just on how to help, but on how to stay connected as the relationship evolves. The goal isn't to go from involved to hands-off overnight, the goal is to find a new way of being in each other's lives that actually works for both of you.
Most young adults I see look like this
Everyone else seems to have it figured out Or at least that's how it looks. You're not sure if you're behind, stuck, or just in a stage nobody warned you about.
The anxiety is about everything and nothing The future, your choices, whether you're doing this right. It doesn't turn off and it's hard to explain to people who don't feel it.
You're not sure what you actually want Not just career-wise. Direction, relationships, who you're becoming, it all feels up in the air and the pressure to know is exhausting.
This isn't how you pictured it Not a crisis exactly. Just a quiet feeling that the life you're living and the life you imagined don't quite match up yet.
The relationship with your parents has gotten harder, not easier You're adults now but the dynamic hasn't caught up. There's more conflict, more distance, and less of the connection you all actually want.
What we tend to work on
My approach draws on CBT, ACT, attachment theory, family systems, solution-focused work, and psychodynamic exploration. In practice that means looking at what's happening right now and building real skills to handle it, while also understanding where some of these patterns came from, family dynamics, early experiences, the stuff that shaped how you move through the world before you even realized it was happening. When executive functioning is part of what's getting in the way, we work on that too.
This is collaborative work. I'm not here to tell you what to do with your life. I'm here to help you figure out what you actually want and what's getting in the way of it.
Parents come into the work occasionally, but always with your permission. Most parents join at least a couple of sessions. How involved your family is, or isn't, is entirely your call.
What it’s like to work with me
A quick call first. Before anything, we have a short call so you can ask questions, get a feel for how I work, and make sure it feels like a good fit.
First session is just you. We talk about what's been going on, what you've tried, and what you're hoping to get out of this.
Individual ongoing sessions. This is the core of the work. We meet regularly and build on what's actually changing.
Parent sessions when it makes sense. Most parents come in at least a couple of times. But that's always your call, when, how much, and what gets discussed.
I'm available between sessions. We don't just pick up where we left off every week. If you need a check-in or some accountability between appointments, you can reach out.
Next Steps
Ready to get started?
Send me a note
contact@mercedesoromendiaphd.com
(818) 860-2864