How Therapy Can Help with Transitioning [Back] to College
Transitions of College Life
Whether you’re going to college for the first time or returning back to college for another year, you may experience varying levels of anxiety about your transition. Why might this be the case? College is a time for many young adults to engage in experiences they’ve previously never been exposed to. This can be liberating, and perhaps transformative, for some people. You’re experiencing what it’s like to “discover who you are.” But all this change can bring a unique set of challenges for those who may have never experienced these changes before. Let’s take a brief overview of what may be happening:
Leaving The Environment You’ve Always Known
For many of us, there’s safety in familiarity. We know how to navigate this, and this may be the environment where we feel the most confident because it feels so comfortably familiar. College can be a time when this may change for you, especially if you’re going to college out of state without people you know or far away from your family. And for some students, this is their first experience with being completely autonomous and independent.
The Balance of Having to Juggle Everything
There are classes and exams with increased workload. There are new friendships with new people to meet through clubs and being involved on campus. There’s fraternity or sorority life. There is potentially a side job so you can have spending money or money to pay for college. There are parties and exposure to tempting things and situations maybe you’ve never experienced before. And somehow, we have to figure out how to juggle and balance all of these things.
The Freedom of Choice
Because your parents (and maybe most of your previous friends) aren’t around you as often in college, you have a lot more freedom in what you can do and how to spend or structure your time. This can be extremely hard for people who aren’t used to this, and too much freedom can bring anxiety of “what if I don’t make the right choice?” or even a fear that you’re missing out (FOMO) on something because of having to choose something else.
How Anxiety Therapy Can Help
Your Parents or Guardians Don’t Have Eyes on You - But Your Peers, Professors, and Maybe a Therapist Do
Since your parents or guardians aren’t around, you potentially lose the ease of having someone around who may be looking out for your well-being and can notice the signs when “you’re not feeling like yourself.” Speaking to a therapist can bring you peace of mind that someone (and a trained professional at that) is looking out for signs and symptoms of changes, both big and small. Often too, your peers or professors can be another source of this, whether they can provide you with comfort themselves, recommendations of safe people to talk to, or other resources of support to help you.
Gain Insight into Your Feelings and Practice Problem Solving
Talking to a therapist can help you gain insight into what you might be feeling from certain experiences, thoughts you might be having/conclusions you might be making from your experiences, and actions of what you might have done in response to these experiences or what you might be able to do moving forward. You’re engaging in problem-solving and gaining the insight and ability to process what you might be going through.
Finding and Keeping Engagement in Healthy Habits
Therapists often provide their clients with coping skills that help them manage their symptoms and navigate their challenges easier. Regular attendance in therapy ensures you constantly processing your experiences and learning more ways to keep healthy habits that lead to better self-care, easier ways to balance and manage all the things you’re doing outside of your academic pursuits, and increased positive relationships with those around you.
Start Working With A Stress Therapist in Miami, FL
We understand that college students go through a lot when transitioning back to college. Our team of caring therapists would be happy to offer support from our Miami, FL-based service and across the state. You can start your therapy journey to address the stressors affecting you most by following these simple steps:
Contact us to schedule a session
Meet with one of our caring therapists
Start making the most of the college experience!
Other Services Offered With Miami Vibes Counseling
Anxiety therapy isn’t the only service offered by Miami Vibes Counseling. Other mental health services include CBT, ACT, TF-CBT, and parenting support. In addition, we are happy to offer treatment for depression, stress, trauma, grief, and life transitions therapy. Our team is happy to provide support for couples, infidelity, children, and families. Learn more about our other services including ESA letters, support for business or employment stress, spirituality, and online therapy. Visit our blog or FAQs page for more helpful info today!
