College Student Therapy – Why Would You Need to go Off-Campus??
Why would a college student need an off-campus therapist like me? There are several reasons college students choose to utilize my services. Many colleges have Counseling Centers with a limit the number of sessions a student can attend. Students also cannot control which therapist they are matched with, so if there is a personality clash the sessions may not be beneficial. If your student really loves the therapy process and frequent check-ins really make a difference for them, a long term option like me helps them get through all of college, not just one semester. I have several clients that use all the sessions they possibly can from their campus counseling center and then transition to me because they have realized they want to do some deeper work that takes more time. Many times, the last semester of college is the one that increases their anxiety the most so they stay with me throughout that time. Also, many new graduates utilize ongoing sessions to help themselves feel stable during the scary transition to adulthood. The college students that work with me tend to have big goals for themselves such as working in NYC, going to grad school, or getting into law or medical school. Big goals can bring up big fears that requires additional support from both parents and a therapist like me.
When you go to college, everything changes. The people, the workload, and how you spend your time all changes rapidly. New environments can bring up lots of fears and insecurities. Anxiety can reach a new level of intensity.
To a certain extent, anxiety is normal. But sometimes, our fears can begin to interfere with the life we want. College innately comes with pressure, and with pressure comes high levels of stress. Some of my college student clients are just starting out and needing support around adjusting to their new life. Their everyday worries suddenly escalate to an unmanageable level. Others are finishing up college and need support managing the unknowns in their future. There are so many unknowns during that phase of life that anxiety can spike to an all-time high.
My college student clients come from schools all over Tennessee. Sometimes they are far from home. They are in a variety of majors – from pre med to music business. Some need to talk to a professor but haven’t been able to do it. Some are studying for the LSAT and need some more effective stress management tools. And in the current economy, most of my seniors have big worries about finding a job. All of these challenges are valid and all of them can be overcome!
Signs your Stress is turning into Anxiety
The following signs of anxiety are things you might be noticing. Not everyone experiences anxiety the same way. But if you identify with a few or a lot of the following symptoms, you may benefit from therapy for college students.
- Being unable to fall asleep or having troubling dreams
- Difficulty eating
- Stomach problems or headaches
- Irrational fears about dying, embarrassment, or tragedies
- Overly worried about grades, money, or health
- Overthinking social interactions
- Obsessing about studying enough
- Easily irritated or angry
- Attempting to control things to the point of creating conflict
- Panic attacks
Therapy Can Help With College Student Anxiety
Throughout my time as a therapist for college students, I have honed my skills in addressing the needs of smart, active young adults that really want to be happy and make something of themselves. I help them figure out how to manage the stress that is getting in their way.
I am uniquely qualified to help young adults like these due to my past work in an on-campus counseling center and my ongoing awareness of the specific challenges that college students are facing at any given time. I help college students advocate for themselves with faculty and administrators. I often help them feel prepared to talk to doctors on their own for the first time. I am sometimes a young adult’s very first therapist. I have several clients that have stayed with me for many years, as well as some that stop sessions when they are feeling strong and self assured and then restart when they identify a new problem. The large number of returning clients I have both warms my heart and proves my help works!
In our work together, we will sort through the things on your overly full plate to see where tweaks can be made. Utilizing psychoeducation, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), solutions focused as well as a psychodynamic, relational strengths based approach we can help you with everything from low self-esteem to landing your dream job.
Reach Out for College Student Therapy
Oftentimes, students hesitate to invest in therapy because they think that their problems are not “bad enough.” Sure, it may be true that there are others having a harder time than you. But that doesn’t mean that your experience isn’t valid. You might also be wondering why you would go with a college student specialist like me over the least expensive therapist out there. Most people believe that the low cost option is just as good.
While I agree that there are a lot of competent therapists out there, I invite you to meet with me anyway. Once you talk to me in person you may notice a difference. I dive right in and I won’t waste your time. I will keep us focused on moving you forward.
Begin Therapy for College Students in Murfreesboro, TN
I use online therapy in Tennessee to meet with college students and young adults around the state from my Murfreesboro, Tennessee based practice.
Schedule a consultation. I look forward to meeting you!
Online Therapy for all of Tennessee
