Online Support for College and Graduate Students
Therapy for overwhelmed students
It’s finally here. It’s the moment you’ve been working toward your entire academic career. You’ve spent countless nights studying to obtain an amazing GPA. You’ve filled your resume with countless extra curricula to make yourself competitive. You’ve studied and taken your entrance exams, and you’ve finally been accepted to school. You’ve wanted this for so long, and yet something doesn’t feel right.
College and graduate school is a big life transition. This may be the first time that you’re living away from your family, having to use new life skills, make new friends, and somehow manage to get new grades. Speaking with a licensed therapist can help you manage this transition.
Therapy for College Students
Why do I feel so anxious in college?
People feel so anxious in college because it’s one of the most intense developmental transitions of adulthood — academically, socially, and emotionally — all happening at once. To top it all off, your brain likely isn’t fully developed, with most humans not reaching full brain development until their mid-twenties.
Reasons College Students Seek Therapy:
Social Anxiety
Testing Anxiety
Depression
Fear of failure
Pressure to succeed
Feeling lonely
Academic Burnout
Imposter Syndrome
Dating Stress
Roommate Stress
Perfectionism
You don’t have to manage these transitions alone. Working with a licensed therapist can help you navigate these transitions, better manage your mood, and build a life that is uniquely yours.
Why do I feel so depressed in college?
Moving away from home is a huge life transition. You often lose familiar routines, community support, and are adjusting to new dynamics. Even positive transitions can be difficult, at times. In college, you might miss familiar routines, old friends, and family. It can be difficult to make new friends and community. In the midst of this big transition, you’re expected to learn to manage your academic workload, maintain a good GPA, and develop your emerging identity.
Reach out to a therapist if you are experiencing any of the following symptoms for more than 2 weeks:
Persistent sadness
Loss of interest in usual activities
Sleeping too much
Changes in appetite
Difficulty Concentrating
Feeling hopeless
Low self-worth
Therapy for Graduate Students
This isn’t your first rodeo. You’ve successfully completed college and have likely graduated with a high GPA, a comprehensive CV, and are members of several honor societies. You’ve worked hard to study and obtain high scores on your graduate school entrance test, and you’re finally here. Yet, something isn’t right. The pressure of graduate school is so much more than the pressure of college. You’re having a hard time finding time to do anything outside of school and studying. You may even be having a hard time finding time to shower, clean your apartment, or maintain relationships. You are feeling overwhelmed and burnout.
Therapist for Law Students
Getting a law degree is one of the most challenging things that you’ll ever do. Oftentimes, family and friends don’t understand the emotional toll it takes to get a degree in the law. Following graduation, there's the stress of passing the bar, securing a job, and working 60+ hour weeks.
In my personal life, I’ve grown up in a family of attorneys and was required to work in the family law practice throughout high school, college, and graduate school. Professionally, the legal field wasn’t for me, but I do understand the inner workings of the legal field, the workplace demand, and the everyday stressors people in the law feel every day. If you want a psychologist who understands your lived experience, then please reach out today!
Therapist for Medical Students and Residents
Medical school and residency will be some of the most challenging things you will ever do in your life. You will push your body to the limits. Medical school and residency is mentally hard because it combines extreme workload, constant evaluation, identity pressure, and emotional exposure — all during a period of intense professional formation.
Medical School is hard:
Relentless pace (high reading loads)
High Achieving Culture
Constant Performance Evaluation
Exposure to suffering and mortality
Time Scarcity
Financial Pressure
Identity fusion
You don’t have to go through this experience alone. Working with someone who understands the demands of medical school and residency can help. In my clinical experiences, I’ve worked alongside doctors and physician assistants in an integrated health team. I understand the pressure placed on healthcare workers and can help them navigate these tumultuous waters.
How do I know if I need therapy in school?
You might need therapy if you notice a shift in your mood that lasts for more than two weeks. This shift may include feelings of depression, irritability, loss of interest in normal activities, and/or anxiety. If you notice that you’re avoiding your academic responsibilities, such as emails, classes, homework assignments, or clinical responsibilities, then you may benefit from talking with a licensed therapist.
What is evidence-based treatment for college and graduate students?
There are several evidence based treatment modalities that can be useful in addressing your concerns. Depending on your presentation, your treatment plan will likely include:
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Interpersonal Therapy (IPT)
Mindfulness-Based Approaches
Burnout prevention strategies
How to pick a therapist for college students or graduate students?
Picking a therapist is a very personal decision, and it may take a couple of times to find someone you click with. In general, you are likely to connect with someone who has an understanding of your lived experience.
I’m a psychologist in Winston-Salem, North Carolina and have over a decade of clinical experience. I have worked several years in counseling centers specializing in working with the students. In my professional career, I often work with high performers who are attending college, graduate school, medical school, and law school. I have a background working in the legal field and medical field. I am also a product of growing up in a high performing family and am familiar with the stressors surrounding growing up in this environment.
Although rooted in Winston-Salem, I work with clients across the state of North Carolina. I often find myself working with students at the following universities:
Appalachian State University
Wake Forest University
High Point University
North Carolina State University
University of North Carolina (UNC)
University of North Carolina Greensboro (UNCG)
Wake Forest University Medical School
Wake Forest University Residency Program
Elon University
If you would like to work with someone who is understanding of the demands of college, graduate school, law school, or medical school, I am a provider who is well versed in these stressors. Please reach out today if you would like additional support navigating these life transitions.
Reach out when you’re ready — you don’t have to navigate this by yourself.