I have been having lots of conversations lately with people about 2024. Several have shared with me their resolutions. I must admit, in my experience resolutions set individuals up with the possibility of feeling disappointed in not sticking to the aforementioned decision to do, or not do something. This disappointment can sometimes grow, leading to increased feelings of failure, only seeing completion and not progress as a definition of success, and a hesitation in making any goals for the future they want to see come to life.

For our entire school based life, we have had parents guiding us, teachers directing us and friends along side of us. As we graduate college, we realize that our experiences are more individualized then ever before. We are no longer returning to the comfort of what we have known. Summer is no longer the break that it once was. It now seems that those three months have become the pressure cooker of which we will see if we can withstand what is in store or if we will blow our lids.

But it doesn’t have to be so scary. Below are just a few things to keep in mind, as you are, in fact, ready!

The data is clear that the mental health of teens and young adults has been significantly impacted by the constant access to the internet and social media as well as the pandemic. As parents and guardians, sometimes we can feel helpless in how we can combat the impact of these external factors.

Winter is tough for me. Between holidays, cold weather and most impactful for me, it being dark at 4pm, my energy, mood and finding inspiration are challenging to say the least. I realized that I hadn’t written in this space since November, and needed to take some time to assess how best to reflect and engage again in my thoughts and words.

I realized that as spring approaches and I put away my shovels (hopefully for good), prepare my garden/yard, and get my house ready for open windows and summer parties, transitions matter!

Thanksgiving is quickly approaching, which means family time and holiday meals. For high school seniors or first-year college students that can also mean different kinds of stress. Here are some tips and strategies about how to help handle holiday-related stress for each student group.

As a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, I can’t tell you how many times I have worked with individuals to help define their values in an effort to improve their awareness of who they are, how the interact with the world and why they prioritize the things that they do. Be it helping a student recognize how their high-risk drinking conflicts with their values, helping a survivor of assault move towards healing by understanding the impact of trauma on their core values, or in supporting a recent graduate in identifying sources of energy during times of feeling lost by fueling their values. Values provide an incredibly powerful foundation for self-awareness and accomplishing goals we set for ourselves.

As a counselor and coach for many 20 somethings, quite a few have been telling me that they are nowhere near where they thought they would be. I hear things like, “I never thought my life would look like, be like, or feel like this”, “My parents were in their 20’s when they had me, I don’t even have a dating life”, and “I got a degree in something I don’t even want to do anymore”.

Before you book a flight or gas up the car, I hope you will take a look at these tips below for how to plan and conduct productive campus visits. Note that I have included both the standard tips, as well as some more “below the surface” insider tips:

Where are you going to college? What are you going to study?

These two questions are typically those asked to any high school senior. College has become an expectation as opposed to an option. While the income earning potential for a college graduate can be higher than that of a high school graduate, it is not always the case. As the student loan debt soars and the cost of college continues to increase, students and families are weighing the pros and cons of what comes after high school.

Helping your student prepare for college often includes financial aid forms, housing and roommate selection, choosing a major, and numerous shopping trips to Bed, Bath and Beyond. As a longtime Assistant Director of a Counseling Center on a college campus, I have seen a drastic shift in the guidance and support that incoming students and their families need in terms of preparing for college.

During times of uncertainty and change, perspective, gratitude and connections can help guide your way!