Art Therapy for Young Adults

Greater independence doesn’t mean you can’t ask for help

Therapy for neurodivergent & LGBTQ+ young people (ages 10-20) who have trouble managing their emotions

In-Person in Gibbsboro, NJ
Virtual in NJ, CT & PA

Adulting with Neurodivergence

Common Challenges

Legally you’re an adult but more often than not, you feel like you’re in a weird in-between state – kind of but not really a kid, kind of but not really an adult. In the midst of that, you’re trying to figure out your life and art therapy for young adults can help you manage the added pressure of being neurodivergent and the many ways it can complicate this time of life.

Does any of the following sound familiar?

Dropping out or failing a class because you feel overwhelmed with demands
Switching majors, maybe multiple times, because you feel pulled in different directions, and now you’re stressing about credits and what your should do next
Feeling deflated after multiple job changes because you get bored or issues at work because of timeliness, focus, or other executive function difficulties
Feeling emotionally drained because the transition out of high school has felt like the bottom dropped out
Sensing you’ve disappointed your family and arguments about “what you’re doing with your life”
Self-loathing and embarrassment that this isn’t going the way you imagined or what others expected of you
Profound sense of unfairness that being neurodivergent makes everything so much harder
Swinging between optimism because you think you’ve found direction and feeling defeated that you don’t know what to do

Young adult after art therapy for emerging adults

Is your sexuality or gender a fluid situation?

Young queer women after art therapy for emerging adults

Perhaps your biggest challenge right now is your sexual orientation or gender identity.

Uncertainty or conflicted feelings about your sexual orientation or gender identity that makes you feel anxious, confused about coming out to yourself
Clarity about your sexual identity or gender identity but uncertainty or fear about coming out that is causing you to feel like you’re pretending to be someone you’re not
Suspecting that you’re going through the motions in sexual or romantic relationships that make you feel disconnected, ambivalent and emotionally all over the place

Neurodivergence + Queer = Badass

There might not be an easy way to completely manage any uncertainty and emotional distress you’re experiencing, but imagine if the chaos was, well, less chaotic.

Imagine identifying what is working, your resources and your strengths, so that we can identify manageable next steps that can be a foundation for being more successful at school or at your job.

You could finally have less tension with your family because you’re having success moving towards academic or career goals that will lead to greater independence.

Take advantage of hands-on practical support you’ve been missing to prioritize and finish anxiety-provoking or mundane tasks, like calling the school registrar, completing accommodation forms, or completing applications, so you can move past task paralysis towards task completion.

You could feel at ease with your sexual orientation or gender identity, being out on your terms, being in fulfilling relationships or styling your gender presentation so it reflects your identity.

Finally, feel less on edge emotionally, less likely to react impulsively or overreact, so that relationships are less tense and you can communicate thoughts and needs in a way that people will receive.

Emerging adult feeling confidentafter art therap

” I tried that, and it was ok, but…”

By the time you’re looking for a therapist for yourself or your young adult child, you’ve likely tried countless resources – tiktik, youtube, planners, apps. If you’ve already tried therapy, maybe it wasn’t a good fit, or talk therapy was uncomfortable because when your emotions run high, you have difficulty finding the words so you’ve decided you want a more hands-on approach.

Overall, you feel like everything you’ve done has had mixed results, so you’re still struggling. Or if you’re the parent, you’re increasingly concerned that your kid is having difficulty while you’re in less of a position to support them. Either way, solutions have been out of reach.

For young people who need an action-oriented, engaging, multisensory approach, art therapy could tie together everything else you’ve tried, so you finally see real progress – more success and confidence in your ability to cope with changing life circumstances and new demands, and for your family, less worry and an opportunity to build a fulfilling relationship with your young adult child..