Therapy for Young Adults in Their 20s: When You're "Too Old" for Teen Therapy But Still Figuring It Out

You’re not a teenager anymore. But you’re also not… whatever adults are supposed to be.

Maybe you’re in college, staring down finals and wondering if you picked the right major. (If you’re in that “excited but terrified” place, you might relate to Why Starting College Feels Scarier Than You Expected (And That’s Normal).)

Maybe you just graduated and the “real world” feels nothing like you expected. Maybe you moved back home and feel like you’re going backwards. Or you’re at your first job, pretending you know what you’re doing while quietly panicking.

Everyone told you these would be the best years of your life. So why does everything feel so hard?

Here’s something no one warns you about: your late teens and early twenties are actually a peak time for anxiety to show up or get worse. You’re not imagining it. You’re not weak. Your brain is going through massive changes while you navigate more uncertainty than you’ve ever faced.

And yet, most therapy content out there is written for either teenagers (with their parents making the decisions) or established adults dealing with marriage, kids, and careers. Where does that leave you?

This post is for people in that in-between space. The ones who are technically adults but still figuring out what that even means.

Why Does Anxiety Get Worse in Your 20s?

Early adulthood is one of the most common times for anxiety disorders to develop or intensify. This isn’t a coincidence—it’s biology plus circumstances creating a perfect storm.

Your brain is still developing until around age 25. The prefrontal cortex—the part responsible for decision-making, impulse control, and managing emotions—is literally still under construction. So you’re being asked to make huge life decisions with a brain that isn’t fully equipped yet.

At the same time, the structure and support systems you’ve relied on are disappearing. High school had a clear path. College had semesters and syllabi. But after that? You’re supposed to just… figure it out. The lack of structure can be disorienting, even if you wanted more freedom.

Add in financial pressure, relationship changes, career uncertainty, and the constant comparison trap of social media, and it makes sense that anxiety spikes during this time. You’re carrying more than any previous generation did at this age—and you’re doing it while your brain is still being built.

(If you want a deeper look at why transitions can hit so hard in your 20s, read Managing Anxiety During Young Adult Life Transitions.)

Is It Normal to Feel Lost in Your Early 20s?

Yes. Feeling uncertain about who you are, what you want, and where you’re going is completely normal at this stage. It doesn’t mean something is wrong with you. It means you’re in the middle of one of life’s biggest transitions.

The problem is that “normal” doesn’t mean it feels okay. Knowing that other people struggle too doesn’t make your own anxiety less real. And sometimes what starts as normal uncertainty crosses into something more serious that needs support.

Signs that you might benefit from therapy include: anxiety that interferes with daily life, avoiding things you used to enjoy, feeling stuck or hopeless about the future, difficulty sleeping because your mind won’t stop, physical symptoms like chest tightness or stomachaches, or using alcohol, weed, or other substances to cope.

You don’t have to be in crisis to go to therapy. Sometimes the best time to get support is before things get really bad.

What If I Had Therapy as a Teen and It Didn’t Help?

A lot of young adults tried therapy as teenagers—sometimes because their parents made them—and it didn’t click. Maybe you sat in silence. Maybe the therapist talked to your parents more than you. Maybe it felt like something being done to you rather than something you chose.

That experience doesn’t mean therapy won’t work for you now. Going to therapy as an adult is completely different.

For one thing, you’re in control. You decide whether to go. You decide what to talk about. No one is reporting back to your parents. That shift in power changes everything about how therapy feels.

You also have more self-awareness now than you did at 15 or 16. You understand yourself better. You can articulate what’s bothering you. You’re not just reacting to emotions—you can reflect on them.

And you can choose a therapist who actually fits you. As a teen, your parents probably picked someone. Now you get to find a person who makes sense for who you are and what you’re dealing with.

How Is Therapy Different for Young Adults vs. Teenagers?

When therapists work with teenagers, parents are usually involved to some degree. There are family sessions, check-ins with caregivers, and sometimes limits on confidentiality. That’s appropriate for minors who are still living at home and dependent on their families.

Young adult therapy looks different. You’re the client. Period. What you share stays between you and your therapist (with very few exceptions, like safety concerns). You set the goals. You decide the pace.

The issues you’re working on are also different. As a teen, the focus might have been on school stress, family conflict, or social anxiety. As a young adult, you’re dealing with bigger existential questions. Who am I? What do I want my life to look like? How do I handle relationships when I’m still figuring out my own identity?

Good therapists who work with young adults understand this developmental stage. They don’t treat you like a kid. But they also don’t expect you to have it all figured out. They meet you where you are—in that weird, uncomfortable, exciting, terrifying space between adolescence and “real” adulthood.

What Do Young Adults Actually Talk About in Therapy?

There’s no script for what you’re supposed to discuss. Therapy is about whatever is getting in your way or causing you pain. For young adults, some common themes include:

Anxiety about the future. Not knowing what you want to do with your life—or knowing but feeling paralyzed about how to get there. Worrying that you’re falling behind while everyone else has it figured out. (Spoiler: they don’t.)

Imposter syndrome. Feeling like you’re faking it at school or work. Waiting to be “found out” as someone who doesn’t actually belong. This is incredibly common among high-achieving young adults. (If that’s you, read Why Do I Feel Like a Fraud Even Though I’m Successful? Understanding Imposter Syndrome in High Achievers.)

Relationship struggles. Learning how to navigate dating, friendships, and family dynamics as an adult. Setting boundaries for the first time. Figuring out what you actually want from relationships versus what you think you should want.

Identity questions. Who are you outside of what your parents expected? What do you actually believe, value, and care about? This includes questions about sexuality, gender, career, spirituality, and more.

Past experiences catching up. Sometimes things that happened years ago—trauma, difficult family dynamics, losses—start affecting you more in young adulthood. You might have pushed through as a teen, but now it’s harder to ignore.

Transition stress. Moving to college. Moving back home. Starting a new job. Graduating. Ending a relationship. Each transition brings its own challenges, and they often pile up during this life stage. (If you’re realizing your old coping tools stopped working after high school, you might also like The Anxiety That Follows You to College: Why High School Coping Strategies Stop Working.)

Do I Need a Therapist Who Specializes in Young Adults?

You don’t necessarily need someone who only sees young adults. But you do need someone who understands this developmental stage and takes it seriously.

Some therapists are great with middle-aged adults working on marriage and career issues but don’t quite get what it’s like to be 22 and unsure about everything. They might offer advice that doesn’t fit your situation or minimize struggles that feel huge to you.

Look for a therapist who has experience with teenagers, college students, or young adults specifically. They’ll be more attuned to what you’re going through. They won’t be surprised by the issues you bring up. And they’ll know how to help without being condescending.

It also helps to find someone who uses evidence-based approaches. That means therapy methods that have been researched and proven to work—like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), or Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). These approaches give you actual skills to manage anxiety, not just a place to vent. (If you’re curious about ACT, start here: What is Psychological Flexibility? A Guide for Teens and Young Adults.)

What If I’m Embarrassed to Ask for Help?

Asking for help in your 20s can feel like admitting defeat. You’re supposed to be independent now. You’re supposed to be handling things on your own. Needing therapy might feel like proof that you’re not measuring up.

But here’s the truth: getting help is one of the most adult things you can do. It takes self-awareness to recognize that something isn’t working. It takes courage to do something about it.

The people who struggle the most are often the ones who refuse to ask for support. They white-knuckle through, getting more anxious, more burned out, and more stuck. Meanwhile, people who get help early tend to bounce back faster and build skills that serve them for life.

You wouldn’t feel embarrassed about going to the doctor for a broken arm. Mental health isn’t different. Anxiety is real. It affects your brain and your body. And it responds to treatment.

How Do I Pay for Therapy as a Young Adult?

Money is a real concern for a lot of young adults considering therapy. You might be living on a student budget, just starting out in your career, or trying to build savings for the first time. So let’s talk about how this actually works.

At Aspire Counseling, we’re a private-pay practice. That means we don’t bill insurance directly. This might sound like a downside, but it actually comes with real benefits—especially for young adults.

When insurance isn’t involved, you get full control over your care. There’s no outside company deciding how many sessions you’re “allowed” to have or what diagnoses you need to qualify for coverage. Your therapy is between you and your therapist. Period. For young adults who value privacy—maybe you’re on your parents’ insurance and don’t want them knowing the details—private-pay keeps everything confidential.

(If you want the full behind-the-scenes explanation, here’s a helpful read: Why is Therapy so Expensive?.)

We also use a service called Thrizer that helps our clients get reimbursed by their insurance for out-of-network therapy. Here’s how it works: you pay for your session, and Thrizer handles the paperwork to get money back from your insurance company on your behalf. Many of our clients are surprised by how much they get reimbursed—sometimes a significant portion of the session cost. It takes the hassle out of dealing with insurance while still helping you save money.

We know cost can feel like a barrier, especially when you’re just starting out financially. That’s why we offer a free 30-minute consultation before you commit to anything. You can ask about rates, talk through how Thrizer works, and figure out if it fits your budget.

Don’t let money be the thing that stops you from even exploring options. Investing in your mental health now—while you’re building the foundation for your adult life—pays off for years to come.

Therapy for Young Adults in Lee’s Summit & Kansas City

At Aspire Counseling, we work with young adults who are navigating this complicated stage of life. Whether you’re a college student home for the summer, a recent grad figuring out next steps, or someone in your mid-20s still feeling stuck, we’re here to help.

Our therapists specialize in anxiety, depression, trauma, and the kind of life transition stress that hits hard in your late teens and twenties. We use evidence-based approaches that give you real tools—not just someone nodding while you talk.

If you’re in the Lee’s Summit, Blue Springs, Overland Park, or greater Kansas City area, we’d love to connect. We offer both in-person sessions at our Lee’s Summit office and online therapy throughout Missouri and Kansas.

Ready to talk to a mental health professional?

Call us at (816) 287-1116 or schedule a convienent time for our team to chat with you. We’ll set up a free 30-minute consultation to hear what’s going on and answer your questions. You can start working with a therapist who actually gets what this stage of life is like.

About the Author

Jessica Oliver, MSW, LCSW is the founder and Clinical Director of Aspire Counseling in Missouri. This blog post was written based on conversations with Ashley Elder, MSW, LCSW, LSCSW, a therapist at Aspire Counseling’s Lee’s Summit office who specializes in working with teens and young adults.

Jessica believes Ashley is the best teen therapist in the Lee’s Summit area—and her skills translate seamlessly to young adults navigating that transition out of adolescence. With over a decade of experience in both inpatient psychiatric settings and outpatient therapy, Ashley has seen the full spectrum of what young people face. She knows how to meet clients where they are without talking down to them or rushing toward solutions.

Ashley is a fierce advocate for her clients. She listens in a way that makes people feel genuinely heard—then helps them challenge the thoughts and patterns that are keeping them stuck. She’s trained in CBT, DBT, and TF-CBT, and she’s licensed in both Missouri and Kansas.

Whether you’re a college student, recent grad, or young adult figuring out what’s next, Ashley can help you build the skills to manage anxiety and move forward with confidence.