Quarterlife Issues

An increasing number of people in their 20s and 30s are experiencing challenges as they move through their young adult years. Compared with their parents, more young adults these days are living at home, carrying larger sums of debt, and moving between multiple jobs as they seek a career track. Furthermore, in the 1960s, 77 percent of women and 65 percent of men at age 30 had left home, earned a higher degree, become financially independent, married, and had a child. Today, those numbers have dropped to 46 percent of women and 31 percent of men.

PC&CC’s Nathan Gehlert and Cate Shea noticed that more and more young clients were presenting with issues related to what has been dubbed the “quarterlife crisis.” In response to this and their own experiences during their young adult years, Gehlert and Shea developed a therapy group for unmarried young adults in their 20s and 30s. The group, QuarterLife+10, helps young adults explore issues related to work/career, personhood/identity, spirituality, and relationships.

“It’s really normal for young adults to struggle during these years,” Gehlert explains. “What they often don’t realize is that so many other young adults are struggling, too. We’ve found that the QuarterLife+10 group really helps our young clients grow through these years in a supportive and open environment.” He notes that group treatment is particularly beneficial for young adults as it helps them work through their issues, especially relationship issues, in the context of connecting with other group members. “The feedback and support they provide for each other is invaluable,” Gehlert says, adding that group treatment is often a good fit for young professionals because it can be less expensive than individual therapy.