A recent Eye Weekly article about the Quarter-Life Crisis (also referred to as Quarterlife Crisis or Quarter Life Crisis) began:

You can’t make any decisions because you don’t know what you want. And you don’t know what you want because you don’t know who you are. And you don’t know who you are because you’re allowed to be anyone you want. How messed up is that?

Well, maybe not so messed up as it might seem.  What can be more confusing and overwhelming than having all the choices in the world and not knowing which ones to make?  Especially when it feels as though these decisions are going to affect the rest of your life.  What if they are the wrong decisions?  What if the rest of the world passes you by as you struggle to make these decisions?  It’s enough to cause feelings of hopeless paralysis and anxiety.

The Quarter-Life Crisis is a demography affecting those in their mid-twenties to early-thirties, who are often well-educated and living in urban centres, such as Toronto.  While it may seem like a contradiction, there is a sense of being lonely and isolated even being around people constantly at work, during social functions and maybe also at home.  It may feel as though no one else understands, much less cares, about what you are going through and you find yourself in a consistent state of frustrating “not knowing” about career, relationships, family, the future and life in general.

If these are some of the feelings and issues affecting you, there may be benefits to considering psychotherapy.  Good psychotherapy, that’s a fit for you, can help you cope with stress, anxiety, depression and uncertainty.  Being understood and heard by an empathic therapist in a safe and confidential environment can help to ease anxiety and internal pressures.  You may also find that you feel more comfortable in your own skin, knowing that there is someone who understands and supports you in whatever you may be going through.

If psychotherapy is an option you are considering, I am a therapist in downtown Toronto offering a complimentary initial session so that both you and I can determine if it would be a good fit for us to work together.  Please feel free to contact me with any questions by completing the Contact Form, via email or by phone at 416-931-7110.is