Challenges in the Transition to College: The Perspective of the Therapist Back Home

The percentage of “emerging adults” in the United States going on to post-secondary education is at its highest rate ever. Most are successful academically and socially during the transition. Some students do not adapt as well. These students may settle down after an initial assessment and brief treatment on campus. Others seek help from or are referred to a local mental health practitioner. Among the population of highly stressed (often freshman-year) college students, there is a not-insignificant number who leave school.

Often a return home is viewed by the teen and family as a “failure.” The clinician must be a person who can see the potential for growth even in these challenging situations, be able to communicate that stance to teens and parents and remind students and their families that true growth takes time.