Do you know an 18–24-year-old that hasn’t left home, gotten their driver’s license, and isn’t working or in school? I do, and odds are you do too.
What’s going on with the age group – as it seems so many of them are “failing to launch” (as I like to call it)? From working with this group, as well as raising a couple myself, I continue to notice a common trait amongst them, #anxiety. Some talk about social anxiety and/or general anxiety, but it’s all anxiety, nonetheless.
Why, then, do so many suffer with anxiety? If you ask me, it’s because they are constantly bombarded with information on how badly things may go.
Having social awareness is a good thing, but it may also be considered a bit of a detriment. You see, this also has the tendency to “hold them back” from trying new things. This group, at times, even appears paralyzed by fear, but are left without the ability to articulate what is holding them back. They appear lazy, and may even own that, because who really wants to admit that they are afraid?
I have been working on a group to address the fear underlying this inaction, and am calling it Flying Lessons. I came up with that name as I continue to help the Failure to Launch Youth transform into independent young adults, with all the confidence and life skills necessary to make sure they are making the most out of their lives. As a bird that leaves its nest, spreads its wings, and flies, I am guiding my group participants to do the same.
The group will meet weekly on Thursday evenings. They will go through the 8-week course, with a new group of participants starting once the others finish. For more information and/or to enroll please email Kara (kara@michaelnollcounseling.com) or fill out the form here.
Here’s a couple of related articles worth checking out…
How to Stay Afloat
Failure to Launch Syndrome
Kara Palasz, LPC, CSAC