Young Adults in Frankfort: Finding Direction When You Feel Stuck or “Behind”

Author: Full Circle Counseling & Wellness

Featured Therapist: Asia Rios, M.S., LPC-Intern

Serving: Frankfort & South Suburban Chicago (In-Person + Telehealth)

“Everyone Else Is Moving Forward… Why Am I Still Here?”

If you’re a college student, recent graduate, or in your 20s or 30s and feeling like you’re falling behind, you’re not alone — even if it feels that way.

Many young adults in Frankfort and the south suburban Chicago area quietly carry the same thought:

“I should be farther along by now.”

Maybe your friends are getting married, buying homes, or landing careers that look impressive from the outside. Maybe your path feels messier — changing majors, switching jobs, ending relationships, or questioning what you even want.

At Full Circle Counseling & Wellness, we work with young adults who aren’t failing — they’re overwhelmed by pressure, comparison, and uncertainty in a world that expects clarity far too early.

Feeling stuck doesn’t mean something is wrong with you. Often, it means you’re in a transition — and transitions require support.

Why So Many Young Adults Feel “Behind”

Previous generations were told adulthood followed a predictable timeline. Today, that timeline no longer exists — yet the expectation remains.

Young adults now face:

• Rising costs of living and student debt

• A competitive and shifting job market

• Pressure to be “passionate” about work

• Conflicting messages about relationships and independence

• Constant comparison through social media

It’s no surprise anxiety is common. When every decision feels permanent, it’s easy to freeze — or to criticize yourself for not having it all figured out.

Therapy helps shift the question from “What’s wrong with me?” to “What’s actually going on for me right now?”

When Comparison Becomes a Mental Health Issue

Comparison isn’t just discouraging — it can quietly fuel anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem.

You might notice:

• Overthinking every decision

• Difficulty celebrating your own progress

• Avoiding social situations or milestones

• Feeling unmotivated or numb

• Harsh self-talk that never seems to stop

Social media rarely shows uncertainty, rejection, or self-doubt — but that doesn’t mean others aren’t experiencing it. Therapy helps young adults step out of comparison mode and reconnect with their own values, pace, and strengths.

Career Anxiety: “What If I Choose Wrong?”

One of the most common fears young adults bring to therapy is career anxiety.

Thoughts like:

• “What if I pick the wrong path?”

• “What if I’m wasting time?”

• “What if I never figure this out?”

This fear can lead to avoidance — staying in jobs that feel draining, delaying applications, or constantly switching directions without feeling grounded.

Therapy doesn’t force you to choose a path. Instead, it helps you:

• Clarify what matters to you (not what looks impressive)

• Separate fear from intuition

• Take steps that feel manageable instead of overwhelming

Progress doesn’t come from perfect clarity — it comes from movement, even small movement.

Relationships, Identity, and the Pressure to “Have It Together”

Beyond careers, many young adults feel lost around relationships and identity.

You may be wondering:

• “Should I be in a serious relationship by now?”

• “Why do dating apps feel exhausting?”

• “Who am I without the labels I used to have?”

Identity development doesn’t end after adolescence — it continues well into adulthood. Therapy provides a space to explore who you are becoming, without rushing or judging yourself for not knowing yet.

How Therapy Helps Young Adults Build Momentum

Therapy for young adults isn’t about fixing you — it’s about helping you feel capable again.

At Full Circle Counseling & Wellness, Asia Rios, M.S., LPC-Intern, works with young adults using an empowering, skills-based approach focused on three key areas:

1. Strengthening Self-Efficacy

Self-efficacy is your belief that your actions matter — that you can influence your life, even when things feel uncertain.

When anxiety or self-doubt takes over, that belief weakens.

Asia helps clients rebuild it by:

• Identifying small, achievable goals

• Tracking progress (not perfection)

• Challenging “I’m stuck” thinking

• Reframing setbacks as information, not failure

When confidence grows from experience — not pressure — motivation follows naturally.

2. Learning Practical Coping Skills

Many young adults were never taught how to regulate stress, disappointment, or uncertainty.

Asia works with clients to build tools such as:

• Grounding techniques for anxiety

• Cognitive strategies to reduce overthinking

• Emotional awareness and naming feelings

• Daily routines that support mental health

These skills don’t eliminate uncertainty — but they make it manageable.

3. Setting Realistic, Flexible Goals

Young adults often feel trapped by all-or-nothing thinking:

“If I don’t know my five-year plan, I’m failing.”

Therapy reframes goals as experiments, not commitments.

Asia helps clients:

• Break large goals into smaller steps

• Adjust goals as values evolve

• Recognize progress even when paths change

• Release guilt around changing direction

Growth doesn’t require certainty — it requires self-trust.

Being “Stuck” Often Means You’re Growing

Feeling lost is uncomfortable, but it’s often a sign that something no longer fits — not that something is wrong with you.

Many young adults enter therapy believing they need answers. What they often discover instead is clarity through action, reflection, and self-compassion.

You don’t need to know where you’ll be in ten years. You only need support for where you are right now.

Local Support for Young Adults in Frankfort

Located in Frankfort, Illinois, Full Circle Counseling & Wellness supports young adults across the south suburban Chicago area, including students, early-career professionals, and those navigating major life transitions.

We offer:

• In-person therapy in Frankfort

• Secure telehealth therapy across Illinois

• A supportive, non-judgmental environment

Whether you’re balancing school, work, relationships, or identity questions, therapy can help you slow down and reconnect with your direction.

What It’s Like to Work with Asia Rios, M.S., LPC-Intern

Asia brings warmth, curiosity, and collaboration into the therapy space. Her style is supportive but practical — helping clients feel understood and empowered.

Young adults often describe sessions with Asia as:

• Encouraging without pressure

• Honest without judgment

• Grounding during times of uncertainty

Asia understands that comparison, anxiety, and self-doubt don’t disappear overnight. Her goal is to help clients build confidence gradually — through skills, insight, and self-compassion.

You Are Not Behind — You’re Becoming

If you feel stuck, lost, or unsure of your next step, therapy can help you reconnect with your strengths and create momentum — without forcing answers before you’re ready.

At Full Circle Counseling & Wellness, we believe adulthood isn’t about having everything figured out. It’s about learning how to navigate uncertainty with support and self-trust.

You don’t need a perfect plan — you just need a place to start. Reach out to Full Circle Counseling & Wellness to connect with a therapist who supports young adults in Frankfort and across Illinois through life transitions, anxiety, and self-doubt.

👉 Schedule a Consultation