SOUTH TAMPA THERAPY FREE RESOURCES BLOG

Elizabeth Mahaney 8/19/25 Elizabeth Mahaney 8/19/25

After the Degree: Finding Yourself Without a Road Map

Struggling after graduation? Learn how to navigate post-grad depression, identity confusion, and career uncertainty with practical tips to thrive in your 20s.

You couldn’t wait to be an adult. Freedom, making money, and no more homework sounded like a dream. Instead, that dream has turned into a nightmare, with Indeed, Zillow, and AI keeping you up at night.

Your first 21 years of life were laid out for you: do well enough in school, advance each year, and eventually earn your college degree. All your friends were on the same path, following the same expectations and guidelines.

Now, things are different. You feel lost, confused, and alone. You’re tired of older family members giving advice that doesn’t apply in today’s world. And scrolling through social media only makes it worse, your friends look like they’re “killing it,” while you feel stuck.

What you’re experiencing has a name. Some call it post-grad depression. Many recent graduates describe feeling lost, uncertain about their identity, anxious about the future, or isolated as they step into the job market.

The degree you were told would guarantee a job didn’t deliver. The clarity and purpose you expected after graduation feel like a foreign concept. And the financial stability you imagined? Nowhere to be found.

So how do you move forward? Let’s explore some ways to thrive in this season.

1. Understand That You’re Not Alone

You’re in good company. Over half of recent college graduates are under- or unemployed a year after graduation. In fact:

53% of 18–25-year-olds live at home (Fry et al., 2020).
61% of adult children receive financial help with housing from parents (Gillespie, 2024).

This transition is disorienting, but it’s also normal. Identity confusion after graduation, and throughout your 20s, is a rite of passage.

2. Focus on Improvement

Graduation resets the playing field. It may feel discouraging, but it’s also an opportunity. This is the perfect time to invest in yourself:

Improve your physical health.
Earn a certification.
Learn a new skill you’ve been putting off.

These small steps build confidence and momentum. Later in life, you won’t have the same freedom to reset, so use this season wisely.

3. Play Your Game

After college, there are no right answers. Life isn’t about grades anymore. Everyone is playing a different game:

You might be playing Chess.
Your friend is playing Monopoly.
Another friend is playing Poker.

So why compare? Your 20s are for experimenting, gaining experience, and discovering which “game” you want to play.

4. Be Useful

Feeling lost doesn’t mean you can’t help others. Volunteering, contributing to your community, or supporting causes you care about can give you a sense of purpose.

Helping others also releases the same “feel-good” chemicals as exercising, laughing, or being creative. Endorphins > Dopamine.

5. Control What You Can Control

Set small, achievable goals that depend only on you:

Wake up at a certain time.
Apply for 5 jobs a day.
Spend 10 minutes learning something new.

Avoid goals that rely on outside circumstances (like “I’ll get a job by X date”). Building confidence comes from keeping the promises you make to yourself.

6. Own Your Story

Two people can be in the same situation, unemployed, living at home, broke, but tell very different stories.

Person A: “My life sucks.”
Person B: “This is the tough chapter that makes my success story worth telling.”

You can’t always control circumstances, but you can control the story you tell yourself. You hold the pen.

Final Thoughts

Graduation doesn’t come with a road map. But this season of uncertainty isn’t wasted time, it’s the messy, meaningful part of your story where resilience, identity, and purpose are forged.

If you’re struggling to navigate life after graduation, you don’t have to do it alone. Therapy can help you find clarity, build confidence, and create a life that feels meaningful on your own terms.

👉 Struggling to navigate life in your 20s? Reach out today to schedule a consultation with me, Will Tucker, MHCI: https://SouthTampaTherapyBOOKAPPT.as.me/WilliamT

William’s style is direct, relational, and grounded in real-world experience, blending person-centered, CBT, narrative, and existential approaches. He connects deeply with teens, young men, couples and individuals navigating life transitions, identity, and relationships—helping clients clarify values, shift unhelpful self-talk and create meaningful change through honest conversations, clear goals and steady progress toward lasting growth and confidence. As a college baseball coach, he helps men of all ages.

References:

Fry, R., Passel, J. S., & Cohn, D. (2020). A majority of young adults in the U.S. live with their parents for the first time since the Great Depression. Pew Research Center.
Gillespie, L. (2024). Survey: 61% of parents with adult children have sacrificed to help their kids financially. Bankrate.

Elizabeth Mahaney 6/10/25 Elizabeth Mahaney 6/10/25

Coping Skills for Teens That Actually Work (According to a Therapist)

At South Tampa Therapy, I work with teens and young adults to build emotional resilience, not

just short-term fixes. Together, we explore what coping looks like for them, not what works for

someone else.

It’s never too early (or too late) to learn how to take care of your emotional world.

Want to help your teen (or yourself) build real tools for real life? Reach out to schedule a session

today. Let’s make emotional wellness feel a little more doable.

Not all coping skills are created equal. Discover practical, therapist-approved tools that help

teens manage anxiety, stress, and big emotions—without shutting down.

“I Just Don’t Know How to Deal With It.”

If you’re a teen (or love one), you’ve probably heard this phrase before, maybe even said it

yourself.

Between school pressure, social drama, family stress, and just trying to figure out who you are, it

can feel like you’re carrying a lot. And most of the time, no one really teaches you how to

actually cope with it all.

Here’s the truth: Coping is a skill. It’s not something you’re just born knowing how to do. And

the good news is—it can be learned.

Let’s break down what coping really means, what doesn’t work (even if it feels good in the

moment), and what actually helps teens feel more grounded, safe, and in control.

What Are Coping Skills, Really?

Coping skills are the tools we use, consciously or not, to manage stress, emotions, and hard

situations. Some are healthy and help us grow. Others just help us get by (and sometimes, make

things worse long-term).

If you’ve ever scrolled on your phone for hours, zoned out in bed, picked a fight with your

parents, or told yourself to “just get over it,” you were coping. Maybe not in the most helpful

way—but still, coping.

Healthy coping skills are tools that help you move through emotions, not around them. They

allow you to feel what you feel without getting stuck or overwhelmed.

What Doesn’t Work (Even If It Feels Like It Does)

Let’s be real—some go-to habits might feel good in the moment, but they don’t help much in the

long run:

● Avoiding everything and shutting down

● Numbing out with screens, food, or substances

● Pretending you’re fine when you’re clearly not

● Bottling everything up until you explode

You deserve better than just surviving.

Coping Tools That Actually Work—for Real Teens

Here are therapist-approved coping strategies I often use with teens in my practice. These aren’t

one-size-fits-all, but they’re a strong start if you’re trying to feel more in control of your

emotions and less overwhelmed by life.

1. 🌬Box Breathing (For Panic and Overwhelm)

Try this when your heart’s racing or you can’t think straight.

Inhale for 4. Hold for 4. Exhale for 4. Hold for 4.

Repeat 4 times. It slows your nervous system down and helps you reset.

2. 󰜻“Dump Journal” (For Overthinking)

Set a timer for 10 minutes. Write everything in your brain—no filter, no judgment. You don’t

have to re-read it. Just let it out. It helps turn mental chaos into something manageable.

3. 🧊Cold Sensation Hack (For Intense Emotion)

Splash your face with cold water or hold an ice cube in your hand. This quick sensory shift can

pull you out of spirals and help you regulate.

4. 🧠Name It to Tame It

Label what you’re feeling—even if it’s messy: “I’m overwhelmed and exhausted,” or “I feel

invisible right now.”

Your brain calms down when it knows what it’s dealing with.

5. 🫶Create a Coping Box

Fill a small box or bag with calming items—fidget toys, a soothing scent, affirmations, or photos

that remind you of safety. Reach for it when you need grounding.

6. 🚶Move Your Body (Without Judgment)

Not every coping skill needs to look like yoga or a workout. Dance. Pace. Shake it out. Physical

movement literally helps you move stress through your body.

7. 🧭Ask: “What Do I Need Right Now?”

This is a big one. When you’re in a spiral, pause and ask yourself:

“Do I need comfort, distraction, space, support, or movement?”

Learning to listen to yourself is a superpower.

A Quick Note to Teens Reading This

You don’t need to have it all figured out. Coping isn’t about being perfect; it’s about being

honest, self-aware, and willing to try something different. Your feelings are valid. Your reactions

make sense. And with the right tools, it does get easier to handle life’s messiness.

A Note for Parents & Caregivers

If your teen seems withdrawn, irritable, or overwhelmed, chances are they’re not “just being

dramatic”—they’re likely trying to cope with big emotions the best way they know how.

Modeling emotional regulation and helping them build a real coping toolkit (without judgment)

can make a huge difference.

Therapy Can Help Build Lifelong Coping Skills