How Life Skills Therapy Helps Young Adults Grow Confidence

Life Skills Therapy

Adulting. It’s one of those words that captures the mix of responsibility, independence, and “figuring things out” that comes with becoming an adult. For some people, the transition into adulthood feels exciting and empowering. For others, it feels heavy, stressful, and even overwhelming.

If you’re living in Chicago, you already know the city adds its own unique layer of challenges. Between navigating CTA schedules, juggling rent prices that keep climbing, building a career in a competitive job market, and trying to maintain a social life in a city that never seems to slow down, adulting in Chicago can feel like you’re carrying an endless to-do list.

Related: Therapy for college students and young adults

The good news? You don’t have to navigate all of this on your own. Therapy—especially life skills therapy—can give you tools, confidence, and support to help you manage the stress of adulting and create a path forward that actually feels sustainable.

What Exactly Is Adulting?

Adulting isn’t just about paying your bills on time or knowing how to do laundry (though those are part of it!). It’s about managing the responsibilities, expectations, and emotional challenges that come with being independent.

Some of the most common adulting stressors we hear about from clients in Chicago include:

• Managing money—budgeting for rent, groceries, student loans, and still trying to save
• Navigating career choices—finding a job, handling workplace stress, or pivoting into a new field
• Building and maintaining relationships—dating, friendships, or even figuring out when you’re ready for marriage
• Creating routines—meal prep, exercise, sleep schedules, and self-care
• Coping with uncertainty—feeling unsure about your future or whether you’re “on the right path”

Why Adulting Feels Overwhelming

Many people wonder, “Why does adulting feel so hard for me when other people seem to handle it just fine?” The truth is, most people are struggling—you just don’t always see it.

Here are a few reasons adulting feels harder than it looks:

• We weren’t always taught these skills. Schools don’t often teach financial literacy, emotional regulation, or stress management. You’re expected to just “figure it out”
• The pressure to do it all. Social media creates unrealistic expectations that everyone else has their life together—new jobs, weddings, vacations, and milestones
• The Chicago hustle. This city moves fast. Between long work hours and crowded schedules, it can feel impossible to slow down and actually process what’s happening
• Transitions take time. Moving from college into full adulthood—or from one stage of life to another—isn’t instant. It’s a process, and that process can be messy. See our page on life transition therapy.

How Life Skills Therapy Helps with Adulting

Life skills therapy focuses on practical and emotional tools to help you manage adulthood more confidently. It blends traditional therapy with hands-on strategies that make everyday life feel less overwhelming.

Adulting in Chicago: Unique Challenges and Opportunities

Living in Chicago shapes the way people experience adulthood. The city can feel like a pressure cooker, but it also offers incredible opportunities.

Practical Tips for Easing the Adulting Stress

While therapy is an important tool, there are also small steps you can start taking today to make adulting feel a little easier:

Therapy as a Partner in Your Adulting Journey

Adulting isn’t about “getting it perfect.” It’s about learning, growing, and building the skills that help you feel more confident in your daily life. If you’re struggling with adulting stress—whether it’s anxiety, depression, or just the weight of responsibilities—you don’t have to figure it out by yourself.

At our Chicago counseling practice, we work with clients every day who are navigating the ups and downs of adulthood. Together, we create a plan that blends emotional support with practical strategies so you can move forward with confidence.

Adulting is tough. But with the right tools—and the right support—you can build a life that feels not only manageable, but meaningful.

• Building Emotional Resilience
• Improving Organization & Time Management
• Financial Stress Support
• Strengthening Relationships
• Career and Life Transitions
• Creating Self-Care Routines
• Community: Chicago is full of neighborhood-based communities—whether you’re in Uptown, Hyde Park, or Andersonville—where you can connect and find support
• Resources: From financial literacy workshops to career development programs, the city has resources to help young adults build life skills
• Culture & Growth: The museums, music, and food scene are all part of what makes adulting here meaningful. Learning to balance responsibility with joy is a big piece of the puzzle.

Practical Tips for Building Life Skills

While therapy is an important tool, there are also small steps you can start taking today to make adulting feel a little easier. One way is to start with just one skill at a time. Instead of trying to overhaul everything at once, focus on a single area—like budgeting or meal prepping—and work on building consistency. It also helps to use the resources around you. The Chicago Public Library, local community centers, and even neighborhood workshops can be great (and free) places to learn practical skills.

Related: Therapist for women in Chicago, Illinois

Another important step is setting boundaries with work. Chicago’s job market is competitive, but burnout won’t help you succeed. Learning when to say no and giving yourself time to rest is crucial. Adulting also becomes more manageable when you lean on your support system. Whether it’s friends in the city, family, or a therapist, having people to turn to makes the journey less overwhelming.

Finally, remember to celebrate small wins. Paying your bills on time, cooking dinner instead of ordering takeout, or simply sticking to a routine all count as victories. Over time, these small successes build confidence and make adulting feel much more doable.

Therapy as a Partner in Your Adulting Journey

Adulting isn’t about “getting it perfect.” It’s about learning, growing, and building the skills that help you feel more confident in your daily life. If you’re struggling with adulting stress—whether it’s anxiety, depression, or just the weight of responsibilities—you don’t have to figure it out by yourself.

Related: Therapist for men and male issues

At our Chicago counseling practice, we work with clients every day who are navigating the ups and downs of adulthood. Together, we create a plan that blends emotional support with practical strategies so you can move forward with confidence.

Adulting is tough. But with the right tools—and the right support—you can build a life that feels not only manageable, but meaningful.

• Building Emotional Resilience
• Improving Organization & Time Management
• Financial Stress Support
• Strengthening Relationships
• Career and Life Transitions
• Creating Self-Care Routines
• Community: Chicago is full of neighborhood-based communities—whether you’re in Uptown, Hyde Park, or Andersonville—where you can connect and find support
• Resources: From financial literacy workshops to career development programs, the city has resources to help young adults build life skills
• Culture & Growth: The museums, music, and food scene are all part of what makes adulting here meaningful. Learning to balance responsibility with joy is a big piece of the puzzle

If you think life skills therapy would be helpful to  you, feel free to reach out to us using our confidential contact form here.