Support for High Schoolers, Young Adults, & College Students
Launch With Confidence: Support Tailored to Adolescents & Early Adulthood
Becoming an adult is one of life’s most exciting, and overwhelming, transitions. Whether you’re a high school senior preparing to launch, a young adult feeling stuck, or a college student navigating independence, it’s normal to face stress, anxiety, identity questions, and relationship struggles.
At Mala, we offer compassionate, trauma-informed, neurodiversity-affirming care to help you navigate this phase with confidence, resilience, and meaningful support.
Our Multidimensional Support
At Mala, we believe success is not just about achieving milestones, but about building whole-person resilience. That’s why we offer individual, relational, and systemic support across all our services.
Individual Support
Therapy (CBT, DBT, ACT, EMDR, identity-affirming) to work through anxiety, depression, perfectionism, trauma, or identity questions
Occupational Therapy for executive functioning, sensory regulation, and daily living skills to foster independence
Medication Management to address underlying mental health conditions like anxiety, ADHD, OCD, or depression when needed
Relational Support
Family Therapy to help parents and young adults navigate shifting dynamics, boundaries, and independence
Parent Coaching to guide caregivers in supporting without controlling, helping parents step into a healthy, new role as their teen or young adult launches
Couples or Relationship Therapy for young adults navigating romantic relationships, communication, and attachment
Systemic Support
Culturally Sensitive Care that honors your unique family, cultural, or neurodivergent background
Academic and Career Stress Support through therapy, OT, and coaching to build real-life skills for balancing demands and building confidence
Collaboration with Other Systems (e.g., schools, doctors, support programs) when additional advocacy is needed
Who We Help
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Facing stress about graduation, college, or next steps
Dealing with perfectionism, anxiety, or self-doubt
Exploring identity, values, and relationships
Navigating peer pressures or family conflict
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Feeling “stuck” or uncertain about career, school, or independence
Struggling with motivation, executive functioning, or burnout
Experiencing anxiety, depression, or trauma impacts
Coping with family tensions, shifting dynamics, or cultural expectations
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Managing academic stress, performance anxiety, or imposter syndrome
Balancing independence with relationships, mental health, and self-care
Navigating identity development (including LGBTQIA+, neurodivergence, or cultural identity)
Facing loneliness, homesickness, or disconnection from supports
Why Choose Mala for Young Adult and College-Age Care?
Multidisciplinary team including psychotherapists, occupational therapists, and psychiatric providers
Trauma-informed, neurodiversity-affirming, culturally sensitive care
Specialized expertise in launching challenges, transition stress, identity exploration, and mental health
Services available in Plymouth, Ann Arbor, Farmington Hills, and virtually across Michigan
FAQs
Q: Do you only work with students who have a diagnosis?
No! We help students and young adults whether or not they have a formal diagnosis. You don’t need to “qualify”. If you’re struggling with stress, anxiety, identity, transitions, or relationships, we’re here to help.
Q: What if my young adult is resistant to therapy?
We often start with parent or family coaching to help caregivers support their young adult in a way that encourages engagement, without adding pressure or conflict.
Q: How can occupational therapy help a young adult?
Our occupational therapists help with executive functioning, sensory regulation, daily living skills, and organization, all crucial for launching into independence. We also help reduce overwhelm and build routines that support success in school, work, and home life.
Q: Do you offer virtual services for college students away at school?
Yes! We offer virtual therapy, coaching, and psychiatric services across Michigan, making it easy to stay connected to support, even when away from home.
Q: Can you help with cultural or family pressures around launching?
Absolutely. Our team is trained in culturally sensitive and neurodiversity-affirming care, helping families navigate cultural expectations, intergenerational stress, and identity issues with respect and understanding.
Call to Action
You don’t have to figure it all out alone.
At Mala Child & Family Institute, we’re here to help high schoolers, young adults, and college students navigate stress, transitions, and relationships with expert, compassionate care.
Contact us today to schedule an intake or learn more about how we can support you or your family.
Recommended Books & Resources
The Stressed Years of Their Lives by B. Janet Hibbs and Anthony Rostain (for parents of college students)
Failure to Launch by Mark McConville (for young adults and their families)
Adulting: How to Become a Grown-up in 535 Easy(ish) Steps by Kelly Williams Brown (for young adults)
Your Turn: How to Be an Adult by Julie Lythcott-Haims (for young adults)
The Jed Foundation (online mental health resources for college students)
Active Minds (peer mental health advocacy for college campuses)
