When a Young Adult Feels Stuck

Between about 20 and 25, some young adults stall. They are not working or studying, they spend most of the day at home, and plans keep slipping. It can be hard for parents to know whether to push or wait. Coaching can help young adults rebuild routine, confidence and direction, one step at a time.

Signs to look out for

• not working, studying or training, with no clear plan
• staying in their room or isolated from friends
• days that start late and have no structure
• heavy gaming, social media or phone use
• relying on alcohol or cannabis to get through the day
• low confidence, or avoiding job applications and conversations about the future

Why it happens

The structure of school or university disappears, and nothing replaces it. Setbacks such as a rejected application, a course that didn’t work out or a lost job can knock confidence hard. Anxiety and low mood often follow, and avoidance becomes a habit. From the outside it can look like a lack of effort. Usually it is a young person who doesn’t know how to start.

What you can do now

• Talk about the next small step, not the whole future.
• Agree a few basics together, such as getting up at a set time and one task a day.
• Notice and acknowledge effort, not only results.
• If their mood is low or things are not changing, encourage them to see their GP.

How Synapse helps

Every programme begins with a clinical assessment. Synapse considers suitability and what support is needed, and builds a personalised care plan. Young adults can contact Mollie directly. They meet their Coach first and decide whether to go ahead. Coaching follows the care plan and can cover routine, work or training, and cutting down on gaming, alcohol or cannabis. Because they are over 18, we share progress with parents only with the young person’s agreement, unless there is a safety concern.

Coaching is usually weekly, online (50 minutes) or in person (90 minutes) at home or another place that suits. Where therapy is needed, we bring in a registered therapist from our vetted network and coordinate the team, and our clinical team oversees the work throughout.

Every Synapse Coach has lived experience young people relate to, and that is why coaching works:

Relatability = connection = relationship = engagement = change that lasts

See our programmes and fees.

When coaching is not the right fit

Synapse is for mild to moderate difficulties. It is not the right fit for a young person in crisis, with an eating disorder that carries medical risk, or with a dependence on alcohol, drugs or gambling. If that is your situation, Mollie will help you find the right service. See what we help with.

If you need help urgently

Synapse is not an emergency service. If someone is in immediate danger, call 999 or go to A&E. For urgent advice, call NHS 111. See our urgent support page for other services.

Message Mollie

The first conversation with Mollie is at no charge, with no commitment. She replies within one working day, and there is no waiting list.

Message Mollie