Emerging Adult Intensive Program
An exciting collaboration between TAG and Anthony Kuo of Untamed Career
This program is for young adults who:
Aren’t employed or enrolled as a student in higher education
Are living at home or are highly supported in their independent living arrangement
Struggle with routines or independent activities, such as maintaining regular sleep hours, going outside, keeping up with groceries or meals, exercise, cleaning, etc.
Feel “stuck”
Want a clear next step but can't tell which one fits, or where to start
Need a step they can take and the support to take it, and not just more unsolicited “you should ____” advice
Want to feel empowered to create forward momentum in their lives
These days, many young adults struggle with one or more of these:
Feeling stuck in limbo: A changing and weaker market for young hires, job cuts resulting from AI, and the financial strain of the housing market and economy more generally make charting a career or getting hired much more difficult. This can leave individuals with college degrees in limbo, unsure of what market to pursue; it can also leave college-aged students unsure of whether college is even appropriate, or worth the slog, and can be demotivating to those at school but who struggle to see its broader application.
Overwhelmed by the “bigness”: Career planning and job searches, particularly in this market, require remarkable patience, organization, and executive functioning skills to plan and chip away over time. The monotony of the process makes it easy to fall prey to the greater distractions of 2026.
Shame/anxiety feedback loops: Where uncertainty abounds, fear and what-ifs kicks in: what if I pick the wrong path, hate the job, don’t make enough money, can’t hack it, (insert countless other what-ifs)? Stagnation kicks in and begets shame: others are taking steps that I’m not. Shame causes further shut-down, and hopelessness kicks in.
How do we break this vicious cycle?
Introducing: The Emerging Adult Intensive.
This program targets three essential pillars:
Pillar
Direction
A clear enough sense of where you want to be heading (and why)
How we build it
Career coaching
Identify routes to career satisfaction and the steps to get there, bringing joy, interests, and strengths into the conversation on top of the typical “how to get a job.”
Pillar
Structure
The ability to take an idea, identify subgoals, and take steps
How we build it
Executive functioning skills
Build the skills to plan, organize, and do what needs to be done.
Pillar
Willingness
The commitment to tolerate uncertainty, accept risks, and try anyway
How we build it
Exposure therapy
Build the willingness and ability to sit with difficult emotions, take risks, and put one foot in front of the other.
What it Targets:
Stage 1: Foundations
Four focused weeks to get your bearings and build a solid foundation, with three group sessions a week, one for each of the pillars:
Career Group (Direction): identify the foundational interests, style, and needs you need to meet in order to thrive in a career, along with your favorite skills to use. We’ll develop a clearer understanding of what actually fits you, and a shortlist of directions worth exploring.
EF Group (Structure): build daily habits around sleep, meals, and exercise; set up routines and systems for managing time and tasks; learn techniques for organizing, planning, and following through
Exposure Group (Willingness): identify where feelings and thoughts (shame, doubt, anxiety, etc.) interfere with the best-laid plans; articulate how these factors impact you; with lots of support, begin to lean in to these emotions, rather than letting them drive you away from your goals
Stage 2: Momentum (ongoing)
The same three groups continue, with the same team around you, each person growing from where he/she/they began. Graduates of the Foundations cohort join those already in Momentum, with a mix of more and less experienced group members supporting and learning from one another.
Career: keep exploring the options that interest you and shaping your shortlist as your thinking gets clearer. You’ll begin to apply to jobs or schools, network, prepare for interviews, and navigate workplace dynamics.
EF: keep building and refining your executive function toolkit; learn additional skills and perspectives, honing your skillset, and tailoring the tools to what worst best for you
Exposure: continue leaning into fears and feelings that arise as you continue to take [supported] steps towards your goals. As you take steps, you’ll notice your courage building, and that you’re making tangible progress!
Optional Add-Ons augment the three-group program as appropriate:
Power Hour: make use of additional structured body-doubling time to get tasks done. Moderated by TAG staff and attended by fellow participants.
Parent Support: as emerging adults advance in their independence, it becomes time for parents to adjust their role in their adult children’s lives. A separate parent program, individually or in group, is offered to parents, to help navigate the delicate balance of where and how to support, and where and how to step back (our approach is based upon the SPACE Program out of the Yale Child Study Center).
By the end of the intensive, participants will have…
Figured out what really interests them, and what kind of work that could lead to.
Considered the many options between “just take any job” and “go back to school.”
Identified one or two specific paths to try next, and a clear first step on each.
Built foundational lifestyle and executive function skills to be able to manage the greater independence that lies ahead.
Learned to tolerate and better manage interfering emotions.
Turned new insights into real-world action.
Built positive momentum, traction, and confidence from making real progress.
Is this the right fit for you?
Let’s talk it through. Fill out a brief interest form to schedule a consultation.