291: Navigating Life Transitions in Adulthood & Letting Go of Timelines - with Marisa Padilla, Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist & Founder of Illuminated Life Therapy

Listen to this episode from Trust & Thrive on Spotify. Marisa is a Black and Latina Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist (LMFT 136357) and the founder of Illuminated Life Therapy, based in San Diego, California. She specializes in working with adults in their 20s and 30s who are navigating anxiety, low self-esteem, and trauma related to relationships.This season of life often brings intense relational and identity shifts, decision uncertainty, and pressure around timelines, comparison, and boundaries—and Marisa creates a grounded, supportive space to explore it all. She integrates Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Internal Family Systems (IFS), helping clients move toward emotional security, clarity, and self-trust.With nearly a decade of experience across mental health settings, Marisa brings a warm, authentic, and empowering presence to her work. She values the importance of showing up as your full self in relationships and supports clients in reconnecting with their voice, needs, and boundaries.Marisa is deeply committed to creating an inclusive, affirming space for BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ individuals. In this episode, we explore the pressures and complexities of navigating life in yours 20s and 30s (and all decades). We discuss life transitions and societal timelines that leave many feeling "behind," especially in a Westernized, individualistic culture that often overlooks cultural values, family dynamics, and collective expectations. As therapists, we also explore our experiences showing up on social media and what it looks like to show up authentically. The conversation also touches on the grief that can come with change, the evolving nature of relationships, especially in one's 20s and 30s, and what it means to trust your path. Wherever you are on your journey, we hope this episode can remind you that you're not alone or "behind."FOLLOW MARISA:INSTA: @illuminatedlife.therapyWEBSITE: https://www.illuminatedlifetherapy.comSTAY CONNECTED:INSTA: @trustandthriveTIKOK: @trustandthriveTHREADS: @trustandthriveFACEBOOK: bit.ly/FBtaramontEMAIL: [email protected]