3 Reasons Therapeutic Check-ins as Summer Ends are Important
As summer ends and the transition back to school begins, it's important to check in with a mental health provider to help process the transition and any upcoming changes that may occur. The school year can bring many changes like scheduling, new teachers, or maybe a new sport.
So many of these transitions, although fun and exciting, can also bring new challenges to an individual or family. Therapy just isn’t for ensuring long-term success with mental health but can also be very beneficial to aid in short-term goal changes, processing new schedules, or hashing out expectations and finding peace for your family’s next step.
Let’s talk about 3 reasons why returning to a consistent therapeutic schedule can aid in these exciting transitions!
Getting Yourself Acclimated to Your New Schedule
Helping yourself to feel mentally prepared for what the school year will bring by mapping out your schedule, is very important in helping with the transition back to school. Back to school can bring a lot of stress, more planned activities, and sports in the Fall. Creating your schedule beforehand will help you acclimate easier and faster.
This is also a great opportunity for families to come to a neutral space to explore these different areas and receive feedback to help make different schedules easier to blend or to find compromises in needs and wants.
2. Help Process any Changes that may occur during the Next School Year
Whether you’re attending a new school, have a busier schedule, or more difficult classes. Therapy will allow you to process those changes and utilize skills to help you cope ahead with any difficulties. Changes can be very exciting and also quite nerve-wracking, so having a consistent check in with a provider will be helpful in processing your emotions and feelings. Therapy gives you an outlet to discuss your concerns and excitement surrounding the upcoming school year.
Another school year also means parent’s have children that are another year older. Many parents find this difficult especially when big transitions occur such as, entering middle school, high school, or moving on to college years. Finding a therapist to help the whole family navigate these changes is a great way to receive support for navigating all of the exciting, and sometimes hard emotions that may come with these times.
3. Brushing up on Your Coping Skills Before School Starts
Revisiting and relearning coping strategies can be helpful in managing your emotions for wrapping up summer, and starting school. Learning new coping strategies can help you manage your feelings during the school year and it gives you an ample amount of time to review them. Therapists are trained in many facets of coping skills, emotional well being, and different therapeutic approaches to help you navigate through the challenges, and victories, you are experiencing. Each approach can be tailored to fit your needs and address the specific concerns you have in this season. Therapy is a place where you can find yourself, process new and old challenges, and find consistent ways to support yourself when big life changes, like a new school year, can bring.