Why Summer Is One of the Best Times for Teens to Start Therapy

The school year is usually nonstop for teens. There is so much going on with school, extracurricular activities, sports, social events and more.  So there may not be a lot of time to focus on emotional well-being. 

But summer is usually different. There are less academic demands, and social and family schedules are more flexible. This is why starting therapy in the summer makes more sense.  Let’s talk about it.

Summer Creates Space for Emotional Growth

That academic pressure that teens feel during the school year can be significant.  

There always seems to be an assignment due, a test coming up, or homework that needs to be done.  Keeping up with these academic demands is important but it can make students feel like it’s the only thing that matters; which can cause them to ignore emotional health red flags, like anxiety, poor self-esteem, stress, or conflict with family and friends. 

When the need to keep up academically subsides in the summer, there is often more room to focus on emotional health.

During the summer, teens may have more mental and emotional capacity to reflect on their experiences and think about how they are really feeling.  Challenges and emotions that were put on the back burner during the school year can now be addressed. 

Therapy can be a safe space where they can identify their stressors, their coping skills and their personal habits that may have contributed to their emotional health. 

“Beginning therapy in the summer provides teens a chance to process and reflect on what went well for them over the school year and what didn’t. This form of structured reflection can help teens put the last school year behind them, “reset,” and build resilience and confidence before starting school again in the fall.” (Mezulis Ph.D., Amy. “Why Summer is an Ideal Time for You Child’s Therapy”. Psychology Today. July 13, 2021. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/whats-parent-do/202107/why-summer-is-ideal-time-your-childs-therapy)

When anyone starts therapy there can be some anxiety as they establish a relationship with the therapist and become comfortable with the therapeutic process.  For teens, waiting to get started at the beginning or in the middle of the school year means they will have to juggle the stress of new classes, teachers and routines, at the same time as managing that “beginning therapy anxiety”. 

Starting in the summer means they have time to work through some of their concerns and practice new skills while their schedule is lighter. Then it can become a part of their routine that can easily be continued when school starts back.

Building a Relationship With a Therapist Takes Time

Trust is a key element in therapy.  

If a teen feels understood by their therapist and they are comfortable with them, then they are more likely to benefit from therapy. A relationship where they have that kind of trust takes time to build, it isn’t automatic after the first session or two. 

Summer can allow for the natural progression of the relationship between a teen and their therapist. Sessions can be more consistent and feel less like an obligation and more like making a choice to work on themselves.  This can lead to them opening up more and feeling like they have time to identify and work on things that need attention. 

It also makes a difference if therapy is getting started before a crisis and not during one.  Being proactive and beginning therapy when things are calm and stable is a great way to build emotional awareness and coping skills, before having to implement them.  

The hope is that when those skills are urgently needed, they will already be in place and ready to use.  Because when a teen is in distress, it can be hard to take the time to learn a new skill and try to use it for the first time.

In addition, when stress arises from academic demands, social drama, family conflict or anxiety, they will have someone they trust (their therapist) to go to for support.  

Start the School Year Feeling More Prepared

Each year there are new expectations, routines, and pressures. For most teens, there is some excitement that comes with a new school year beginning.  But there can also be anxiety, social stress and a lot of worries associated with performing at a certain level. 

Therapy can help teens start the school year with some tools that they can use to address the negative feelings, and it can provide beneficial emotional support to get through them. Knowing they have that support can be a confidence boost so they believe that they can overcome any school-related challenges they face. 

“Balancing school and life can be tough for teenagers. Many teens take on too many responsibilities, leaving them feeling exhausted. Therapy can help them understand why balance matters. It can teach them how to focus on what is most important and when to take breaks.” (“How a Therapist for Teenagers Can Help Your Child Navigate School Stress”. My CHN. April 21, 2025. https://mychn.org/how-a-therapist-for-teenagers-can-help-your-child-navigate-school-stress/)

It’s helpful for teens, or a person of any age, to go into a situation with self-awareness and understanding of their own thoughts, feelings and patterns.  This can give insight into how to communicate needs, regulate emotions, set boundaries and respond to personal challenges.  Therapy is a place where they can develop this understanding and gain this insight. 

Returning to school with an established routine of attending therapy and working through challenges in a positive way, puts teens in a good position to be able to navigate stress when it arises during the school year.  This can make the transition back to school a little less overwhelming and give teens more confidence because they feel prepared. 

In a previous blog we talked about a few other reasons why summer is a good time to start therapy, including family involvement, sibling issues, and structure, click HERE to read more about those. 

Therapy can be a valuable resource for teens at any time of year, but summer offers a unique opportunity to slow down, reflect, and build support before the demands of the school year return. If you are looking for support for your teen this summer, contact us, we can help!