Blog by: Anna Themanson, LCPC
Summer is a time when many families go on vacations, rest, and enjoy the warm weather. However, summer can also be a very beneficial time to start therapy for children and adolescents! Having a break from stressors can provide the perfect opportunity to build and strengthen skills needed to manage mental health symptoms. Here’s a few reasons why starting therapy in the summer is a great idea from the perspective of a school counselor.
As a school counselor, one of the most common reasons for visits to my office is school-related anxiety. Whether it is anxiety about grades, social-status, or eating in the lunchroom, some students are struggling to regulate their anxiety symptoms. At times this anxiety can worsen to the point of school-refusal which makes it significantly more difficult to treat at school when a student’s attendance drops. Starting therapy in the summer to learn how to manage mental health symptoms can help increase attendance and overall student success for the upcoming school year.
Therapists teach emotion regulation, mindfulness, and coping strategies (among many other techniques) and remind clients to practice these skills in low-stakes situations. Think of it like studying, you wouldn’t start studying in the middle of a test, you study before so you’re prepared when you do take the test. It’s the same with coping skills. You may not be able to avoid a panic attack, but you can recognize your body’s warning signs, and know when to begin engaging in grounding exercises to lessen the intensity and length of a panic attack. Starting therapy in summer, away from the stressors of school, provides time and space to practice skills so that when school starts in the fall, they are better equipped to manage mental health symptoms they may experience.
Additionally, your child can practice skills and take healthy risks in spaces that they feel comfortable in. For example, if they’re invited to a friend’s birthday party and get overwhelmed, sad, or angry, they can practice coping skills they’ve learned amongst a trusted group which builds confidence in using skills. When they start using coping skills effectively and successfully, confidence in managing symptoms increases which can help decrease intensity of symptoms.
In the past two years, I have noticed a positive difference in students who engage in therapy over the summer months versus students who continue to put it off, often resulting in prolonged distressing symptoms. Overall, starting therapy at any time is beneficial to help support your child’s mental health needs. However, starting therapy during the summer can provide them with opportunities to practice skills needed to be successful in the upcoming school year. Call Graceful Therapy at (630) 733-9108 to set up an appointment for your child with one of our highly qualified therapists.
Comments