Why Summer Is the Best Time to Start Therapy for Your Teen

The end of the school year can be a relief, but for many parents, it also brings worry. You may have watched your child or teen struggle with anxiety, emotional ups and downs, or social challenges all year long. Maybe they had a hard time making or keeping friends, felt overwhelmed by school expectations, or came home emotionally drained more days than not. You might be thinking, How can I help them feel better before this all starts up again? The answer may be simpler than you think: start therapy now—while it’s summer.

If your teen has been having a hard time this year, maybe with anxiety, big emotions, procrastination, or trouble making or keeping friends, they’re not alone. The middle and high school years are full of pressure and change. Many teens feel overwhelmed trying to keep up with school demands, social dynamics, extracurriculars, and everything in between.

Even when they want more freedom, teens can feel weighed down by the mounting responsibilities of adolescence. It’s a confusing and emotionally intense time.

As a parent, it’s not always clear how to help. You might notice your teen withdrawing, getting frustrated more easily, or struggling to focus. They may seem constantly tired, unmotivated, or uninterested in things they used to enjoy. Or maybe they seem on edge more often, reacting strongly to things that never used to bother them.

These may be signs of anxiety and emotional overload. Left unaddressed, these struggles can take a toll on your teen’s self-esteem, relationships, motivation, and ability to thrive.

Why Summer Can Be a Game-Changer

Here’s the good news: Summer can be the perfect window to help your teen reset.

With school out of the way, your teen finally has space to breathe, and engaging in therapy during the summer can give them a chance to:

• Understand their feelings without the added stress of daily homework and social pressure

• Learn practical coping tools they can take with them into the next school year

• Build self-confidence in a calm, low-stakes environment

• Strengthen communication skills and feel more prepared to navigate friendships

• Feel supported and understood can help boost both a teens’ self-esteem and ability to self-start

• Therapy Now = A Smoother Fall Transition

Rather than waiting until your child is back in school and struggling again, summer therapy gives them a head start. They begin to build trust with their therapist, explore what’s been going on beneath the surface, and take real steps toward feeling more in control of their life.

When teens have the time and mental space to focus on themselves, therapy becomes less about crisis-management and more about real growth. Starting therapy in the summer helps your teen build a solid foundation before the chaos of fall returns. Rather than playing catch-up once school starts, your teen can walk in with more emotional tools, better self-awareness, and a stronger sense of who they are.

Therapy offers a supportive space where teens can reflect, build confidence, and learn healthier ways to manage stress and emotions. With this foundation, they will become better equipped to navigate the increasing demands of growing-up. They will also learn how to be more resilient in the face of setbacks and more intentional about choosing activities and relationships that truly support their well-being.

You’re Not Too Late—You’re Right On Time

If you’ve been feeling unsure about what your child needs, or worried that therapy might not make a difference, know this: the work your child does now can shift how they experience the entire next school year.

Confidence and self-understanding isn’t something that magically appears, it’s something we build.

And summer is the perfect time to start.

If You’re Considering Therapy for Your Teen

If your teen is anxious, overwhelmed, or struggling socially, now is a powerful time to begin. I work with teens in Santa Barbara and across California via telehealth, helping them feel more in control of their emotions, more connected to others, and more confident in themselves.

Things I help with:

• Building self-confidence

• Managing anxiety and overthinking

• Improving emotional regulation

• Decreasing procrastination and increasing motivation

• Navigating friendship and social skills

• Reframing negative self-talk

• Practicing real tools to manage everyday stress

Have questions or want to talk more about whether therapy is right for your teen this summer? Reach out—I’d love to support you and your family.