When the temperatures start to rise and the sun shines brightly during long summer days, life can seem pretty golden. For many, there is a natural lift in mood and a reduction in stress – especially for adolescents on break from school.

Parents, who may have been concerned about their teen’s mood or behavior during the school year, could see symptoms improve somewhat in summer. Heck, at least there’s a temporary truce over homework battles! Worries about their teen’s anxiety, depression, or social issues, often get boxed up and put away with the sweaters and gloves. Moms and dads, who have been on the fence about calling a therapist for their teen, may choose to take a wait and see approach, hoping problems were just temporary. At least, until the next time they find themselves at wit’s end.

Interestingly, summer can actually be an ideal time to begin (or continue with) therapy for your adolescent.

Here are seven advantages to summertime teen therapy:

  1. More time, less distractions: For many families today, schedules are packed beyond the school and work day. Sports practices, dance classes, and tutoring take up valuable real estate on the family calendar. In summer, when many activities slow down or take a pause, there may be more time for your adolescent to tend to mental health issues with weekly therapy appointments.
  2. Out of crisis mode: The stressors that school months bring can exacerbate underlying behavioral health issues such as anxiety or depression. Summer’s reduction in academic and social pressures may take the edge off, allowing a teen to be more open to learning healthy coping skills they can use during more stressful times.
  3. More family time (the upside): The hustle and bustle of the school months can have parents’ attention pulled in different directions. The summer slowdown affords parents more time with their kids. This can give them the opportunity to better observe and note their teen’s behaviors and changes, determining which strategies are working and which aren’t. Therapists will tell you that this parental feedback can be extremely valuable to the therapeutic process.
  4. More family time (the downside): Let’s admit it — sometimes summer brings too much togetherness. Teens may get easily bored or agitated, suddenly clashing with siblings or parents more than usual. Summer can be an ideal time to address interpersonal family issues in therapy.
  5. Lack of structure: Believe it or not, the routine of the academic year provides some security in knowing what to expect most days. This predictability can unknowingly be a comfort to anxious teens. The long summer break is often filled with a lot of down time and uncertainty for teens, potentially increasing anxiety, undesirable behaviors and moodiness. Summer therapy can help teens master coping skills and strategies to better manage their moods.
  6. Prepare for stressful times ahead:  Certain school years seem to trigger more anticipation and worry than others. This can be particularly true for those transitions into middle school, high school, and college. Teen therapy during the summer before a key academic year can allow adolescents to work on self-esteem and regulating emotions –setting the stage for success.
  7. Continuity: Sometimes it’s tempting for parents whose teens are in therapy to take the summer off. Unfortunately, this could increase the risk for backsliding in rapport with the therapist, skills learned, and progress made. Rather than spending September playing catch-up, it may be beneficial for parents to continue bringing their kids in over the summer to keep momentum moving forward.

All things considered, summertime may be the right time to consider beginning or continuing therapy for your teen.

 

<Photo Credit: Morgan Sessions via Unsplash>