The Reason Why Might Surprise You
If you ask a person on the street to guess when the busiest therapy month, they’ll probably assume it’s January. That’s when people are making their New Year’s resolutions, and also a time right after the holidays are over and people can get back into their normal lives.
You’d be partially right. January is definitely busy. Typically the busiest month.
Yet, the chunk of year that often feels the busiest, where we get a lot of calls and patients on an ongoing basis that are also more likely to stick with therapy is actually September and October.
September and October tend to be extremely busy, and the reason for this is that September and October are when kids start to go back to school.
Why Would Back to School Season Be Therapy Season?
It may seem surprising that back to school season is also when many people seek therapy, but there are actually many sensible reasons for this to be the case. For example:
- Back to Routine – Once we’re back in a routine it’s both easier to fit therapy into one’s schedule, and also a reminder that one needs therapy when the hectic nature of summer calms down and we have an opportunity to reflect on what we’re feeling.
- Pressure from Parenting and School Year Stresses – Getting your child ready for school and back in school is also when we often find ourselves under a lot of overwhelming pressure – pressure that was not there when you’re vacationing in summer or the kids are just relaxing in a playroom all day.
- Kids Needing Therapy – Not all the calls we get are for adults/parents. Some are from parents of kids that are struggling with back to school. It is often early on, especially after a long break, that a child’s anxiety, ADHD, or other issues start to come back out. Since the curriculum is harder, that may push parents to consider reaching out for additional mental health support.
There’s this belief that people prefer structure, and there is some benefit to that, but most people actually enjoy the freedom that summer provides. Then, school comes back, and suddenly more people are showing up.
Stacy of Right Path Counseling talks about this on her podcast, Why Do People Do That. Take a listen:
People start coming into therapy because they’re back to their routine and they basically remember and feel the pressure of the school year.
Parenting is a challenge. So is going to school.
If you or someone you care about could use some additional support, please reach out to us today.