Best Life Therapy Blogs - Grief, Anxiety, Stress & More
- posted: May 12, 2025
Blog Post Written by Vicky Alvarez, CEO and Clinical Therapist.
For many of us, we feel our best when the sun is out and temps are warm. So, why schedule therapy now? The increased sunlight and Vitamin D accompanied by more time outside can contribute to improved mood and energy. For many Michigan residents, we know the winter months are hard. We all know the cold temps and cloudy days will return. If you have Seasonal Affective Disorder, often characterized as the “winter blues,” you know how difficult winter can be. So, why do we need therapy in spring and summer months? Doesn’t it make sense to just get outside and enjoy it? There are a lot of reasons why it can be a good idea to get started in therapy during the spring and summer. Mental health therapy when the temps are warm can be enjoyable. Getting connected with a therapist now to prevent worsening symptoms is fairly common. Many people want to develop a therapeutic relationship before they find themselves in the worst stages and desperately needing depression help. This concept is similar to getting connected with a primary care doctor before you become seriously ill. Most of us would not want to wait to do that.
Below you’ll find 10 reasons why getting started in therapy during the spring and summer months might be a good idea:
- Therapy can help prevent worsening issues. There are many mental health conditions that worsen when left untreated. Anxiety can result in the development of panic attacks. Depression, when ignored, can increase the risk of suicidal thoughts. Ignoring symptoms of depression also increases the likelihood of substance abuse. Worsening symptoms can result in people needing a high level of care. Instead of needing outpatient therapy, they end up needing admitted to a day treatment program or a psychiatric hospital. Long term consequences of ignoring mental health symptoms include social withdrawal, job instability, poor school attendance and for some, homelessness. When childhood behavior is the issue, more serious consequences can occur. Instead of school suspensions we sometimes see legal issues because of a lack of impulse control/a tendency to defy rules. Outpatient therapy is appropriate for people who do not have severe symptoms. If your child is argumentative and refuses to do what they are told, it can help to get them involved in therapy early. Parents training is sometimes necessary as well to help support parents and guide them as they learn to manage challenging behavior.
- Getting to know a new therapist takes time and energy. During the warmer months, our energy levels tend to be higher. If you or your child struggle with depression in the winter, it is often difficult for them to get started because of low energy levels. Having to manage both school and therapy appointments can be challenging. Being able to establish a positive rapport with a therapist takes time. Sometimes getting started before symptoms increase in frequency or intensity can be a good idea.
- Schedules tend to be more flexible during the summer months. Most children, adolescents, teens, school employees and administrators have more availability in their schedules during the summer. This means there will be fewer school absences/absences from work. Working on strategies to manage stress now can make things easier when the busy routines start up again. It’s important to address symptoms of stress before burnout begins. Having days off can help but that usually does not address the underlying issues.
- It’s easier to learn healthy coping skills when we are not dealing with severe stress and strong emotions. When we’re in a state of high stress or anxiety or have recently witnessed a traumatic event, it can be hard for us to get to know a new therapist. Our ability to concentrate can be impacted and we sometimes feel like we are in a fog. The emotional center of a brain, the amygdala, is on overdrive during those hard days and our ability to communicate and problem solve can be harder to access. Helping your therapist develop a treatment plan that works for you when you are calm can set the stage for therapy sessions that are even more meaningful and effective. Learning coping skills now can give you/your son/daughter time to practice these strategies before emotions intensify and symptoms worsen. The spring and summer months are ideal for skill building.
- People often work on self-growth during the spring and summer. It makes sense. The flowers grow and are so beautiful. What we water/focus on tends to grow. Why not focus on self-growth? We set goals around travel, reading and engaging in fitness. For many people, spring and summer is already a time of self-growth, a time to pause and reflect on where we are in life and what we can do to improve our life. Therapy is a great place to do some healthy self-reflection. Instead of saying things like “I’ve been unhappy for a long time,” why not use the summer months to focus on what you can do to address those feelings. Coping with unhappiness by staying busy and avoiding thinking about is just masking things and tends to backfire.
- Body image issues can worsen during summer months. The pressure to be thin intensifies when bathing suits, tank tops and shorts season approaches. This is an issue that impacts many people of all sizes, regardless of gender. Addressing underlying self-esteem issues and learning to focus more on positive affirmations and less on the voice of our inner critic can help. During therapy sessions, clients can learn more about what self-compassion is and learn to cultivate that. When we begin to understand why our inner critic is so loud, it can be easier to treat ourselves with kindness.
- Therapy can allow children, adolescents and teens time to reflect on the past school year without having to miss school to do this work. Therapy can help young people in identifying what went well at school during the past year so they can identify things they can do differently. Consistency with therapy throughout the spring and summer can contribute to improved behavior and academic issues next year.
- New clients can work on adjustment issues that may arise after any major life change such as graduation, retirement, getting married, having a baby or moving. Many people seek therapy due to what is known as an Adjustment Disorder. This is when we develop emotional or behavioral symptoms as a response to a stressor which occurred within 3 months of the diagnosis. An Adjustment Disorder can sometimes be accompanied by anxiety, depression or conduct. It can help to address these adjustment issues early since they can worsen when they are ignored and not addressed.
- Summer events can trigger anxiety for some people. Things like traveling, attending crowded festivals, concerts and other events can be a trigger to anxiety. We also deal with loneliness when others are doing fun things and the fear of missing out sets in. In large crowds, anxiety about not measuring up to others can intensify. Having space to process those thoughts and feelings, identifying practical strategies to combat those feelings and having an accountability partner can help. Your new therapist can check in with you during sessions to see how you are doing with your goals.
- The unstructured time during the summer that happens for so many young people and adults can cause worsening anxiety and depression symptoms. If you find that your anxiety peeks when you’re not able to work, this could be an issue to address in therapy. Sometimes people isolate and stay to themselves during the warmer months. Loneliness can cause increased sadness and irritability. Therapy can also help us understand why we tend to isolate and help us learn more about our triggers. For some, anxiety peeks at the thought of being unproductive and we need to learn how to give ourselves permission to relax.
If you’ve had thoughts about getting yourself or your child in therapy but haven’t done it yet, this is a great time to schedule that initial appointment! Best Life Therapy has recently hired some exceptional therapists, and we have openings. We have daytime, evening and weekend appointments available. Visit our website to learn more and reserve your initial appointment today. New clients can schedule their initial appointment on our website using the request an appointment button, https://bestlifetherapy.net or call us during business hours at 810-771-3457. If you enjoyed this blog, you might want to subscribe to have blogs emailed to you. Clients can opt out of emails at any time and your email address is safe with us. We'd never sell or use an email in any other way without consent. Best Life Therapy is committed to bringing quality care and mental health education to Michigan residents. We enjoy getting to know new clients and would be happy to work with you!
- posted: May 12, 2025
Blog Post Written by Vicky Alvarez, CEO and Clinical Therapist.
For many of us, we feel our best when the sun is out and temps are warm. So, why schedule therapy now? The increased sunlight and Vitamin D accompanied by more time outside can contribute to improved mood and energy. For many Michigan residents, we know the winter months are hard. We all know the cold temps and cloudy days will return. If you have Seasonal Affective Disorder, often characterized as the “winter blues,” you know how difficult winter can be. So, why do we need therapy in spring and summer months? Doesn’t it make sense to just get outside and enjoy it? There are a lot of reasons why it can be a good idea to get started in therapy during the spring and summer. Mental health therapy when the temps are warm can be enjoyable. Getting connected with a therapist now to prevent worsening symptoms is fairly common. Many people want to develop a therapeutic relationship before they find themselves in the worst stages and desperately needing depression help. This concept is similar to getting connected with a primary care doctor before you become seriously ill. Most of us would not want to wait to do that.
Below you’ll find 10 reasons why getting started in therapy during the spring and summer months might be a good idea:
- Therapy can help prevent worsening issues. There are many mental health conditions that worsen when left untreated. Anxiety can result in the development of panic attacks. Depression, when ignored, can increase the risk of suicidal thoughts. Ignoring symptoms of depression also increases the likelihood of substance abuse. Worsening symptoms can result in people needing a high level of care. Instead of needing outpatient therapy, they end up needing admitted to a day treatment program or a psychiatric hospital. Long term consequences of ignoring mental health symptoms include social withdrawal, job instability, poor school attendance and for some, homelessness. When childhood behavior is the issue, more serious consequences can occur. Instead of school suspensions we sometimes see legal issues because of a lack of impulse control/a tendency to defy rules. Outpatient therapy is appropriate for people who do not have severe symptoms. If your child is argumentative and refuses to do what they are told, it can help to get them involved in therapy early. Parents training is sometimes necessary as well to help support parents and guide them as they learn to manage challenging behavior.
- Getting to know a new therapist takes time and energy. During the warmer months, our energy levels tend to be higher. If you or your child struggle with depression in the winter, it is often difficult for them to get started because of low energy levels. Having to manage both school and therapy appointments can be challenging. Being able to establish a positive rapport with a therapist takes time. Sometimes getting started before symptoms increase in frequency or intensity can be a good idea.
- Schedules tend to be more flexible during the summer months. Most children, adolescents, teens, school employees and administrators have more availability in their schedules during the summer. This means there will be fewer school absences/absences from work. Working on strategies to manage stress now can make things easier when the busy routines start up again. It’s important to address symptoms of stress before burnout begins. Having days off can help but that usually does not address the underlying issues.
- It’s easier to learn healthy coping skills when we are not dealing with severe stress and strong emotions. When we’re in a state of high stress or anxiety or have recently witnessed a traumatic event, it can be hard for us to get to know a new therapist. Our ability to concentrate can be impacted and we sometimes feel like we are in a fog. The emotional center of a brain, the amygdala, is on overdrive during those hard days and our ability to communicate and problem solve can be harder to access. Helping your therapist develop a treatment plan that works for you when you are calm can set the stage for therapy sessions that are even more meaningful and effective. Learning coping skills now can give you/your son/daughter time to practice these strategies before emotions intensify and symptoms worsen. The spring and summer months are ideal for skill building.
- People often work on self-growth during the spring and summer. It makes sense. The flowers grow and are so beautiful. What we water/focus on tends to grow. Why not focus on self-growth? We set goals around travel, reading and engaging in fitness. For many people, spring and summer is already a time of self-growth, a time to pause and reflect on where we are in life and what we can do to improve our life. Therapy is a great place to do some healthy self-reflection. Instead of saying things like “I’ve been unhappy for a long time,” why not use the summer months to focus on what you can do to address those feelings. Coping with unhappiness by staying busy and avoiding thinking about is just masking things and tends to backfire.
- Body image issues can worsen during summer months. The pressure to be thin intensifies when bathing suits, tank tops and shorts season approaches. This is an issue that impacts many people of all sizes, regardless of gender. Addressing underlying self-esteem issues and learning to focus more on positive affirmations and less on the voice of our inner critic can help. During therapy sessions, clients can learn more about what self-compassion is and learn to cultivate that. When we begin to understand why our inner critic is so loud, it can be easier to treat ourselves with kindness.
- Therapy can allow children, adolescents and teens time to reflect on the past school year without having to miss school to do this work. Therapy can help young people in identifying what went well at school during the past year so they can identify things they can do differently. Consistency with therapy throughout the spring and summer can contribute to improved behavior and academic issues next year.
- New clients can work on adjustment issues that may arise after any major life change such as graduation, retirement, getting married, having a baby or moving. Many people seek therapy due to what is known as an Adjustment Disorder. This is when we develop emotional or behavioral symptoms as a response to a stressor which occurred within 3 months of the diagnosis. An Adjustment Disorder can sometimes be accompanied by anxiety, depression or conduct. It can help to address these adjustment issues early since they can worsen when they are ignored and not addressed.
- Summer events can trigger anxiety for some people. Things like traveling, attending crowded festivals, concerts and other events can be a trigger to anxiety. We also deal with loneliness when others are doing fun things and the fear of missing out sets in. In large crowds, anxiety about not measuring up to others can intensify. Having space to process those thoughts and feelings, identifying practical strategies to combat those feelings and having an accountability partner can help. Your new therapist can check in with you during sessions to see how you are doing with your goals.
- The unstructured time during the summer that happens for so many young people and adults can cause worsening anxiety and depression symptoms. If you find that your anxiety peeks when you’re not able to work, this could be an issue to address in therapy. Sometimes people isolate and stay to themselves during the warmer months. Loneliness can cause increased sadness and irritability. Therapy can also help us understand why we tend to isolate and help us learn more about our triggers. For some, anxiety peeks at the thought of being unproductive and we need to learn how to give ourselves permission to relax.
If you’ve had thoughts about getting yourself or your child in therapy but haven’t done it yet, this is a great time to schedule that initial appointment! Best Life Therapy has recently hired some exceptional therapists, and we have openings. We have daytime, evening and weekend appointments available. Visit our website to learn more and reserve your initial appointment today. New clients can schedule their initial appointment on our website using the request an appointment button, https://bestlifetherapy.net or call us during business hours at 810-771-3457. If you enjoyed this blog, you might want to subscribe to have blogs emailed to you. Clients can opt out of emails at any time and your email address is safe with us. We'd never sell or use an email in any other way without consent. Best Life Therapy is committed to bringing quality care and mental health education to Michigan residents. We enjoy getting to know new clients and would be happy to work with you!
We Specialize in Anxiety, Depression, Grief and Trauma
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- Photo taken at Flushing County Park, Michigan