Preparing for Therapy After Summer

Preparing for Teen Therapy After Summer

 

You’re looking to begin preparing for teen therapy after summer. It is very common that teens tend to take a break or lessen their therapy frequency during the summertime. This season means additional free time to hangout with friends, engage in hobbies, and more. They’re out of their usual school schedules or routines, and surely take advantage of that. 

 

Here in Southern California, summertime equates to mostly clear, sunny days. The weather is pretty temperate on average, even during the famous “June Gloom” days. With no obligations during the daytime, teens are free to lounge around, sleep in late, or spend the days and nights with friends or family. 

 

It’s possible that your teen was in therapy during their school year to cope with anxiety, neurodivergence, depression, or more. Perhaps there were issues around school performance, sports, or social relationships. With significant pressure off their shoulders, therapy didn’t feel necessary. Moreso, a break from therapy can help them practice and implement therapeutic skills on their own. 

 

However, the time is approaching to pick up where they left off. Perhaps your teen is anticipating starting their first job this year. Maybe they are joining a varsity team at school, or are signing up for more extracurricular activities. Or, summertime brought about a whole new set of stressors that were unexpected.

 

Starting teen therapy after summer break is a good way to ensure your kid is connected to mental health resources and support. Oftentimes, transitioning back into stressful environments can bring temporary heightened levels of anxiety.

 

If you’re looking for resources to discuss with your kid as they transition back into school environments, look no further than New Leaf Marriage & Family Therapy. Our therapists are experienced and passionate about providing teen therapy in Simi Valley, Ca. Having parents on board that are ready to learn and grow with their teen makes the process much more effective for everyone involved.

 

Understand school and extracurricular schedules

Teen therapy is usually scheduled on a recurring weekly or bi-weekly basis. With after school hours being limited to the afternoon or evenings, these appointments can fill up quickly when they are available. Aside from teens, adults, couples, or older adults may also seek out these time slots as they tend to not coincide with work schedules. Therefore, it’s important to understand what your teen’s weekly schedule looks like. 

 

Consider reviewing these questions with your teen to get their opinion on what day, or time of day, will work best for them.

 

• Does your school schedule alternate each day (A/B) or stay the same?
• Do you have any special privileges this year, such as being out of school at lunch time?
• (If applicable), how far is the drive from school to your teen therapist’s office? 
• Are you planning on doing any sports after school this year?
  • If so, when is your practice time? When are your games/performances/meetings?
• Will you engage in any other extracurricular activities, such as volunteering or being a part of a club? 
• (If applicable), are you looking to start your first job this year? What are your scheduled hours?
• Are there any days of the week that would work best for you to see a therapist, such as the start, middle, or end? 
• Do you plan to do homework or studying at certain parts of the day?

 

This is especially good to review if you have multiple kiddos with differing schedules. For example, one kid may be in high school while another is starting middle school and they have slightly different schedules. You can take things into consideration such as sports practice, carpooling with others, and more.

 

While this seems like a straightforward and obvious topic to cover before starting teen counseling, it may also not be on the top of your mind. For example, you may notice your teen starting to really struggle with something. They may be self-harming, abusing drugs, or seem really disconnected overall. Because of this, you want to get them started in teen counseling as soon as possible. 

 

However, take a deep breath together, and try to make this an intentional act. If there is no crisis or foreseeable threat to themselves or others, consider making this a collaborative process. Understand what your teen’s needs are and go from there together in finding a teen therapist in Simi Valley.

 

Arrange transportation or opt for virtual therapy 

Virtual therapy can oftentimes be more convenient for busy teens. As mentioned above, they’re balancing school, sports, activities, social relationships, and more. Perhaps they’re starting their first job. Sometimes, school pick-up involves stopping at numerous locations or driving across town. This may leave teens, and you, feeling pressured or rushed on their making availability work. So, if possible, virtual therapy can help cut out commute time. However, there are things to consider with doing virtual therapy.

 

• Does your teen have a working electronic device connected to WiFi?
• Will your teen have a completely private space to do therapy?
• Does your teen feel comfortable doing therapy at home? 
  • It’s common that many people may not feel comfortable doing therapy at home, and seek out a separate space for this. 
• Will other family members respect their privacy for therapy?

 

If not, virtual therapy may not be the best fit for your teen. It’s essential that they feel that they can be completely open and uninhibited with what they want or need to talk about. If they don’t, it can hinder the therapeutic process; not by fault of their own. But, because they may not be able to do true therapeutic work.

 

Many teen therapy practices offer in-person therapy sessions with openings for afternoon or evening times. It is worth asking about specific availability when you connect with a teen therapy group to get an idea of a potential commute time. 

 

At times, teens are responsible for finding their own way home from school. This looks like taking the bus, riding a bike, or driving themselves home. Maybe they’re able to carpool with friends or siblings that can easily drive them home. Or, a parent/guardian is readily available to pick them up from school daily.

 

Ensuring that your teen has proper transportation to therapy helps avoid issues such as being late to sessions, cancelling sessions, or skipping them overall. 

Search for Simi Valley teen therapists to find the right fit

Searching for a teen therapist in Ventura County can be tricky. There are numerous group practices, independent therapists, or clinics available to provide services. If your teen is planning to conduct sessions virtually, they have an even bigger range of options for a therapist. However, how do you know if they’re the right fit for your teen’s needs?

 

Looking up a therapist’s experience or passion in working with teens can help provide additional information. You may want to see if they have specific experience working with that age range or common issues that teens experience. Perhaps your teen has a preference for a male therapist in Simi Valley or a virtual female therapist in California.

 

Also, therapists usually offer a free phone consultation before getting started. Take this opportunity to get to know the therapist beforehand. Ask questions about fee, availability, and frequency of sessions. You can also have your teen share a bit of what they want to address and see how the therapist usually approaches that issue. 

We have several blogs regarding teen therapy and teen therapists in Simi Valley, Ca. Here are a few quick links for relevant information about this:

 

• My Teen Doesn’t Want Therapy – What Do I Do?
• What Can Parents Expect for Teen Therapy?
• 3 Tips for Starting Teen Therapy in Thousand Oaks
• Teen Therapy or Family Therapy?
• 3 Benefits of Teen Therapy
• How to Tell My Parents I Need Therapy

 

Preparing for teen therapy after summer can feel like another task on the to-do list. Consider simplifying the process with your teen by adhering to this blog. If you are interested in teen therapy in Simi Valley, Ca, consider giving us a call today!

 

In-person therapy in Simi Valley is ideal for those seeking a separate, safe space from their home. Check out our blog on Online Therapy or In Office Therapy to understand what format is best for you. Another great blog to read is ours on if you need Therapy or Medication to address your issues.

 

By seeking out support, you can begin your journey to feeling relief. You don’t have to go through finding the right level of support alone, either. By clicking here, you’ll read our blog on Information About Simi Valley Therapists.

 

Consider calling our therapy group at (805) 774-1506 for a free consultation on how you or a loved one can get started today!

 

Seek out a validating, safe environment with us today. We will help you get to where you want to be. Our therapists provide trauma therapy, teen therapy, individual adult therapy, LGBTQIA+ therapy, anxiety therapy, depression therapy, family therapy, and more in-office in Simi Valley, CA.