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Why Late Summer is a Great Time to Start Therapy
While an argument can be made for starting therapy at any time of the year, late summer - August and September - really can be a terrific time to start therapy. The end of summer heads off lots of natural transitions: the change of seasons, the slow shortening of days, the start of school, the slide toward the end of the year, and the start of a new one.
With all of these transitions, including any other personal or community changes happening around you, it is natural to experience some anxiety or apprehension about the change. Getting yourself into therapy can help you get support to really think through these transitions and sort through the layers of feelings that go along with them.
While an argument can be made for starting therapy at any time of the year, late summer - August and September - really can be a terrific time to start therapy. The end of summer heads off lots of natural transitions: the change of seasons, the slow shortening of days, the start of school, the slide toward the end of the year, and the start of a new one.
Transitions and Anxiety
With all of these transitions, including any other personal or community changes happening around you, it is really common to experience some anxiety or apprehension about the change. Some people experience “autumn anxiety.” As a therapist who helps many people cope with anxiety, this is a big one that comes up during this time of year. Transitions can lead to feelings of overwhelm, uncertainty, doubt, panic, and worry about what is coming down the pike. Whether you’re going through additional transitions in a relationship or in your career, getting yourself into therapy can help you get support to really think through the transitions you’re going through and sort through the layers of feelings that come along with them.
Here are just a few more common experiences people have during this time of transition:
So Many Mixed Feelings!
As August moves by in its hazy, hot way, it can bring feelings of longing, loss, ambition, excitement, or dread. I find myself getting these “cravings” for cooler weather but I feel conflicted because I love summer so much. Every day I become more and more aware of the sunset creeping earlier in the evening. There is space for all of these different feelings to coexist. Every single one of the emotions that are swirling around within you, pleasant or uncomfortable, is valid and okay.
Back to Reality and Time to Refocus
August and September can also feel like “back to reality” time. As summer vacations end, school starts, and new projects get assigned at work, August and September can be a time to refocus. What do you want out of your life? How would you like to feel and act in this world? Therapy can help you set goals for yourself, and set out a plan to actually achieve and maintain these goals as you start achieving your best life! Whatever your goals are for yourself, you can get an idea of how to break them down and get them done. Your therapist can help you identify any blocks or obstacles and come up with solutions of how to work through them.
The Holidays - and Holiday Stress
Summer does eventually give way to Autumn, as it always does, and with the onset of fall comes the start of the holiday season. For many people, the holidays can bring an abundance of stress - both the good kind and the not-so-fun kind. How do your holidays normally go? If you struggle with perfectionism, anxiety, or people-pleasing, it might be a mix of overthinking, loose boundaries (boundaries? what boundaries?), lots of pressure on yourself, and volatile communication with your family.
Therapy can help you prepare for potential upcoming stressful events such as enduring family and sorting through unpleasant family patterns, high expectations that can come with having the “perfect” holiday, spikes in feelings of grief and loss as you celebrate the holiday without a loved one. It is a great idea to start on building up your tool kit of coping skills now rather than when you’re in the midst of it - super overwhelmed, at your wit’s end, and ready to just cancel the holidays altogether. By starting therapy now, you’ll be ready to head into the stressful holiday season with confidence and lots of support from your therapist.
There’s no wrong time to start therapy. Don’t let the month hold you back if you’re ready to start doing the work. Therapy can help you get closer to living the life you want to live! How could your life be improved from starting therapy?
I hope this blog helped you think through how starting therapy now could help you heal and grow. If you’re still feeling stuck, give me a call at 860-384-7626 and I’d be happy to learn more about what’s going on and help you get connected to the right person. If you’d like to work with me, set up a free 15-minute video consultation by contacting me here or call me at 860-384-7626. Let’s chat!
Brittany Hankard, LMFT is a therapist licensed in Connecticut and Virginia. Brittany offers online therapy and telehealth appointments to women throughout Northern Virginia and Connecticut through her private practice, Vibrant Solutions LLC. Brittany loves to help smart, driven, people-pleasing women move from self-doubt and perfectionism to confidence and clarity about their lives. If you are interested in working with her, click here to set up a free 15-minute consultation or call 860-384-7626.
How to have an excellent first telehealth therapy appointment!
Woo-hoo! Your first online therapy session on the calendar! This is something to celebrate - you have taken a huge step to prioritize your wellness and growth. Now that you have the telehealth appointment scheduled, you may be wondering how you can do your part for a smooth first session. Here some ways you can make sure you have an excellent online therapy appointment.
Photo by Picjumbo.com from pexels
Woo-hoo! Your first online therapy session on the calendar. This is something to celebrate - you have taken a huge step to prioritize your wellness and growth. Now that you have the telehealth appointment scheduled, you may be wondering how you can do your part for a smooth first session. Here some ways you can make sure you have an excellent online therapy appointment!
Tips for a great first online therapy appointment
Fill out any pre-session paperwork well in advance of your appointment (24-48 hours in advance is typically requested). This way your therapist will have the opportunity to review them and be prepared to dive in deeper during your session.
Make sure no one else is streaming and using up valuable internet bandwidth! Streaming Netflix or using large MMO gaming takes up a lot of internet, resulting in choppy video or audio. Set your appointment during a time when you can be sure that you will have great internet bandwidth, for example, when no one else is home, or when you know it’s not tv time!
Restart your computer. This can help with making sure your system is ready to go, with no weird hangups going on in the background. Check to see if you have any applications open automatically, and consider turning that setting off.
Turn off any listening or recording devices in your home. We are surrounded by handy technology designed for convenience and safety: Siri, Alexa, Google, Nest, other security systems, and more. These devices often fall into the background of our lives and we forget that they can be listening or recording all the time. Take the time to turn these off to protect your privacy and confidentiality.
Grab your pair of headphones that have a mic. Headphones are super helpful. They add an additional layer of privacy, and it prevents distracting audio echo.
Find a private and comfortable place for your session. Find your go-to therapy spot where you can be sure no one else can hear you, you are alone, and you feel at ease and comfortable to talk. Feel free to add little niceties to your therapy area to make it soothing and therapeutic!
Review the informed consent and technology backup plan. Note any questions or concerns you have, and bring them up with your therapist. It’s important you know exactly what’s in those documents and what the plans are!
A few minutes before your session, go to the link or app provided to you by your therapist. If it takes a bit longer the first time, you’ll have those extra minutes as a buffer so you can be on time for your appointment! Enter any information required.
Take a deep breath and relax. You have made it your therapy session! Enjoy this next part of your healing journey.
I hope these ideas help you to feel more prepared to have a great first session with your online psychotherapist in Connecticut or Virginia. Don’t forget, you can also reach out to your therapist to ask what else they recommend for you to do to prepare. If you are still feeling stuck, feel free to contact me at 860-384-7626 to set up a 15-minute video consultation. I’d be happy to hear about what’s going on and help you find the right therapist for you. If you’re looking for help with anxiety, boosting self-esteem, people-pleasing, or perfectionism, you can read more about how I can help here.
If you’d like to work with me, set up a free 15-minute video consultation by clicking here or call me at 860-384-7626. Let’s chat!
Brittany Hankard, LMFT is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in Connecticut and Virginia. Brittany owns an exclusively online private practice called Vibrant Solutions LLC. Brittany loves to help smart, driven, people-pleasing women move from self-doubt and perfectionism to confidence and clarity about their lives. If you are interested in working with her, click here to set up a consult or call 860-384-7626.