Why Therapy Matters at the Beginning of the School Year

The beginning of a new school year can bring excitement, new opportunities, and a fresh start. For many students, however, it can also bring increased stress, anxiety, academic pressure, social challenges, and uncertainty. Whether a student is entering elementary school, starting high school, or beginning college, the transition back to school can have a meaningful impact on mental health.

For families in the Lansing and East Lansing area, the start of the school year can be an ideal time to think about emotional well-being—not only when a problem becomes overwhelming, but as part of a proactive approach to mental health.

Research supports the value of providing students with effective mental health interventions. A systematic review by Worsley, Pennington, and Corcoran examined 27 reviews of interventions designed to improve the mental health and well-being of college and university students. The researchers found evidence supporting several approaches, including mindfulness-based interventions, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and technology-delivered interventions. CBT-related interventions also showed evidence of benefits that could continue over time.

Why the Start of the School Year Can Be Difficult

A new school year often means significant changes in routines and expectations. Students may need to adjust to:

• New teachers and classes
• Increased academic responsibilities
• Changes in sleep and daily schedules
• New social environments
• Peer pressure or relationship concerns
• Sports, extracurricular activities, and other commitments
• Applying to college or adjusting to college life
• Living away from home for the first time

For some students, these changes are manageable. For others, they can contribute to anxiety, low mood, difficulty concentrating, sleep problems, or feeling overwhelmed.

College students may face additional challenges as they navigate independence, academic expectations, finances, relationships, and changes in their support systems. The research reviewed by Worsley and colleagues highlights the importance of addressing mental health and well-being among students in higher education and finding interventions that can effectively reduce common mental health difficulties.

Therapy Can Be Proactive, Not Just Reactive

One common misconception about therapy is that someone must be experiencing a serious mental health crisis before seeking help. In reality, therapy can also be a proactive way to develop skills before stress becomes unmanageable.

Beginning therapy around the start of the school year can give students an opportunity to establish a relationship with a therapist, identify potential sources of stress, and develop coping strategies they can use throughout the semester.

For example, therapy may help a student:

• Recognize patterns that contribute to anxiety or stress
• Develop healthier ways to respond to difficult emotions
• Improve coping skills
• Manage academic and test-related anxiety
• Work through relationship or family concerns
• Build confidence and self-awareness
• Navigate major life transitions
• Develop strategies for managing overwhelming thoughts
• Create healthier routines and boundaries

The goal isn't necessarily to eliminate all stress. Stress is a normal part of school and life. Instead, therapy can help students learn how to respond to challenges in healthier and more effective ways.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Student Mental Health

One of the approaches identified in the Worsley et al. review is cognitive behavioral therapy, commonly known as CBT. CBT focuses on the relationship between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.

For a student experiencing school-related anxiety, for example, thoughts such as "I'm going to fail" or "Everyone else is doing better than me" can contribute to significant emotional distress. CBT can help students examine these patterns and develop more balanced and productive ways of thinking and responding.

The review found evidence that CBT and related interventions can be effective in reducing common mental health difficulties among college and university students. The authors also noted evidence suggesting that some benefits of CBT-related interventions may be sustained over time.

Therapy Can Help Students Adjust to Change

The transition into a new school year is particularly important for students experiencing a larger life transition.

For younger students, this might mean moving to a new school or adjusting to greater academic expectations. For teenagers, it may involve navigating changing friendships, identity development, academic pressure, or preparing for graduation.

For college students, the transition can be even more significant. Leaving home, starting college, developing new relationships, and managing greater independence can create a combination of opportunities and stressors.

Lansing Counseling specifically offers counseling for adolescents, children, and college students, including support for anxiety, depression, test anxiety, ADHD, life transitions, and other concerns.

Don't Wait Until the Semester Becomes Overwhelming

It can be tempting to wait and see how a student adjusts to the school year. Sometimes that works. But if a student is already struggling with anxiety, depression, emotional regulation, sleep, relationships, or academic stress, waiting may allow those difficulties to become more disruptive.

Starting therapy early can provide a supportive space where students can talk openly about what they are experiencing and begin developing strategies for managing challenges before they become overwhelming.

Therapy is also not a sign that a student has failed to cope. Asking for support is a healthy step toward taking care of one's mental health.

A Strong Start Includes Mental Health

Back-to-school preparation often focuses on school supplies, schedules, transportation, extracurricular activities, and academic goals. Mental health deserves a place on that list as well.

Creating space for emotional well-being at the beginning of the school year can help students approach the months ahead with greater self-awareness and practical coping tools. Research suggests that interventions such as CBT and mindfulness-based approaches can play an important role in supporting student mental health and well-being.

Whether a student is entering a new grade, beginning high school, or starting college, the beginning of the school year can be an opportunity to make mental health a priority.

Counseling for Students in the Lansing and East Lansing Area

Lansing Counseling provides therapy and counseling for adolescents, teens, college students, adults, and families in the East Lansing community. The practice offers support for concerns including anxiety, depression, test anxiety, ADHD, life transitions, trauma, grief, relationship concerns, and managing emotions.

If your child, teenager, or college student is struggling with the transition back to school—or if you simply want to give them additional support as they begin a new school year—therapy can be a valuable resource.

A new school year is a new beginning. Make mental health part of the preparation.

To learn more or schedule an intake with Lansing Counseling, visit Lansing Counseling.

Research Reference

Worsley JD, Pennington A, Corcoran R. Supporting mental health and wellbeing of university and college students: A systematic review of review-level evidence of interventions. PLoS One. 2022;17(7). doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0266725. PMID: 35905058.