Summer break is an ideal time for children, adolescents, and young adults to focus on their mental health. Without the school year academic, social, and scheduling pressures, summer allows time for reflection and the space to work on building emotional resilience and coping skills.

Whether they’re starting kindergarten, transitioning to high school, or heading to college, summer therapy and psychiatry can help set kids and young adults up for a successful transition back to school in the fall.

But it’s not just about transitioning back to school. At Fort Health, we see summer as an ideal window of opportunity to build stronger mental health foundations through evidence-based pediatric mental health care. These foundations are the building blocks of mental and emotional wellbeing.

According to the Child Mind Institute, 50% of all psychiatric illness occurs before the age of 14, and 75% by the age of 24. Early intervention is key because left untreated, mental health concerns in childhood can grow into long-term challenges in adulthood.

New to pediatric mental health therapy? Last month was mental health awareness month and we talked about how parents can help reduce stigma which can be a deep-seated barrier between a struggling child and getting them the help they need.

Why is Summer a Great Time to Focus on Pediatric Mental Health?

During the school year, children, teens, and families are balancing demanding routines. Between early mornings, school pressures, extracurriculars, and social expectations, it’s hard to find the time or the energy to focus on mental health challenges.

In contrast, making room for mental health is easier when life slows down, even just a little. The summer months offer a scheduling reprieve and the shift in structure allows more time for reflection, growth, concentrated family time, and support services.

Kids may be dealing with anxiety, adjusting after a stressful school year, or preparing for a big transition like starting high school. Summer therapy is an opportunity to get ahead of issues that might interfere with daily functioning, emotional well-being, academic performance, and relationships.

Summer Therapy Helps Kids and Teens With Transitions, School Readiness, and Coping Skills

Transitions and School Readiness

• Some kids are anxious about changing schools. Others are starting middle school or high school and are unsure of what to expect or how to handle new challenges. High school seniors may be heading to college in the fall, feeling excited but also worried or overwhelmed.
• Therapy provides a place to talk through those concerns, build self-advocacy skills, and work through uncertainty. For children with executive function challenges, summer sessions can help them develop organizational tools and practice planning. For teens, therapy can also focus on goal-setting and healthy routines.

Helping College Students Recharge

• When college students return home for summer break, it’s a chance to check in on their mental health in a quieter setting. The academic and social pressures of campus life can take a toll, even for students who appear to be doing well.
• Summer therapy offers space to reflect on the year, address issues that may have been overlooked, and reset for the coming semester. It’s especially helpful for students managing anxiety, academic pressure, homesickness, or disordered eating.
• For many college students, short-term CBT in the summer is enough to gain clarity, emotional wellbeing, and sustainable confidence before heading back in the fall.

Late-Summer Transition Support

• As summer comes to a close, many families feel the pressure of back-to-school looming. The transition can be hard, especially for kids with anxiety, ADHD, or learning differences.
• During the final weeks of summer Fort Health therapists can help children prepare mentally and emotionally for the new school year. This includes preparing for stricter routines, sleep schedules, handling school anxiety, and setting realistic expectations. Parents are supported, too, with tools to guide the transition and reduce meltdowns or conflicts.
• Proactive mental health care can help prevent school refusal, stress-related outbursts, or last-minute panic.

The Benefits of Condensed Treatment During Summer Therapy

Fort Health clinicians are trained to provide exceptional, developmentally appropriate mental health care for ages 4–24, and for parents and caregivers of ages newborn-24. 

We provide evidence-based interventions like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) which focuses on learning new skills and has demonstrated lasting results for a variety of concerns with the ability to graduate in 4 to 8 weeks.

• For summer therapy, we use a “treatment burst” approach where therapy sessions are delivered two to three times per week instead of the more traditional once per week cadence.
• Research has shown that more frequent sessions over a condensed period of time results in less early treatment termination and that frequency of treatment is a strong predictor of good outcome.
• This shortened focused period of treatment helps children and their families remain committed and engaged with more frequent sessions over a shorter period for improved learning ability and faster progress.
• In many cases, children, adolescents, young adults, and their families prefer this condensed form of treatment to minimize disruption in routines and to find faster symptom relief.
• For children under age 10, parent participation is often an essential part of the treatment plan. Fort Health clinicians guide parents through strategies they can use at home, building consistency and momentum between sessions.

What is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)?

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a structured, short-term, and evidence-based approach commonly used to support children and adolescents with mild to moderate mental health concerns. It is one of the most researched and widely recommended forms of therapy for pediatric anxiety, depression, and behavioral challenges.

CBT is tailored to a child’s developmental level. For younger children, therapy may include play-based activities that reinforce coping skills and help them name their emotions, practice calming strategies, and respond more flexibly to everyday challenges. Parents are typically involved to help reinforce progress at home.

Middle and high school students work on identifying unhelpful thought patterns, building emotional regulation skills, and applying real-life strategies between sessions. Examples include managing test anxiety, setting personal boundaries, improving sleep hygiene, and navigating academic and social stress.

Because CBT is skills-based, progress often happens quickly. With a focused plan, many children complete care in just 4 to 8 sessions. The goal is to build tools that last well beyond therapy and support long-term emotional health.

What Mental Health Concerns Does Fort Health Treat?

Fort Health provides virtual therapy and psychiatry to treat mild to moderate pediatric mental health concerns. These concerns encompass a range of difficulties that may interfere with a child's daily functioning, emotions, or behavior but do not require immediate intervention. They can benefit from structured interventions such as therapy, psychiatry, or medication, depending on the specific condition.

Mild to Moderate Pediatric Mental Health Concerns Include:

• ADHD
• Depression
• Sadness
• Anxiety
• Worries
• Disruptive behaviors
• Defiant behaviors
• Sleep challenges
• Social media
• Screen time challenges
• Body image issues
• Parental conflict
• Dealing with bullying
• Grief and loss
• Co-occurring conditions

The Benefits of Summer Therapy Sessions at Fort Health

Summary:

• We provide virtual therapy and psychiatry for ages 4-24 and for caregivers of ages newborn-24.
• Our clinicians are licensed child therapists, child and adolescent psychiatrists, and psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners (PMHNP) specialized in mental health care.
• Summer therapy is a “treatment burst” approach that is brief but effective.
• Most families complete a full course in 4–8 weeks.
• Skill-based: Every session has clear goals and takeaways.
• Our approach includes Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT).
• Provides proactive skill-building to strengthen coping skills and emotional resilience before the school-year stress ramps up.
• Parent-inclusive: Especially for younger children, parents are part of the process.
• Does not require a diagnosis to get started.
• Flexible: Appointments are available mornings, afternoons, and evenings.
• Appointments are available within 3 days via our Digital Self-Scheduling Portal or even faster by phone at (201) 208-2616.
• Most major insurance plans are accepted in the states we serve. We’ll verify your benefits before you begin care.

For even more information, here’s an FAQ. Please feel free to reach out to us by phone and you can find care, book an appointment, or schedule a free consult via our website.

We Also Offer a Free Parent Coaching 10-Video Course for Anxiety

Anxiety is the most common mental health challenge that children face, and parents play a critical role in helping them cope. This course is completely free and is led by an expert child and adolescent Licensed Clinical Social Worker. The Parent Coaching for Anxiety Course provides practical and proven parenting skills to help build a coping plan and:

• How to tell the difference between normal fear and anxiety.
• How to respond to an anxious child.
• How to give effective direction during anxious situations.
• How to use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) based tools.
• And many more skills to help support a child or teen’s mental health.

Fort Health: Pediatric Mental Health Over the Summer

When children and teens have space to focus on their mental health, they can build skills and coping strategies that will carry into the next school year, and beyond. Summer therapy is an opportune time to build resilience and confidence in kids before life speeds up again.

Whether your child is entering kindergarten or returning to college, a few weeks of focused support can make all the difference. Fort Health is here to help families use summer well, with expert care that meets your child where they are.

Fort Health: Pediatric Mental Health All Year Long

We believe that every child deserves the opportunity to thrive, and every family deserves access to timely, effective, and compassionate mental health support. That’s why we built Fort Health—to be a trusted partner to pediatricians, schools, and a lifeline for families navigating pediatric mental health challenges.

Ready to get started? Appointments are available online within 3 Days—No Waitlist. Faster appointments are available by phone—often the same or next day. (201) 208-2616

Our digital self scheduling portal makes it easy to book therapy or psychiatry appointments online, verify insurance coverage, and explore clinician bios—all in one place.

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The information above is educational and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified medical provider about mental-health concerns.

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