The Value of Continuing Therapy in the Summer Months

As the school year wraps up and summer schedules begin to shift, many parents ask: Should we take a break from therapy until fall?

It’s a natural question. After all, summer brings a more relaxed pace, fewer academic demands, and the hope of long, sunny days filled with play and family time. But for children receiving therapy—especially play therapy—summer can actually be a critical time to stay connected, consistent, and supported.

Here’s why continuing therapy in the summer months matters—and why rescheduling, rather than pausing altogether, is often the best choice for your child’s growth and well-being.

Progress Needs Practice

Therapy is like watering a plant. The growth you see today was nurtured weeks or months ago, and ongoing attention is what keeps that growth alive. Summer breaks can disrupt a child’s therapeutic rhythm, leading to regression in areas such as emotional regulation, social skills, and coping strategies.

Even skipping just 6–8 weeks can undo hard-earned gains. Continuing weekly or even bi-weekly sessions helps maintain momentum and reinforce the safe, consistent space your child has come to trust.

Summer Brings New Stressors

While summer sounds dreamy, it often brings its own set of challenges:

• Transitions in routine (hello, bedtime battles, and screen time overload!)

• Increased time with siblings or extended family

• Vacations and camps that bring sensory overload or separation anxiety

• Fewer social interactions, especially for neurodivergent children who rely on structured school-based peer contact

Therapy provides a safe space for children to process these changes, develop flexible coping strategies, and prepare for transitions, such as the upcoming return to school.

Play Therapy Is Not Schoolwork—It’s Connection Work

Play therapy isn't homework or another task on a to-do list. It's a powerful, developmentally attuned way for children to express emotions, build self-understanding, and feel seen. In fact, summer may amplify the therapeutic power of play because children are less overwhelmed by academic pressure.

Therapy in the summer often goes deeper, freer, and more relational, especially for younger children. With more cognitive and emotional bandwidth, they’re often more open, regulated, and playful, which allows the therapist to support integration, healing, and deeper relational connection.

Consistency Builds Security

Predictable routines help children feel safe, especially those with anxiety, ADHD, sensory sensitivities, or autism. Regular therapy sessions over the summer provide structure and a familiar relationship during months when many of their usual anchors (teachers, classmates, classroom routines) are gone.

It’s not about doing more in summer—it’s about holding steady in a season that can feel unmoored.

Summer Is the Best Time to Start Therapy

Therapists often have more flexible schedules in the summer, making it easier to find a regular appointment time. Starting now means your child can build rapport and therapeutic rhythm before the rush of fall referrals (which can lead to longer waitlists).

If your child is on a waitlist or in need of support, this is the time to take action.

Consider:

• Paying out-of-pocket temporarily to get started

• Working with a graduate-level intern at a reduced fee

• Doing a consultation to assess your child’s needs before the fall rush

Tips for Staying Committed to Summer Therapy:

• Talk with your child about the

  importance of therapy in a simple, affirming way: “This is your time to just be you, to play, and to talk about anything you need.”

• Be flexible with vacations and rescheduling. Most therapists understand the juggle and are happy to adjust when needed, don’t ghost your appointments. The fees can get steep!

• Set seasonal goals with your therapist. What would success look like by fall? Perhaps it's improved sibling dynamics, better sleep routines, or handling change with greater ease.

• Use telehealth if you’re traveling. Many children still engage meaningfully over video when needed (the client needs to be in Washington state to be seen via telehealth).

  
  

Therapy is not just for the hard times.

It's also for holding steady, building strength, and being seen, week after week, no matter the season.

So as you fill out your summer calendar with camps, trips, and rest days, don’t forget to keep therapy on the schedule. Your child’s emotional health doesn’t take summers off—and the play, connection, and healing they experience in session are just as valuable now as during the school year.

If you’re unsure what’s best for your child this summer, let’s talk. Your therapist can help you weigh the options, adjust the schedule, and create a plan that supports your child’s needs and your family’s rhythm.

Because growth doesn’t pause when school does—and neither should their healing.

& & &-If you are looking for support in parenting through the summer. Cary Hamilton hosts her annual Playful Wisdom Summer of Connection program, which is free and delivered to your inbox once a week in both video and newsletter form, allowing you to receive real parenting information in the way that suits you best.