5 Summer Mental Health Reminders Every Teen Should Hear (From a Teen and Family Therapist)

Summer Isn’t Just a Break—It’s a Shift

Summer break brings inherent complexity; a needed pause from the demands of school, but also a shift into more variable and often unpredictable routines. While it’s a time to relax and recharge, it’s also loaded with expectations: to build skills, prep for next year, or fill every moment with something meaningful.

The pressures of summer are frequently felt but rarely discussed, leaving many families confused as to why their best-laid plans end up feeling overwhelming or disconnected.

As a therapist who works with teens and their families, here are five reminders to help you (or your teen) create space for rest, motivation, and more genuine connection this summer for their mental health and wellbeing.

1. Rest Is Not a Waste of Time

If you’re sleeping more, zoning out, or not feeling super motivated—you’re not lazy. You might just be tired in a way that sleep alone doesn’t fix.

School, sports, social dynamics, and being “on” all year can overload your nervous system. Summer might be the first chance you’ve had to truly slow down.

Affirmation: Rest is how your body and brain recover. You don’t have to earn it.

2. You Are More Than What You Achieve

Summer can feel like a pressure cooker of “shoulds.”

• I should get ahead.

• I should be more productive.

• I should be doing something impressive.

  
  

But your worth isn’t based on how many items are on the goal-list or how full your schedule is. Growth often looks like stepping stairs. There are meaningful and needed plateaus in the quiet moments before integration and leveling up to new knowledge and skills.

Affirmation: Your value doesn’t come from what you do; it comes from who you are.

3. Wanting Space Doesn’t Make You a Bad Person

Needing more alone time or pulling away from your family a bit doesn’t mean something’s wrong with you. In fact, it is an important step in development. It means that your brain is seeking the ability to function independently—and that’s healthy thing to practice while you are still living with parents to guide you when things feel overwhelming

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Setting boundaries, asking for space, or needing quiet doesn’t make you cold or distant. Just remember that your family cares about you and wants to interact with the cool human that they know you are. Making the time to hang out intentionally with loved ones will help everyone feel connected and clear on the set boundaries.

Affirmation: Allowing space to be 'self-ish' will help you know your boundaries and communicate those with others in healthy ways.

4. Screens Aren’t Evil, But Your Brain Needs Breaks

Scrolling on social media, gaming, and texting can be a way to connect, decompress, or escape from the pressures of daily living, but your nervous system needs variety in connection to stay balanced.

Try mixing in 'real-world' regulation tools:

• Go outside and touch the grass (even just for five minutes)

• Move your body (walking, dancing, swinging, swimming, etc.)

• Listen to music without multitasking (and even sing along!)

• Journal or draw something just for your eyes

• Play with temperature and sensations (create heat in your hands, plunge into a cold body of water, eat something crunchy, etc.)

  
  

Affirmation: Your brain craves contrast. Taking a screen break helps you feel more grounded and emotionally in control of your experiences.

5. You Don’t Have to Be Happy Just Because It’s Summer

It’s okay to feel anxious, lonely, sad, or overwhelmed, even when the sun’s out and everyone seems to be having fun. Social media only shows the highlights reel in people's lives.

There's nothing wrong about feeling big things in a season that’s “supposed to be” easy, after all, being a teen carries it's own hardships that adults sometimes forget about. Your feelings are valid, even when they don’t match the season.

Affirmation: Feel what you feel and choose to do good to yourself and others.

Seasons Change—There's More Ahead of You

The 'perfect summer' may look like a whole lot of nothing on the surface and that's okay. Remember to take care of yourself in small, consistent ways—rest, connect with humans and disconnect from screens, enjoy hobbies without pressure to succeed, say yes and no with self-respect, and move your body for fun! Let this season be less about proving something and more about noticing what you need.

If this summer feels heavier than expected—whether it’s burnout, stress, or a sense of disconnection—you don’t have to navigate it alone. I’d be honored to support you. Reach out to learn more about how we can work together.