Back to School, Back to You: Prioritizing Mental Health as Routines Return

As School Ramps Up, So Does the Pressure on Parents

The return to school brings a mix of emotions: excitement, anxiety, relief, and overwhelm. For many parents, the shift back into routines means more than just packing lunches and signing permission slips. It often means re-shouldering invisible labor, managing emotional transitions for the whole family, and putting your own needs on the back burner… again.

But what if this year looked different?

What if the back-to-school season wasn’t just a reset for your child—but a time for your reset, too?

The Mental Load You’re Carrying Isn’t Just in Your Head

You may feel like you’re constantly multitasking—remembering school events, juggling work meetings, managing bedtime battles, and being the emotional glue of your family. That pressure? It’s real. It has a name: the mental load—a heavy, invisible burden that disproportionately affects caregivers.

If you find yourself:

• Snapping more than usual

  
  

• Lying awake at night with a racing mind

  
  

• Feeling resentful or emotionally flat

  
  

• Struggling to enjoy things you used to

  
  

…it might be time to talk to someone. These aren’t signs of weakness—they’re signals that your system is maxed out.

Why Now is the Perfect Time to Start Therapy

Just as your child settles into their new classroom, you deserve a space where you can settle emotionally. Therapy offers:

• A safe place to process stress, guilt, or grief

  
  

• Tools to manage overwhelm and improve boundaries

  
  

• Support as you re-define what balance looks like for you

  
  

Starting therapy during this transition can help you reestablish your emotional foundation—before the holiday chaos or burnout cycle starts.

How Telehealth Makes It Doable

You might think: “I’d love therapy, but who has the time?”That’s where virtual care comes in.

At Grind to Growth Therapy, PLLC, I offer telehealth therapy for adults across Washington State. That means:

✅ No commute✅ No need to arrange childcare✅ Just one click, from the comfort of your home or office

Sessions are designed to meet you where you are—literally and emotionally.

5 Ways to Prioritize Your Mental Health This Season

Even if therapy isn’t your first step, here are small ways to support your well-being:

1. Block 15 minutes for yourself daily – not for chores, just to be.

   
   

2. Set one boundary this week – say “no” where you’d usually say “yes” out of guilt.

   
   

3. Start a feelings journal – jot down how you feel at different points in the day.

   
   

4. Limit comparison – especially on social media during “perfect first day” season.

   
   

5. Ask for support – whether from a partner, friend, or professional.

   
   

You're Allowed to Need Help, Too

You spend so much time holding others together—it’s okay to admit you need holding, too. You don’t have to do it all alone.

If you're ready to carve out space for yourself this season, I’m here to help.

📞 Ready to Begin?

I offer compassionate, evidence-based telehealth therapy for adults across Washington State. Specializing in anxiety, burnout, life transitions, and emotional stress. Let’s figure it out together.

📍 Serving all of Washington State via secure video sessions

📚 Helpful Resource:

• Article: "The Mental Load: What It Is and Why It Matters" – MindBodyGreen

• Book Recommendation: Fair Play by Eve Rodsky — A practical guide for rebalancing home responsibilities