What Parents Should Know About Mental Health This Back-to-School Season

Back-to-school season isn’t just about new backpacks and getting back into routines. It’s one of the most important times to check in on your family’s overall health, including mental and emotional well-being.

As students shift from summer to structure, both students and parents face new pressures: academic expectations, social dynamics, earlier wake-up times, and packed schedules. These changes can impact mood, focus, and mental health; yet often go unnoticed.

This year, we’re encouraging families to approach back-to-school not just as a logistical transition, but as a chance to reset and support whole health for the whole family.

For Students: Mental Health Is Part of School Readiness

While most families prioritize physicals and immunizations in August, one area that’s often overlooked is emotional and mental health. But the beginning of a new school year is a powerful time to pause and assess how your student is really doing.

Signs of Struggling:

  • Trouble sleeping or changes in appetite
  • Avoiding school or expressing frequent worry
  • Difficulty focusing or staying organized
  • Irritability, mood swings, or emotional outbursts
  • Physical complaints like headaches or stomachaches without clear cause
  •  Coping with stress

These symptoms may point to more than just growing pains. They could be signs of anxiety, stress, or an underlying issue such as depression. Early support and clarity can make all the difference in success in a school environment and overall well-being.

For Parents: Back-to-School Can Be Overwhelming, Too

If you’re like many parents, you’ve been holding your household together all summer. As fall ramps up, your to-do list gets longer and your own mental health can easily get pushed aside.

Common issues we see in parents this time of year include:

  • Trouble sleeping or shutting off the mental noise
  • Feeling overwhelmed, irritable, or emotionally drained
  • Physical exhaustion without relief
  • Difficulty focusing or maintaining patience at work and home

You don’t need to “power through.” Our mental health providers are here to support your needs, too. Whether you’re looking for a mental health check-in, ongoing therapy, or a new approach like TMS for treatment-resistant depression, we offer compassionate, practical solutions designed for real life.

Whole Health. Whole Family. One Clinic

At Salience Health, we’ve made it easier for families to get comprehensive, coordinated care without the runaround. That means:

With one care team, shared records, and a unified approach, we treat the whole person and the whole family with the compassionate care you deserve.

What Is a Mental Health Eval?

A mental health eval is a confidential, non-judgmental evaluation designed to help you or your teen explore emotional well-being, stress levels, attention concerns, and overall mental health. It’s often the first step in identifying if additional support may be helpful.

If there is any cause for concern, your board-certified psychiatric professional will partner with an integrated care team to create a personalized treatment plan. That process begins with appropriate testing, such as cognitive testing for ADHD or mood assessments, to ensure clarity, accuracy, and the right next steps.

Think of it as a full-picture snapshot of how someone is doing emotionally, cognitively, and behaviorally not a label, but a foundation for better support.

 What You Can Do Today

  • Schedule a mental health eval for your teen and yourself
  • Ask about ADHD or cognitive testing if focus or school performance is a concern
  • Take small steps now to prevent stress and burnout later
  • Know that support exists and it starts with a conversation

Back-to-school is a fresh start for their education and your family’s well-being. Let’s make this year stronger, calmer, and more connected than ever.

Schedule Your Whole Health Check-Up

Our primary care and psychiatry teams are here to support every part of your family’s well-being. Call us or book online to get started.

Schedule Now

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