Back-to-School Stress: How CBT Can Help Parents Reset After The Summer Holidays

CBT Perspective on The September Shift: Why Parents Feel The Pressure

By Rebecca Cox, CBT Therapist at rebeccacoxcbt.co.uk & cbtbournemouth.com

As the long summer holidays come to an end, many parents find September can feel overwhelming. New school routines, packed schedules, increased responsibilities to juggle, changes in the weather and the faint call of Christmas on the horizon, can leave you feeling drained before autumn even begins.

I want you to know it's really common to notice:

• An increase in worry about your child’s transition back to school

• Guilt about not doing “enough” over summer

• Social comparison and feeling not good enough

• Struggles balancing work, home, and family needs

• Increased awareness of financial pressures

• A sense of post-summer stress as life speeds up again

  
  

Can you relate? The back-to-school anxiety period affects many families and CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) offers tools to help parents reset and regain balance.

How CBT Supports Parents in September:

CBT is an evidence-based approach that helps you understand the link between thoughts, feelings, phsycial sensations and behaviours. When back-to-school stress takes hold, CBT can give you practical ways to cope. Lets take a look what that might look like:

1. Notice and challenge negitive self talk:

Parents often fall into “should / musts / oughts and all or nothing” thinking, such as:

• “I should be more organised.”

• “Other parents are coping better than me.”

  
  

CBT helps you spot and reframe these thoughts to reduce the impact and aimes to build your self compasion rand cinfidence.

2. Reduce Overwhelm Through Structure and Routeine:

The sudden shift from relative summer freedom to rigid timetables can feel jarring. CBT offers tools for time management, planning, and prioritising, helping you create routines that reduce stress instead of adding to it.

3. Manage Back-to-School Anxiety:

If you notice racing thoughts, restlessness, or constant worry, CBT strategies such as relaxation, grounding techniques, and problem-solving can reduce anxiety and give you a calmer headspace.

👉 Ready to find calm in the chaos? Book a September reset session today.

Practical Tips for Parents Right Now

Here are a few CBT-inspired strategies you can try immediately:

• Break tasks down: Instead of “I need to get everything ready,” focus on one step at a time.

• Schedule worry time: Allow yourself 10 minutes to write down worries, then move on.

• Practice self-compassion: Remind yourself you are adjusting too & it’s not just the kids who need time to settle.

• Plan in downtime: Even 10 minutes of quiet can lower stress levels and reset your mood.

  
  

These small shifts can make September more manageable but if stress feels overwhelming, therapy provides deeper, personalised support.

Take Your September Reset with CBT

September doesn’t have to mean burnout. With CBT, you can build coping strategies that help you manage stress, ease back-to-school anxiety, and create a more balanced routine for yourself and your family.

👉 Start your September reset today — Book a CBT session now.