Finding Balance in Busy Summer Months
Why Summer Can Feel Overwhelming
Summer often brings packed schedules — family vacations, kids out of school, backyard parties, and community events. While this can be exciting, it can also feel overwhelming, especially for individuals balancing mental health concerns or those who are in recovery from addiction. At Realign Wellness Group in Saugus, our therapists use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Motivational Interviewing (MI) to help you find balance and reduce stress during this busy season. Summer often comes with expectations: to socialize more, to take advantage of the nice weather, to “make memories.” For some, this pressure can cause stress, anxiety, or even relapse triggers if substances are a part of social events. Parents may feel drained managing kids’ summer schedules, while others may struggle to find time for self-care amidst all the activity.
CBT Tools for Managing Overload
Our Cognitive Behavioral Therapists will help you identify the thoughts driving your stress. For example:
“If I say no to an invitation, I’ll let people down.”
“I have to keep up with everyone else’s pace.”
Through CBT, these thoughts can be restructured:
“It’s healthy to set boundaries when I need rest.”
“Summer doesn’t have to be a race — it’s okay to slow down.”
By practicing time management skills, setting realistic expectations, and scheduling downtime, you can create balance. Our therapists may also guide you in mindfulness-based exercises to stay grounded when the calendar feels overwhelming.
Motivational Interviewing: Reconnecting with Values
When summer gets busy, it’s easy to lose sight of personal priorities. Motivational Interviewing (MI) helps you pause and reflect:
“What do you want this summer to mean for you?”
“Which activities truly bring you joy and which drain your energy?”
By clarifying what matters most, you can make intentional choices instead of being swept up in external expectations. This may mean choosing a quiet evening with family over another late-night outing, or focusing on health-oriented goals like fitness and recovery instead of going along with social drinking.
Redefining Summer Success
At Realign Wellness Group, we encourage you to define summer on your own terms. For some, success might mean maintaining sobriety while enjoying community events. For others, it may be about managing stress in healthy ways or carving out time for meaningful rest.
With support from our cognitive therapists and substance use services, you can learn to navigate summer without burning out. Instead of being overwhelmed by the season’s demands, you can embrace balance, presence, and renewal.