Finding Your Balance This Fall: Therapy for Seasonal Shifts, Stress, and Burnout
As the seasons shift here in the Cowichan Valley, many of us feel that familiar heaviness creeping in. The long summer evenings are behind us, the mornings are darker and cooler, and the pace of life seems to speed up all at once. What felt manageable in July can suddenly feel like too much in September.
For some, this means juggling work deadlines, family responsibilities, and the never-ending list of “shoulds.” For others, it’s a quiet sense of dread about the grey, rainy months ahead. If you’ve been feeling anxious, unmotivated, burned out, or disconnected in your relationships, you’re not alone. These seasonal transitions affect more than just our schedules—they affect our moods, our energy, and our sense of direction.
Why Fall Can Feel So Hard
Seasonal changes in mood: Shorter days and less sunlight can bring lower energy, difficulty focusing, and feelings of sadness.
Work and family stress: Whether it’s catching up after summer, supporting kids with new routines, or simply facing a busier calendar, the weight adds up.
Life transitions: September often stirs reflection—“Am I on the right path? Do I want things to keep going the way they are?” That questioning can feel unsettling, but it’s also a powerful opening for change.
Research reflects what many of us notice in our day-to-day lives: mood dips, stress levels rise, and relationships get strained as fall routines take hold.
How Therapy Can Support You This Season
At Moxie Health & Wellness, we see fall not just as a challenge but as a chance to reset. Therapy provides a supportive space to pause, reflect, and create more sustainable ways of moving through life. Some of the approaches we use include:
Internal Family Systems (IFS): Learn to connect with the different “parts” of you—the anxious part, the perfectionist part, the tired part—and lead them from a calmer, more grounded place.
Mindfulness-Based Approaches: Simple practices like grounding, breathwork, and slowing down racing thoughts help bring steadiness to busy days.
Relationship & Family Support: Work through communication challenges, family stress, or burnout in relationships with more compassion and clarity.
Seasonal Support: Develop strategies for managing mood dips in the fall, from building healthy routines to exploring light therapy and outdoor practices.
Practical Ways to Care for Yourself This Fall
Add light into your day. Even 15–20 minutes outdoors can help regulate mood and energy. If you notice a dip, light therapy lamps can also make a big difference.
Create supportive routines. Instead of overwhelming yourself with big changes, focus on daily anchors: a morning walk, a regular bedtime, or a quiet cup of tea before screens.
Check in with your needs. Ask yourself regularly: Do I need more rest? More connection? More movement? Small adjustments can prevent bigger burnout later.
Don’t go it alone. Sharing the load—whether with friends, family, or a counsellor—can reduce isolation and bring perspective.
Taking the Next Step
This season doesn’t have to feel like something you just “get through.” With the right support, fall can become a time to strengthen routines, deepen relationships, and reconnect with what matters to you.
At Moxie Health & Wellness, we offer in-person sessions in Duncan as well as secure online counselling across BC. Whether you’re looking for individual therapy, family support, or strategies for managing seasonal stress, anxiety, and/or depression, we’re here to walk alongside you.
Booking is open now—including reduced-rate sessions with our practicum interns, Sarah Tilley and Phil Reilander, if cost has been a barrier.
If you’re feeling the weight of this season, consider this your invitation to reach out. You don’t have to navigate it alone.
