Growth in Mind
When is the right time to come to therapy?

New year, new blog! January can bring mixed feelings - possibly apprehensions of the year ahead, or grief from the year that’s past. Sometimes, this can bring clarity or a grounding reset. Perhaps the pace slows slightly, routines return, and there’s often a moment of noticing how things have really been feeling beneath the busyness. I frequently hear questions like “Are my difficulties bad enough to start therapy?”

There doesn’t have to be a threshold for therapy

Sometimes there is an assumption that therapy is only appropriate during a crisis or when symptoms become unmanageable. So sometimes people may delay their therapy, often because they worry their difficulties aren’t serious enough, or that they should be coping better on their own.

In reality, people come to therapy for many different reasons, and often before things reach crisis point. We know from research that seeking therapy sooner during periods of stress or transition can actually reduce longer-term psychological difficulties and improve wellbeing (de Graaff et al., 2018; Harrer et al., 2025). Therapy during pregnancy and in the early postnatal period can also be so helpful in reducing anxiety, but often people don’t seek support (Clinkscales et al., 2022).

Why January might bring these questions to the surface

Research on seasonal wellbeing suggests that emotional vulnerability can increase during winter months - perhaps due to reduced daylight, changes in routine, and social expectations around productivity and renewal (Hohm et al., 2024).

When might be a helpful time to start?

There is no single “right” moment; however, therapy can be beneficial when:

• Distress is persistent rather than fleeting
• You feel emotionally stuck or overwhelmed
• You notice repeated patterns you would like to understand
• You are navigating major life, health, or identity transitions

Importantly, you do not need a diagnosis or crisis to benefit from therapy.

References

Clinkscales, N., Golds, L., Berlouis, K., & MacBeth, A. (2023). The effectiveness of psychological interventions for anxiety in the perinatal period: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Psychology and Psychotherapy: Theory, Research and Practice, 96(2), 296-327.

de Graaff, L. F., Honig, A., van Pampus, M. G., & Stramrood, C. A. (2018). Preventing post-traumatic stress disorder following childbirth and traumatic birth experiences: a systematic review. Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica, 97(6), 648-656.

Harrer, M., Sprenger, A. A., Illing, S., et al. (2025). Psychological intervention in individuals with subthreshold depression: individual participant data meta-analysis of treatment effects and moderators. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 1-14.

Hohm, I., Wormley, A. S., Schaller, M., & Varnum, M. E. (2024). Homo temporus: seasonal cycles as a fundamental source of variation in human psychology. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 19(1), 151-172.