Start Before It’s Hard: Why Therapy Isn’t Just for the Tough Times
by Cali Shimkovitz, MEd, RP(Q)
When we think about therapy, it’s often in response to a crisis: anxiety that feels unmanageable, a breakup, burnout, a child refusing to go to school, or a panic attack before an exam. And while therapy is a powerful tool during these times, it’s just as (if not more) impactful when things are going okay.
That’s right: you don’t have to be struggling to start therapy. In fact, some of the most meaningful work happens before things get hard.
The Myth of “I’ll Wait Until I Need It”
It’s a common mindset: “I’ll start therapy if things get worse.” But waiting until you're in survival mode can actually make therapy more overwhelming. It’s tough to develop new coping strategies or self-awareness when you’re already maxed out emotionally or your fight-or-flight response has kicked in. Therapy isn’t a quick fix — it’s a process of learning, unlearning, and building something stronger.
So, what if we flipped the script?
What if we saw therapy not just as support for the bad days, but as a way to build the habits and mindset we need for every day?
Building Before the Storm
Whether you’re a teen heading into a busy school year, a university student preparing for co-op interviews, or an adult navigating work, relationships, and parenting — life gets stressful. We can’t always control when challenges arise, but we can prepare for them.
That’s where therapy comes in.
By starting therapy before you’re in crisis, you have the chance to:
Strengthen emotional resilience
Create routines that support mental wellness
Identify unhelpful thought patterns before they spiral
Practice tools for regulation, focus, and stress management
Build self-trust and confidence in your ability to cope
Think of it like training for a race. You wouldn’t wait until race day to start running. You’d train in advance so that when the pressure’s on, your body knows what to do. Therapy works the same way! It’s mental training for the challenges ahead so you’re not left scrambling to find tools when you need them most.
What Does “Proactive Therapy” Look Like?
Proactive therapy isn’t about waiting for problems to pop up. It’s about taking stock of what’s working, noticing patterns, and getting curious about the parts of your life you want to strengthen.
Here’s what we often focus on in these sessions:
Building a personalized toolkit of coping strategies
Exploring identity, values, and goals
Enhancing communication and boundaries
Developing better self-talk and self-compassion
Making intentional choices around routine, sleep, and screen time
Learning how to notice and respond to early signs of stress
It’s empowering, thoughtful work — and it pays off when life starts to speed up.
For Students, Parents, and Professionals Alike
This message is for everyone: not just students or people new to therapy. Whether you're a teen, a young adult, or well into your career, we all benefit from having support in our corner before the going gets tough.
For students, that might mean feeling emotionally steady before classes, assignments, and social pressures pile up. For parents, it could mean learning how to stay grounded while juggling work, family, and your child’s needs. For professionals, it might be about preparing for busy seasons or managing the weight of high expectations.
No matter where you’re at, therapy can be the steady space you come back to so that when things get hard, you’re already grounded.
Start Now, Reap the Benefits Later
So if things are “fine” right now, that’s great! And it’s also the perfect time to begin therapy.
Therapy isn’t just about putting out fires. It’s about making sure you’ve got fireproof tools ready ahead of time. By starting now, you’re investing in your future self — the one who will face challenges with greater calm, clarity, and confidence.
Let’s stop waiting for things to fall apart before reaching out for support. Let’s build the foundation now.