Rebalancing Your Life After the Summer: Walking Therapy for Parental Well-Being
- John Burnett
- Sep 4, 2025
- 3 min read
As the long summer days draw to a close and the familiar rhythm of school runs, packed lunches and after-school activities begins again, many parents find themselves struggling to regain balance. The transition from the freedom of summer to the structured demands of autumn can feel overwhelming, especially for those already juggling stress, anxiety or fatigue. This is where walking therapy offers a gentle yet powerful way to restore equilibrium. Unlike traditional sessions, walking therapy combines the healing power of movement with the supportive space of counselling, helping parents release tension and regain perspective.
For those seeking a deeper reset and looking for psychotherapy retreats in the UK and counselling retreats in the UK, we at Stone in my Boot provide a perfect solution. With dedicated time away from daily responsibilities, blending therapeutic conversations with restorative time in nature, our walking therapy retreat is a combination of many practices such occupational therapy, blue therapy and one-to-one counselling (which is provided both on and off the trail).
Many parents find that guided sessions with an experienced therapist help them reconnect with purpose and rediscover healthy routines and easy transitions from different seasons in life. This is also applicable for not just moving from summer holidays to autumn winter but also transitioning from having a house full of teenagers to an empty house where kids have now gone off to college, moved cities. All these transitional phases you go through as a parent can take a toll on your mental health and can sometimes require external help to navigate through.
Whether you are exploring short depression walks to lift mood or a more immersive retreat experience with counselling, walking therapy creates space for calm, reflection and sustainable self-care at a time when parents need it most.
Why Parents Struggle After the Summer
Summer often brings a break from routine, later bedtimes, relaxed schedules, holidays and more family time. While joyful, this lack of structure can leave parents drained. Add in the pressure of supporting children’s transition back to school, homework overloads and stress levels often rise sharply in September.
Parents frequently report:
Increased anxiety about workload and family responsibilities
Difficulty adjusting to stricter schedules
A sense of losing personal time and space (this can expand further if you are a working parent as you need to readjust your work routine to back-to-school routine)
Walking Therapy: A Path Back to Balance
Unlike traditional therapy confined within four walls, walking therapy takes place outdoors, blending gentle physical activity with emotional exploration.
For parents, it offers:
A break from the indoors – fresh air and natural surroundings reduce stress and promote calm.
Movement for mental clarity – walking helps regulate mood, lower anxiety and boost energy.
Time for reflection – a chance to process emotions and set intentions away from household pressures.
This makes walking therapy a practical and nurturing approach to support parental well-being during the busy autumn transition.
How Walking Therapy Supports Parental Well-Being
Stress Relief - Walking helps release tension and clears mental clutter.
Mindful Parenting - By grounding in the present, parents can reconnect with their role more positively.
Healthy Boundaries - Sessions offer a dedicated time just for the parent, away from constant demands.
Sustainable Self-Care - Unlike short-lived wellness fixes, walking therapy builds resilience that lasts year-round.
Embrace seasonal shifts – Being outdoors can help use autumn’s grounding energy to create healthier routines.
Finding Balance Again
Parenting is rewarding, but it is also demanding. If you are feeling stretched thin after the summer, consider walking therapy as a way to reconnect with yourself and restore balance. By combining movement, mindfulness and therapeutic support, you can step into the new season with greater clarity, resilience and calm.
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