By Alexis McCall, LMFT, LPC
Mental health is a lot like a garden. There are seasons when things are growing beautifully, when routines are working, and when you feel steady and strong. And then there are seasons where the garden is a mess, when weeds pop up and plants that once thrived start to struggle. You don’t plant a garden once and expect it to flourish forever without attention. You return to it: sometimes to address a problem, sometimes just to maintain what you’ve already built.
Counseling works the same way.
If you’ve been wondering whether it’s time to resume counseling after stopping previously, you’re not alone…and it definitely doesn’t mean you’re doing something wrong! In fact, returning to therapy is incredibly common and often a sign of growth, insight, and self-awareness.
Why People Return to Counseling
Life doesn’t pause just because you completed a round of therapy. You may have stopped counseling because you were feeling better, reached your goals, or simply got busy. Then life did what it does. A new stressor shows up. Anxiety creeps back in. Depression feels heavier again. A relationship changes. Parenting becomes more complex. Work pressures increase. Grief, illness, or unexpected transitions throw you off balance.
We’re also living in uniquely challenging times. Between global uncertainty, political upheaval, constant information overload, social pressures, and the pace of modern life, many people are stretched thinner than ever. Even those with strong coping skills may find themselves needing extra support. It’s perfectly normal to be thinking about returning to therapy.
As Rebecca Dorich, therapist at Life Counseling Institute in Park Ridge and Willowbrook often says,
“Most people don’t come back to counseling because they failed—they come back because life changed.”
Signs It Might Be Time to Resume Counseling
You don’t need to be in crisis to return to therapy. Some common signs that it is a good idea to return include:
- Anxiety, worry, or panic becoming harder to manage
- Return of OCD symptoms such as checking, repeating, or ruminating
- Persistent low mood, irritability, or loss of motivation
- Difficulty sleeping, concentrating, or enjoying things you used to like
- Relationship conflicts that feel stuck or repetitive
- Increased stress or life changes that overwhelm your usual coping tools
People seek counseling for anxiety, counseling for depression, couples counseling, and family therapy at many different stages of life. Returning doesn’t mean counseling didn’t work before…it often means it worked well enough that you recognize when it’s time to come back.
Your Therapist Will Be Glad to Hear From You!
One of the biggest barriers to returning is worry about what your therapist will think. Will it be awkward? Will they judge you? Will they wonder why you’re “back again”?
Here’s the reassurance many people need: your therapist will be genuinely glad to hear from you.
Therapists understand that growth isn’t linear. They expect symptoms to ebb and flow as life evolves. Reaching out again isn’t viewed as regression—it’s viewed as awareness. Your therapist has probably returned to therapy a number of times as well!
Says therapist Dorich, “When a former client reaches out, I don’t think, ‘Why are they back?’ I think, ‘Wow, it’ll be great to see them, and I’m really glad they asked for support.’”
Returning to the Same Therapist–or Seeing Someone New
At Life Counseling Institute, you have flexibility. While most people choose to return to their previous therapist, others decide to work with someone new. Both options are completely valid.
Returning to the same therapist can be helpful because:
- You don’t have to retell your entire story
- There’s already trust and familiarity
- You can quickly build on skills and insights you learned before
Seeing a new therapist may be a good fit if:
- Your previous therapist is unavailable
- Your goals or challenges have changed
- You want a fresh perspective or are curious about seeing someone new
There’s no “right” choice here. The best option is the one that feels supportive for where you are now.
Chronic Doesn’t Mean Hopeless
It’s also important to normalize that some mental health conditions tend to be chronic. That doesn’t mean they don’t improve with therapy—many people experience meaningful, lasting improvement. It simply means symptoms may reappear during stressful seasons.
For some, counseling helps resolve a specific issue. For others, it’s part of ongoing wellness—like tending that garden regularly instead of waiting until everything feels overgrown.
A Quick and Nerdy Analogy
Think about how you learned about the U.S. Constitution. You probably encountered it in grade school, again in high school, and then in college with much more nuance. No one taught it once and said, “That should cover you for life.”
As we move through new life stages, we learn differently. Counseling works the same way. Skills you learned years ago may now land in a deeper, more meaningful way. Or maybe you just need a refresher, which is normal, human, and honestly, pretty practical.
What About Kids and Teens?
Children and teens often return to counseling as well. A child who benefited from therapy earlier may need support again during adolescence. A teen who worked on anxiety might return during a major school, social, or family transition.
This isn’t backtracking; it’s development. Kids and teens grow fast, and their emotional needs change just as quickly.
Let Go of the Shame
Returning to counseling isn’t a failure. It’s a sign that you’re paying attention to yourself and responding with care.
Whether you’re seeking counseling for anxiety, counseling for depression, couples counseling to strengthen a relationship, or child or teen therapy, coming back is a healthy choice.
You’re not starting over. You’re continuing—and that’s exactly how growth works.
