Introduction
BODA's Monthly Check-In is a reminder that therapy can be active, outdoors, and fun while still being deeply effective.

A Note From Our Founder: Why Summer Is Harder Than It Looks

Every May, I notice the same thing. A kid who's been grinding through the school year, showing up and holding it together, hits the first week of summer and just deflates. The structure falls away, and so does everything that was built around it.

I used to think summer was a relief. More time, less pressure. And for some kids it is. But for a lot of the young people I work with, summer is actually the hardest season. The alarm that got them out of bed is gone. The schedule that kept the evenings from unraveling is gone. What's left is a lot of open time and not a lot of practice managing it.

Here's the thing about coping skills: they don't transfer automatically. A kid can learn to regulate in a session, do well all spring, and then lose the thread in July. Not because the work wasn't real, but because the conditions changed and nobody planned for it. Skills need to be practiced where life actually happens. Unstructured time isn't a break from that. It's the test.

At BODA, summer looks different from the rest of the year. We're outdoors more, not less. We're in the Catskills for retreats. We're on the water, on bikes, on trails. And we're keeping the accountability structures in place, the check-ins, the family sessions, because this is exactly when they matter most. The goal isn't to white-knuckle through until September. It's to use the summer to actually practice being okay without the scaffolding.

If your kid is stepping into a lot of unstructured time this summer and you're already feeling a little uneasy about it, trust that instinct. Let's talk about what a real summer plan looks like.

— Andrew Tepper
Founder, BODA Therapy

BODA Retreats

Upcoming Retreat Dates 2026:

• May 29–31
  
• June 5–7 — Silent Meditation Retreat
  
• June 10–13
  
• June 16–19
  
• June 25–28
  
• July 9–15
  
• July 20–22
  
• July 28–31
  
• August 8–15
  
• August 20–25
  
• Date TBD — Burnout Recovery Retreat
  

The Silent Meditation Retreat with Andrew Tepper, LCSW, and Akshay Lohitsa, MD, is designed to support clarity, presence, and meaningful reset through guided meditation and reflection.

The Burnout Recovery Retreat with Andrew Tepper, LCSW, and Lauren Seltzer, LMFT, is designed for working professionals seeking recovery, clarity, and renewal.

📍 Tannersville, New York. Spots are limited. Email info@bodatherapy.com to learn more.

At BODA, we go beyond the traditional weekly therapy session by creating immersive, nature-based experiences designed to support lasting change. BODA retreats are intended to complement ongoing therapy, not replace it.