September is a month of shifts. For some, it brings relief, a return to routine, a little more space, and the chance to catch up on things that felt impossible over the summer. For others, it brings an ache, a quiet sadness, or a sense of being swept back into the rush of life. And sometimes, it’s both at once. 
Do you breathe a sigh of relief when the school gates open, or feel a twinge of loss as the days grow shorter? Perhaps you notice your energy dip as the evenings darken or feel restless as the year slips by.
It’s completely natural to experience a mix of emotions or to feel confused by the seasonal shift. These responses often reflect the unique mix of your life circumstances, your history, and the support you have around you.
What Shapes How September Feels
Our experiences can vary widely, influenced by factors such as:
- Support systems: Having a partner, family, or friends nearby can make the weeks feel lighter and their absence can make things feel heavier.
- Work demands: Some careers allow flexibility, while others add extra pressure during transitions like the start of the school year.
- Number and age of children: Every family is different, and every stage comes with it's own challenges. Whether you have one child or several, a toddler or a teenager, each age and stage brings its own demands and surprises.
- Our own experience of parenthood and upbringing: How we were parented, what we expect from ourselves, and even memories of our own school days can shape how we feel about this season.
Even if you don’t have children, the change in season, shorter days, and shifts in routine can leave you feeling unsettled, reflective, or even motivated to make changes in your life or sometimes lost, wondering where you are heading.
If that resonates, you might find comfort in exploring my previous blog on disenfranchised grief.
When the Season Stirs Something Deeper
For parents, the changing season can bring a complicated mix. The return to school routine might bring relief and guilt in equal measure. You might love your child fiercely and still need the space that September brings.
Both things are true and neither makes you a bad parent.
For those whose children are growing up and needing you less, the pride and the loss can sit side by side.
A grief that's hard to name but very real.
And for those navigating fertility struggles or pregnancy loss, the changing seasons can carry a particular weight.
September marks another cycle of time passing. Back to school posts on social media, other people's children growing up, the ache of a family that looks different from the one you imagined.
If this time of year stirs something deeper for you, that feeling is valid, even if nobody around you can see it.
Navigating the Shifts
Like the seasons, life is full of transitions. Moving house, starting a new role, adjusting to changes in relationships, or facing uncertainty can all stir mixed emotions. Sometimes we feel relief, sometimes sadness, sometimes both, and that’s okay.
There are small ways to navigate these shifts: jotting down a few lines in a journal, taking reflective walks through autumn leaves and noticing their different shapes and colours, or reconnecting with activities that bring you joy, whether that’s music, baking, reading, or simply a quiet cup of tea.
Pausing to notice how you’re feeling can help you make sense of your emotions. Talking things through with someone outside your immediate circle, a friend, family member, or counsellor can provide perspective and gentle support as you move through this time.
Finding Calm Amid the Change 
As autumn arrives, the trees remind us that change is natural. Leaves fall to make way for new growth, just as our own experiences shift to make space for what’s next.
Whatever this September is bringing up for you, relief, sadness, restlessness, or a little of everything, you don’t have to navigate it alone.
Even small steps, like pausing to reflect or sharing your thoughts with someone who listens, can make a real difference.
Whatever this season is bringing up for you, relief, sadness, restlessness, or a little of everything, you don't have to navigate it alone. If you'd like support, I offer counselling in person in Worthing and online across the UK.