Some stress before finals is normal and can even help a teen focus. It becomes a concern when it does not ease after exams, causes panic or shutdown, or shows up as not sleeping, not eating or giving up. Blackburn Clinical Services offers one-on-one therapy for high schoolers 13 to 17 in our West Los Angeles office or by secure video for clients located in California, with family sessions for parents.
If finals week has turned into a crisis at home, we can help. Call (888) 870 7405
Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM. Therapy takes place in our office at 12326 Venice Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90066, or by secure video.
Why the end of first semester is so heavy
At many private and independent high schools in Southern California, first semester ends in December with cumulative exams, final projects and grades that feel permanent. For juniors, these are the grades colleges will look at most closely; for seniors, they arrive alongside early decision results. Add sports, performances and holiday plans, and many teens run short on sleep for weeks.
Stress or anxiety? A simple way to tell
The National Institute of Mental Health describes stress as a response to a specific pressure, like an exam, that usually eases once the pressure is gone. Anxiety tends to persist even without a clear trigger and can start to interfere with daily life.
- Usually normal stress: nervous the night before, short tempered during finals week, cramming, then relief and catching up on sleep when exams end.
- Worth a closer look: panic attacks, vomiting or skipping meals before tests, refusing to go to school on exam days, all-nighters several nights in a row, or freezing and not studying at all.
- Signs it may be depression: flat mood or hopelessness that started before finals and does not lift after break, losing interest in friends and activities, or saying nothing matters.
- Signs of perfectionism taking over: a B feels like a disaster, hours of rereading notes, or melting down over a single question.
If your teen avoids school on test days, see school refusal and anxiety in high school. If organization and follow-through are the main problem, see executive function struggles. For depression, see signs of teen depression parents miss, or use our does my teen need therapy checklist.
What parents can do during finals week
- Protect sleep. The CDC notes teens 13 to 18 need 8 to 10 hours of sleep a night. A rested teen remembers more than one who studied all night.
- Help make a plan, not a lecture. Sit down once and map out which exam is when and what to study each day. Then step back.
- Feed them. Regular meals and snacks matter more than usual this week.
- Lower the temperature. Avoid talking about grades at every meal. Ask “How are you holding up?” instead of “How did it go?”
- Plan something for after. A small, specific reward on the last day gives your teen an end point.
- Notice what happens after exams. If your teen does not bounce back within a week or two, that tells you more than finals week itself.
How therapy at Blackburn helps
- One-on-one sessions in our office or by secure video for clients located in California. Teens learn concrete skills for test anxiety and panic, how to study without spiraling, and how to loosen perfectionism. CBT, DBT skills and ACT are common approaches.
- Family sessions. Many homes get tense around grades. Sessions help parents and teens agree on expectations and how to talk about school.
- Documentation for your teen’s school when clinically appropriate. With your written permission, we can share information with the school, for example if a teen needs support around exams.
- More support if needed. If anxiety or depression is significant, the Blackburn Concierge Outpatient Program offers more frequent one-on-one care with no groups, and psychiatric care can be arranged.
- Hours. Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM, scheduled within those hours around school.
When to get urgent help
If your teen is in danger right now, call 911. If your teen talks about wanting to die, is harming themselves or you are worried they might, call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, any time of day. You can call 988 as a parent, for advice about what to do next.
Questions
Is it normal for my teen to cry or panic before finals?
Some tears and nerves are common. Panic attacks, vomiting, refusing to go to school or staying up all night several nights in a row are signs the stress has become more than normal, and it is worth getting an assessment.
My teen seems fine once exams end. Do they still need help?
Maybe not. If stress clearly eases after exams and your teen is back to normal, that is reassuring. If the same pattern happens every exam period, or gets worse each time, therapy can help them build skills before the next one.
Can you help with test anxiety specifically?
Yes. Test anxiety is a common reason families seek help. Therapy focuses on managing physical anxiety, changing catastrophic thinking about grades and building a realistic study routine.
Can you talk to my teen’s school?
Only with your written permission. When clinically appropriate, we can provide documentation for your teen’s school. For testing accommodations, see our page on SAT, ACT and AP accommodations.
When are appointments?
Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM. We find times within those hours that fit around school, and winter break can be a good time to start.
More for families: therapy for private school students, therapy for high-achieving teens, SAT, ACT and AP testing accommodations and anxiety treatment.
Get started
Get support before the next exam season. Call (888) 870 7405
Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM.
You can also email info@blackburnclinical.com or contact us. Parents usually make the first call; your teen does not need to be on the line.