Let's Unpack That #12: Springing Forward Doesn't Mean Falling Apart

Send us Fan MailSunshine can feel like a promise: more energy, better mood, fewer heavy days. But we’ve learned the hard way that seasonal change, especially the spring shift into warmer weather, can also bring real mental health risks and clinical surprises. Victoria Frazier sits down with Jared Sparks, clinical counselor and supervisor at Cleveland Sex and Intimacy Counseling, to talk about what actually happens when the temperature rises and why “feeling better” isn’t always the same thing as being stable.We dig into research showing that even small increases in average monthly temperature can correlate with higher suicide rates, then connect that to what we see in practice: irritability, impulsivity, sleep loss, and the ways longer daylight can disrupt circadian rhythm. We also spend time on bipolar disorder and why light sensitivity and shifting sleep cycles can be a major factor during daylight saving time and seasonal transitions.From there, we get practical. You’ll hear the sleep hygiene tips we lean on with clients (consistent sleep and wake times, keeping the bed for sleep and intimacy only), how shift work complicates everything, and why tools like blackout curtains can be surprisingly powerful. We also talk medication considerations, including heat intolerance, dehydration, and sun sensitivity, plus how we can help clients ask better questions of their prescribers without stepping outside our scope.If you’re a counselor, therapist, or a client wondering why spring feels harder than it “should,” hit play. Subscribe, share this with a colleague, and leave a review so more people can find it. What changes first for you when the weather warms up?Created by the OCA's Media, Public Relations, and Membership (MPRM) Committee & its Podcast Subcommittee·Hosted by Victoria Frazier & Jared Sparks·Pre-Production & Coordination by Marisa Cargill and Victoria Frazier·Editing by Marisa Cargill & Victoria Frazier·Original music selections by Elijah Satoru Wood