As students head back to class, many are feeling the pressure of a new school year. From social anxiety to academic expectations, back to school stress is showing up in kids of all ages, according to licensed professional counselor Laura Morse.

Morse says the stress looks different depending on the child’s age. In elementary school, it often appears as separation anxiety, worries about bullying, or struggles to adjust to new teachers and expectations.

In middle school, the biggest concern is usually fitting in socially. “For middle school the emphasis might be more on the social anxiety,” Morse says. “There is a lot of research that shows the primary concern for middle school students is their peer interactions.”

Morse adds that middle schoolers often come into counseling sessions showing signs of anxiety or depression. “What I was learning is that they were really trying to find their way socially,” she says.

High schoolers, meanwhile, often face added pressure to succeed academically and prepare for the future. “High schoolers will get the message that what you do now academically really does impact your future,” Morse says. “There’s a lot of worry at the beginning of a school year as to how am I going to start this new phase of academic learning and will it have a long-term impact on my life.”

To help their children cope, Morse encourages parents to ask open-ended questions, listen without judgment, and validate their child’s feelings.

WSB’s Veronica Waters contributed to this story