To make the decision to start therapy is a significant achievement. As you progress and achieve real change by addressing your issues, you will look back on this moment as a pivotal turning point in your life.
Allison Chase, PhD, CEDS, emphasizes the crucial role of therapy in promoting mental well-being. By seeking professional support, individuals can address difficult and overwhelming emotions and thoughts that often lead to unhealthy and maladaptive behaviors.
To make the most of your therapy sessions, there are six key things you can do. This is especially important once you’ve taken the step of beginning therapy and want to ensure that you’re making progress towards your goals.
Search for the Best Therapeutic Fit
Just as you don’t connect with every person you meet, it may take some time to find the therapist who is the best fit for you. However, finding the right therapist is a crucial step in the therapy process and will ultimately lead to greater success.
Studies indicate that patients tend to benefit the most from therapy when they establish a genuine bond with their mental health provider.\
- To begin, jot down what you hope to gain from therapy and what qualities you want in a therapist.
- Then, conduct a thorough search of therapists in your area and read about their backgrounds and treatment methods.
- Finally, reach out and schedule an initial consultation with any therapists that interest you.
Leanna Stockard, LMFT suggests that during the consultation, it’s essential to explore the therapist’s areas of expertise, the therapeutic methods they employ, and how their style of therapy can help you.
However, it’s not just about finding a therapist who meets your expectations and requirements, but also about feeling comfortable and confident with them, which is crucial for building a positive therapeutic relationship.
Be Mindful of Appointment Times
Your therapist should have availability that accommodates your schedule, even if it isn’t always perfect. Additionally, it’s important to give yourself time to reflect and absorb any difficult conversations or subjects that may come up during therapy sessions, according to Dr. Chase.
To make the most of your therapy sessions, it’s important to have some downtime after your appointment. This will allow you to reflect on and process any emotions or insights that came up during the session without being immediately pulled into work or other obligations, according to Dr. Allison Chase, PhD, CEDS.
To ensure that therapy sessions are not further hindered by inconvenient timing or location, it may be helpful to consider alternatives such as online therapy or choosing a location that allows for time to process after sessions. This can make sessions more effective and easier to attend.
Allow Yourself to Be Vulnerable
To fully benefit from therapy, it’s crucial to be open and honest with your therapist. According to Dr. Chase, sharing your thoughts, feelings, and experiences, even from the past, can lead to more profound progress in managing mental health issues.
Being vulnerable and truthful will help you get the most out of your therapy sessions.
Be Forthright & Set Clear Goals
To get the most out of therapy, it’s crucial to have a clear understanding of your reasons for seeking treatment and to communicate them openly to your therapist. Although therapists can help you gain insight into yourself and support you in setting and achieving goals, it’s ultimately up to you to articulate what you want to work on in therapy.
To make therapy sessions more productive, it can be helpful to prepare a list of specific topics or themes that you want to address. By doing so, you can avoid getting sidetracked by everyday events or distractions and instead focus on making meaningful progress towards your goals.
Studies show that setting specific goals can enhance the effectiveness of psychotherapy. According to Leanna Stockard, LMFT, therapists can collaborate with patients to establish effective strategies to achieve their goals, and patients may receive assignments as part of their therapy.
It’s crucial to follow through on these strategies and homework to evaluate their usefulness in the long run.
Continuously assess your progress in therapy by being truthful with yourself and monitoring the effectiveness of your treatment plan.
Maintain Realistic Expectations
To maximize the benefits of therapy, it is important to set realistic expectations for yourself and be kind to yourself in the process. According to Stockard, it’s common for clients to either feel disappointed that they are not making progress quickly enough or not notice their progress at all.
Stockard suggests treating therapy like learning a new skill or building muscle, where progress is made gradually over time. It’s important to start with small steps, expect some setbacks, and appreciate the journey as much as the destination.
Nurture Yourself After Each Session
Therapy can have a profound impact on your life, but it’s not always easy. You may experience a range of difficult emotions, uncover challenging aspects of yourself, and face hard work during the therapeutic process.
Recharge and take care of your emotional well-being after a therapy session by taking some time for yourself. This can involve reflecting on what you discussed during the session, practicing self-care, or engaging in an activity that brings you joy. Leanna Stockard, LMFT, advises taking this step to prioritize your emotional health.
It’s important to be kind to yourself during the therapeutic process and to make sure you take breaks to care for your mind and spirit after each session and in between sessions.
Sources
- Society for the Advancement of Psychotherapy. Conclusions and Recommendations of the Interdivisional (APA Divisions 12 & 29) Task Force on Evidence-Based Therapy Relationships.
- Oliver Lindhiem, Charles B. Bennett, Trina E. Orimoto, and David J. Kolko. A Meta-Analysis of Personalized Treatment Goals in Psychotherapy: A Preliminary Report and Call for More Studies. Clin Psychol (New York). 2016 Jun; 23(2): 165–176. 2015 Jun 17. doi: 10.1111/cpsp.12153.