5 Tips To Get The Most Out Of Your Therapy Sessions
If your therapy sessions aren’t working as expected, I’ve got 5 tips to make things better. This isn’t a be-all and end-all list, but it’s a start. Let’s get into it!
Know which therapist is right for you.
Therapists are not one size fit all. We focus on different issues, have multiple ways of doing therapy, and different personalities. That’s why it’s so important to think of your needs prior to booking your first session.
Are you looking for a lot of feedback, coping strategies, or someone to tell you like it is? - Those are simple, yet important questions that could set the tone for your relationship with your therapist.
A good relationship between you and your therapist is one of the most important factors for success, as such, you want to make sure that you’re comfortable with the person you’ll be opening up to.
So, where can you actually find one?
You can start by checking out online directories! Those give you a list of therapists that you can narrow down by searching for specific issues, cities, gender, or types of therapy.
Here are a few of my favourites:
Your next step can be making a list of therapist you think would be a good fit and asking them to set up a consultation.
You can ask them how they typically work with their clients, if they have experience with what you’d like to work on, or what therapy will be like with them.
Be Transparent
Therapy works best when you’re open and honest with your therapist. Of course, this takes into consideration that trust has already been established in the first few sessions.
Sometimes clients can be hesitant to open up because they fear being judged - that’s a valid concern! You’re meeting a stranger to open up about things that are personal to you.
If this is a concern, bring it up during your consultation. Ask your therapist about the steps they take to create a safe and non-judgemental space for you.
Giving us context on what’s going on and how it’s been impacting you allows us to support you the best we can. As a client, you’re the main source of information and the work goes as deep as you allow it to be.
Don’t be afraid to let us know what’s really going on. The confidentiality policy is there for a reason; take advantage of it!
Be Consistent
When I first started going to therapy, I remember my therapist asking me if I had thought about how often I wanted to come to the sessions.
It’s never crossed my mind before, so I casually said once a month would work.
To my surprise, he prompted me to reconsider and explained how it would hinder the progress we’d make.
Now that I see new clients regularly, I truly understand why: Going to therapy consistently, particularly at the beginning, either on a weekly or biweekly basis, helps you build a stronger bond with your therapist.
It’s hard to maintain momentum if the next time we see you is 4-6 weeks from the first session. A lot can happen during that time, and it can feel like we’re meeting each other for the first time all over again.
We understand there are different factors such as schedule flexibility or financial situation that can make it difficult to attend therapy once a week. Know that you can bring this up in your first session, or even during the consultation to have an idea of what’s expected of you, in terms of commitment.
Having infrequent sessions, missing sessions regularly, and canceling last minutes could all be indicators that you may not be ready for therapy. If that’s the case, that’s okay!
What’s important is that you’re aware of it, communicate it, and you keep in mind the commitment required from you for therapy to work.
Do The Work Outside of Session Hours.
To me, consistency in therapy isn’t just about attending sessions regularly. It’s also about doing your therapy homework (if you get them from your therapist). Basically, this is about incorporating the aha moments you got from your sessions in your daily life.
In an article by the Los Angeles Times, Jesse Owen, a counselling psychology professor at Denver University summarized it beautifully:
“The real work of therapy, outside of the courage to be vulnerable in sessions, is to do something to change your life outside of the 50 minutes we spend together each week.”
Depending on your therapist’s style and what you’re working on, homework can come in the form of worksheets with specific questions, practicing self-awareness, or getting concrete tools to manage the challenges you’re facing.
Sessions are usually 50 minutes to an hour, and depending on the frequency, there can be days or weeks between your sessions. Although crucial, the 50 minutes is a small percentage of your day to day life.
Once you understand that, you’ll understand why it’s important to invest time to truly benefit from therapy.
Give Feedback.
We want therapy to be as beneficial to you as possible. If we’re suggesting something and you feel like it’s not working, it’s important and okay to tell us.
We won’t be offended!
It’s actually very helpful when we get your feedback, as it allows us to make adjustments, by taking into consideration your perspective and providing insight that best reflects your current situation.
I hope that you find those tips helpful, and you’ll incorporate them into your therapy journey!
If you’re interested in reading more, check out the other blogs.
Interested in working with me? Get to know me a bit more, and if you think I would be a great fit, fill out the Contact Form to book a free 15-minute phone consultation.
Until next time!
