Get the Most Out of Therapy
Going to therapy takes some significant commitment of time and resources. You might be nervous about whether it will actually help, and whether it will all be worth it.
Whether you’re just at the beginning or somewhere in the middle of your therapy journey, here some ideas to consider to get the most out of your time in therapy:
How to Get the Most Out of your Psychology Sessions
1) Share Your Goals
Hopefully, this is a conversation that your therapist started with you. If not, or if you are unclear, this is a great question to raise in your next session. Ask yourself and your or your child’s therapist, what are we doing here? What are we working toward? You should probably have a combination of goals, some which may be more vague, and some which may very concrete. Either way, having a way to measure progress and check in periodically will help you feel that your effort is paying off, and that you’re headed in a good direction.
2) Ask Questions
Learn about your psychologist’s approach, and ask questions along the way. For example, “why are we focusing on this?” Or, “how does this work?” are great questions to start with. The more you know about your or your child’s treatment, the more confident you may feel in your choices and direction. If there is a disconnect, then you were able to catch it and address it.
3) Follow through on homework!
Certain therapists may assign “homework” between sessions, such as a challenge to try, activities to complete, or ideas to consider. One of the best ways to get most of out therapy is to extend it beyond just the one hour you spend every week or even every other week, by working on your challenges in between sessions. This can dramatically increase the speed of your progress and a feeling of momentum. If you’re not being provided with homework, don’t be afraid to ask what you can work in between sessions. If you’re a parent and your child is assigned homework for their treatment, you can ask what you can do to help as well. If you don’t think your homework will work for you, or you’ve tried and it didn’t connect somehow, don’t feel shy to bring this up. It’s your therapist’s job to work with you to figure this out!
4) Schedule consistently
Unless it’s truly impossible for your family, the best outcomes are often found when psychology sessions are scheduled consistently. If sessions are scheduled erratically, it can tell you and your child that psychology is not very important, which may lead to less effort. Consistency allows your psychologist to plan sessions accordingly, and more importantly, helps your child value psychology and also have a sense of predictability and routine. All of this can go a long way to help make sure you are getting the most out of your resources.
5) Keep a journal
Even if it’s only once in a while, taking notes on how you’re doing and feeling can be a great way to reflect in a different way than therapy. You may discover some ideas to bring up in your next session that you may not have thought of. It can also be a great way to start to recognize signs of progress.
6) Make it cozy
Doing what you can to make your sessions feel special and comfortable can go a long way. If you’re meeting your therapist in person, you or your child can bring comfort items or fidgets, wear comfortable clothing, and sometimes even snacks and drinks to help yourself or your child feel as relaxed as possible. If your sessions aer occurring by video, cozy up your space! Find a quiet place to do your video visits from each time, with a large enough screen to not cause discomfort (it can be painful to hunch over a small phone for an hour). Add twinkle lights, a blanket, and you’re good to go.
7) Be Yourself
Please share more about yourself and your interests in your therapy sessions! Your psychologist loves getting to know you, and feeling connected can make the sessions more impactful. If you like humor, sports, or Taylor Swift, we can include these in our appointments.
Committing to therapy can be daunting, and you may ask yourself whether it’s worth it along the way. If you’re looking to feel confident in your psychologist and your child’s progress, finding evidence-based practice combined with personalization to your child’s unique needs may be the balance you need to help your child move forward. To find out if it’s right for you (for free!), click the Get Started button at the top right of your screen.