How long does therapy take for me to start seeing a difference?

With some clients  in my experience they start seeing results early on in therapy, but the length it takes for therapy to start working really depends on several factors.    Some of the factors involved in how long therapy takes to work may include the clients motivation to change and their readiness to implement new coping strategies learned in therapy,  how well the clients connects with their therapist,  openness to change, and the type of therapy model being utilized as some types of therapy can take longer than other to see results.

How can I get the most out of therapy?

Having an idea of changes you are hoping to see in your life is really important in therapy and should be addressed early on, (usually the first session), because it’s possible that if the client doesn’t know what they want in therapy that they could end up exploring many themes and topics without possibly seeing any clear changes in their life.  Though part of therapy is exploratory in nature, it’s always important for clients to try to identify what they are hoping to get out of their sessions.

How can therapy help me?

There are many ways that therapy can help which include finding improvements in your thinking, moods,  confidence levels and self-esteem, finding greater meaning and purpose,  dealing with unresolved traumas,  finding greater peace, meaning, and a plethora of other possible ways therapy can help.

What if I’m not a very talkative person during sessions, can therapy still help me?

While it is important to express your psychological needs, concerns, and struggles, with your therapist, sometimes it takes times to feel comfortable so it’s important to work with a therapist who understands this and will be patient with you as you adjust to this new setting and style of engagement.

What if I disagree with my therapist and or don’t think their approach will be helpful?  Should I express my thoughts about this?

Therapy is supposed to be about forming a partnership with the therapist, which means that clients should express any concerns they have and that therapists should be open and respectful when clients express themselves in this way.  I encourage clients I work with to provide ongoing feedback if they think something is not working or even if they are simply not interested in an approach I think might be helpful.  I believe therapy works best when their is regular ongoing feedback being provided by clients.