How to Make the Most of Therapy

Perhaps you have seen the image of someone talking to a therapist with thread in a jumble above his or her head.  Then the therapist responding to the client and that thread turns into well-organized balls of yarn.  I think that’s a great representation of how therapy can be helpful.  But how do you keep those balls of yarn from becoming a jumble again after you leave a session?  Here are some strategies for making the most of therapy.

·         Show Up On Time: Taking advantage of the full amount of time allotted to you allows you to discuss more, get into the nitty gritty, and learn how to manage stressors OUTSIDE of the therapy room.  Missing 10 minutes every session for 5 sessions is an entire session. 

·         Come Prepared: Having a goal to work toward or a topic to address in session is essential.  This could be as simple as a review of the time between sessions or a topic that is revisited at every session.  If you sought out therapy services for a specific reason, expect to check in about progress related to that reason.

·         Take Notes: It will be helpful to have a notebook handy in session, or even to take notes on your phone.  Sometimes (ok, let’s be honest, most of the time) therapists have some good things to say, and you might want to remember it for later!

·         Do The Homework: Every now and then, your therapist may offer suggestions for you to try.  The suggestions won’t all work, but they definitely won’t work if they aren’t tried.  If you try something [at least 3 times] and it’s not helpful, you don’t have to keep doing it, but you can give your therapist feedback and you can work together to figure out a different solution.  Expect to review homework in future sessions as well.

·         Review Medication:  If you are taking medication, tell your therapist how you are feeling and if you think the medication is doing what it’s supposed to do.  You might not recognize that some symptoms you experience may indicate the need for a change in dose or different medication.  Your therapist, however, is trained to spot these connections (remember those balls of yarn…).

 written by Jenn Henefeld IMFT-S May 2024