8 Little Changes You Can Make to Enhance Your Therapy Experience
Therapy is a powerful tool for personal growth and healing. Whether you are new to therapy or have been attending sessions for a while, there are always ways to maximize the benefits of your therapy experience. In this post, we offer tips for getting the most out of your psychotherapy sessions, helping you on your journey to greater mental health and well-being.
Tips for improving your therapy experience:
1
Create a therapy journal.
Research shows that journaling is an effective way to process emotions and deepen your self-awareness, making it a great resource for your therapy experience. A therapy journal can be helpful for tracking progress, staying organized, and holding yourself accountable for applying insights from therapy to your everyday life. You can use it to jot down key takeaways from sessions, reflect on therapy sessions, document important events or realizations between sessions, habit track, or write anything else you find helpful.
2
Start sessions with agenda-setting.
Are your therapy sessions feeling unorganized or scattered? Do you tend to ramble or get off-topic, leaving important issues unaddressed? If so, it might help to spend the first few minutes of each session setting an agenda to outline the topics you’d like to cover and decide how much time to spend on each. By collaborating with your therapist to establish the focus of each session, you ensure that the most important issues are addressed, increasing the likelihood of a goal-oriented and productive session.
It’s perfectly fine to come to a session unsure of what you’d like to discuss—this can provide an opportunity to track progress, explore less urgent matters, or discuss topics you haven’t yet had the chance to cover. But when you have a lot on your mind or want to make the most of your time, agenda-setting can be a highly effective tool.
3
Know what type of therapy you’re looking for.
There are many types of psychotherapy, each with its own purpose and benefits. Knowing what type of therapy you are looking for can help you receive specialized treatment that meets your unique needs. For example, do you struggle with chronic pain or feel as though many of your emotional difficulties manifest physically? If so, traditional talk therapy might be too limiting, and you might benefit from something like somatic therapy. Are you seeking a structured, skills-based type of therapy? In that case, Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) cold be a good fit. If you’re looking for short-term, goal-oriented therapy, solution-focused therapy might be right for you. With so many types of therapy available, it’s helpful to research to find the best approach for you.
4
Provide feedback.
Feedback is an essential component of any successful therapeutic relationship. Ideally, your therapist will check in with you to assess how things are going and what progress you feel you’ve made. But even if they don’t prompt you, don’t hesitate to share your thoughts on what’s working and what’s not. Clients have different needs, and therapists rely on your input to know how to best support you. Don’t feel bad about giving constructive feedback– therapists view it as valuable information that helps create a better healing environment. We’d rather receive constructive feedback than have you disengage or stop attending. Open communication helps your therapist adjust their techniques and strategies to better meet your needs.
5
Prepare for sessions.
With the rise of teletherapy, it’s easy to find yourself rushing from one meeting to the next. Coming to a session feeling flustered, overwhelmed, or scattered can set a negative tone for your session. To help ground yourself, try to set aside at least five minutes before your session to prepare in whatever way works best for you. This could include journaling, creating an agenda, or practicing mindfulness. Taking these moments to center yourself can make a big difference in the effectiveness of your therapy session.
6
Set clear goals.
Being clear about what you hope to achieve in therapy is key to a successful experience. While your therapist can help you set goals, if they don’t, try creating SMART goals on your own:
Specific: Make sure your goal is clear and well-defined
Measurable: Establish criteria to track your progress and completion.
Attainable: Set goals that are realistic and achievable within the timeframe.
Relevant: Ensure your goal aligns with your long-term objectives and values.
Time-based: Set a deadline to create a sense of urgency and focus.
It’s also important to ensure your goals are realistic. For example, if you’ve struggled with anxiety for most of your life, setting a goal to eliminate it entirely may not be feasible. Instead, focus on learning skills to manage anxiety to where it doesn’t impact your life as much. Whether aiming to reduce anxiety, improve relationships, or achieve better work-life balance, articulating your goals helps your therapist understand and prioritize your needs.
7
Be consistent.
Consistency is key to getting the most out of psychotherapy. Regular attendance allows you to build a stronger therapeutic relationship, maintain momentum, and address issues as they arise, rather than letting them build up. Skipping sessions or attending irregularly can disrupt your progress, making it harder to track your growth and implement changes in your daily life. It can lead to sessions feeling like a check up where you’re simply updating your therapist on what’s happened between sessions, but you’re not delving into anything deeper than that. By staying consistent, you not only create a routine that prioritizes your mental health, but you also give yourself the best chance to make lasting improvements.
8
Reduce distractions.
I’ve personally witnessed how technology can distract from the therapy process, regardless of whether your sessions are virtual or in person. Countless times, I’ve heard a notification ping, seen my client’s eyes shift to the corner of their screen, and watched them lose their train of thought. The mere presence of your phone, even if it’s silenced or turned off, can still impact the quality of your interactions. A study conducted by researchers at the University of Essex found that when a phone is visible on the table during a conversation, it can diminish the depth and quality of the exchange. Even if the phone isn’t used, its presence can lead to less meaningful conversations and reduce the participants’ sense of connection. This subtle distraction takes away from the focus and emotional engagement that therapy requires.
Enhancing your therapy experience is about more than just showing up; it involves taking proactive steps to maximize the benefits of your sessions. By creating a therapy journal, setting agendas, understanding the type of therapy that suits you, providing feedback, preparing for sessions, setting clear goals, being consistent, and reducing distractions, you can significantly improve the effectiveness of your therapy. These strategies contribute to a more organized, goal-oriented, and focused therapeutic process, allowing you to make meaningful progress in your personal growth and healing journey. Remember, therapy is a collaborative effort, and your active participation is key to achieving the best outcomes. Integrating these practices into your routine can enhance your therapy experience and work towards a more fulfilling and balanced life.
If you’re ready to take the next step in your personal growth and healing, individual therapy at Embodied Wellness Center can provide the support and tools you need. Whether you’re seeking to manage anxiety, improve your relationships, or achieve better work-life balance, our holistic, mindfulness-based approach will help you navigate life’s challenges with greater clarity and resilience. Contact us today to begin your journey toward a more fulfilling and balanced life.
*Disclaimer: The content posted on this website is for marketing and educational purposes only. It is not, nor is it intended to be, psychotherapy or a replacement for mental health treatment. Please seek the advice of your licensed medical or mental health professional, and do not avoid seeking treatment based on anything read on this website.
