Get the Most Out of Your Therapy Sessions

If you are like me, the 50 minutes of therapy are the most precious moments of the week. Sometimes there are so many things to talk about and not enough time. Some days I come in thinking, I have no idea what I will talk about, and leave the session surprised at what we discussed.

These moments are precious because of the time limit and the cost. Your therapist is there to guide you and help you, and also this time is yours. Most sessions that I initiate with my clients I start by asking "what feels important to talk about this week?" For some, this question is overwhelming, which makes sense. It feels like a spotlight is on you to know how to help you.

It often feels like, "I don't know what I want to talk about. I am here so that YOU can help me!"

If you resonate with this at all, you will benefit from these three tips to get the most out of your therapy sessions:

Arrive on time to your Therapy Sessions

Maybe you are someone who always arrives on time to their therapy sessions, if so, congrats feel free to move on to the next point. If you are like me, then maybe you are driving up right at the moment the session is supposed to start or maybe even 5-10min late. When this happens I am distracted, feel like Ive wasted precious time of mine and my therapist. I feel like I have to apologize and my focus is everywhere except, "I am here for healing." If you resonate with this, my advice to you, is if possible, leave 5-10 min earlier than you think you have to. Plan on arriving early, when you arrive sit in the waiting room, journal your thoughts, or simply breathe in preparation for the healing work you're about to do.

Bring a Journal

Let's be honest, when we feel on the spot we don't always remember very clearly.

Bringing a journal that we have jotted some notes down about thoughts or topics to discuss can help direct attention to what feels important. It can also be helpful to have the journal in session to take notes. You may have a break-through moment, and then once you walk out of the therapy room you completely forget. This happens because usually you are exhausted and your mind and body are ready to think about something else. Having a journal in session allows you to bring in thoughts, and also leave with the "ah-ha!" moments documented. Looking back and reading through the journal can be helpful to see your progress and growth over time.

Prepare What you would like to Talk about

This goes hand in hand with the previous tip, but requires more mental work. A place to start could be asking yourself some questions.

• "What do I need from therapy right now?"

• "How will I know that therapy has helped me?"

• "Are there relational dynamics that are causing discomfort in my life?"

• "Do I experience physical or mental symptoms frequently?"

• "Am I experiencing intrusive thoughts?"

• "Are there things that I think would be helpful for my therapist to know?"

Answering these questions may jumpstart your thoughts towards what you could benefit from talking about in your Therapy Sessions. You may come up blank or feel completely overwhelmed by these questions, that is okay too. Sometimes that can be helpful information during the session, saying something like "I tried to think of something to talk about, but it felt overwhelming and I quickly got distracted." This gives the therapist information to help guide you towards what might be helpful for you.

Final Words

These are all just suggestions, choose what works for you! Going to therapy is not black and white, each individual may need different things out of their experience. But sometimes we feel stuck and would like to get the most out of our experiences. Perhaps these suggestions could help you grow even further during your therapy sessions. If you are interested in scheduling a therapy session with me, I have availability weekly. Click Here to Book.