The Therapy Process
How Does Therapy Work?
Before your first therapy appointment, your therapist will provide a free telephone consultation to determine if they are a good fit for you. At the first session, the therapist will usually start to get to know you by asking about your history as well as your current life and what has brought you into therapy. Early sessions will continue this process of your therapist getting to know you better and you building trust in your therapist. As your trust in the therapeutic relationship deepens so too will your exploration of thoughts, feelings, and experiences that are important to you. With your therapist’s help, you will discover the deeper meaning of experiences and deeper self-understanding.
Psychotherapy requires active involvement, honesty, and openness to achieve the change desired. Attending on a regular basis is important, especially in the beginning. Meeting with your therapist once a week is typical, but frequencies vary. You can decide what will work best for you, and your therapist can help you determine this. Sessions run 45-50 minutes long, and the time of your appointment is based on what works best for you and your therapist. You are free to leave therapy at any time you wish.
Possible Benefits
Therapy often involves remembering and talking about unpleasant events, thoughts, and feelings. This can result in temporary discomfort but this kind of “talking cure” has been found to be highly beneficial ultimately. While there is no guarantee that therapy will yield the positive results sought, most people do report some benefits from therapy. In addition to resolving the specific concerns that led you to seek therapy, benefits might include more effective identification and expression of thoughts, feelings and beliefs, as well as improved mood, relationships, communication, behavior, and general outlook on life. You might also notice decreases in unwanted behavior and self-defeating thoughts.