Having made the decision to participate in therapy sessions, you undoubtedly find yourself with what very well may be more than a few questions. Many of these questions will be subjects of discussion during therapy itself. Others are matters that you likely need to address independent of specific sessions with your therapist. On the list of your questions is likely how you can get the most out of your therapy sessions.
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Proactivity Matters: Carefully Choose Your Therapist
A strategy you need to employ to get the most out of your therapy sessions is something you must do before you even select a therapist. You need to be careful in your selection of a therapist in the first instance. You need to undertake comprehensive and coordinated due diligence in advance of selecting a therapist that includes:
- Get recommendations from people you trust
- Obtain references from prospective therapists
- Meet face-to-face with prospective therapists
- Evaluate credentials and experience
Bear in mind that there is a myriad of different types of therapeutic practices and options. You need to ascertain what course or type of therapy makes the most sense for you in your situation and with your needs and objectives, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Therapy as Collaboration
Another tactic to employ to get the most out of your therapy is to view the process as a collaboration between the therapist and you, according to the Mayo Clinic. For example, your therapist may set forth goals for a session. With that said, when it comes to therapy as collaboration, you also need to be open about what you would like to accomplish in a particular session.
Timing is Crucial
You need to take care as to the timing of your therapy sessions. Not only does the session itself need to be scheduled at a point in the day that fits your schedule, but you also need to allocate time following a session to be able to contemplate what occurred during the process.
Talk about Therapy in Therapy
Therapy is intended as a safe place in which you can talk openly about issues and matters of concern to you. This likely needs to include discussions of therapy if you really do want to get the most out of your sessions. In other words, you need to feel free to talk about therapy in therapy. You need to be candid about what you think is working and why as well as what is falling short from your perspective.
Work Outside of Therapy
A common mistake people make in therapy is to limit the work they do only to actual sessions. The typical therapy session lasts 50 minutes. While that can be productive, the reality is that you need to “do homework” between sessions. Your therapists is apt to “assign homework” to you between sessions. You get the most out of therapy by taking these homework assignments seriously. In addition, on your own initiative, you need to build on what you discuss in therapy on your “own time” between sessions.
Provided you consciously and consistently strive to employ these tactics while in therapy, the process can become a positive, life-altering experience for you. These strategies truly will work to ensure that you get the most out of your therapy sessions.
