How do you plan out your scheduled therapy sessions? What determines the number of sessions you need, and how does this change over time? These are all questions you may have when thinking about therapy. The answer is that it all depends on a range of factors, which we’ll cover in this article. But first, the most important thing to keep in mind is that the goal is to get to the finish line successfully—and there are different ways to get there.
How Often Should You See a Therapist?
When it comes to therapy frequency, it’s never a one-size-fits-all. The sessions are as diverse as people’s diagnoses and can be influenced by a range of factors:
- The nature and severity of your condition(s)
- What you want to achieve
- The type of therapy you’re receiving
- Your personal preferences and availability
So basically, if you’re dealing with intense emotions or severe mental issues, you might need to see your therapist more often—perhaps even attend multiple sessions within the same week. It also applies to the type of therapy you’re getting. For example, traditional cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) requires 30 to 60 minutes of sessions weekly.
Such sessions are meant to help you learn tools to reframe emotional reasoning (I feel you dislike me, so it must be true) or different types of thinking, like black-and-white thinking (I can’t do anything right) and other potentially harmful thought patterns that undermine work, relationships with friends and family members, and fuel mental diagnoses.
Lastly, your availability and preferences also play a big part in deciding how often to attend therapy sessions. The goal is to fit your individual therapy into life without affecting your other responsibilities, such as work or family.
With that said, most providers agree that attending scheduled therapy sessions once a week is a good starting point. This allows you to immerse yourself fully to start seeing lasting benefits. Therapy is a practice, just like yoga, meditation, or any regular exercise—you get better the more you practice. It’s all about consistency, allowing you to gradually internalize and apply what you learn in therapy to your everyday life.
Therapy Needs for Different Mental Health Diagnoses
Therapy provides you with a safe and supportive space to explore your emotions and behaviors. It also enhances self-awareness, promotes personal growth, and improves overall well-being. That’s why it’s an effective tool for a range of mental health diagnoses, including anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, PTSD, and more.
Mental health is now a public health crisis in the United States, with recent studies showing that 1 in 6 adults live with a mental illness. Mental health care services play a critical role in helping millions of people manage and overcome various mental health diagnoses. In fact, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services notes that robust care can help address behavioral health, including the adolescent mental health crisis and drug overdose epidemic.
Adapting Therapy Frequency Over Time
The number of therapy sessions usually starts high and decreases as you make progress, but this can vary based on your needs:
- The initial phase is often the most intense. You and your therapist work closely to manage symptoms and build a strong relationship. This might mean meeting every week or even more often.
- As you start to feel better and learn new skills, you might see your therapist less often. This gives you a chance to try out your new coping strategies in everyday life, with ongoing support to tweak and improve these strategies as needed.
- Once you feel stable and confident, your sessions become even less frequent, maybe every other week or once a month. This phase is about keeping up with your progress and addressing new challenges as they come.
- Life can be unpredictable, and sometimes you need more support. During tough times or major life changes, increasing your therapy sessions temporarily can provide the extra help you need.
Initial Steps in the Therapy Process
Starting your therapy journey can feel overwhelming, but knowing what to expect can ease your anxiety. Here’s a quick breakdown of the initial steps in the therapy process.
Your first session is like a friendly chat where you and your therapist get to know each other. You’ll talk about what’s been going on in your life, what troubles you might be facing, and what you hope to get out of therapy. This is also a good time for you to ask questions and see if you feel comfortable with the therapist.
Following the initial consultation, your therapist will conduct a more formal assessment. This might involve filling out some questionnaires and participating in discussions that help them understand your symptoms, behaviors, and any underlying issues. The evaluation is important because it allows the therapist to diagnose your condition accurately and suggest an appropriate treatment plan.
Together with your therapist, you’ll decide on specific goals you want to work towards. These could be immediate things like handling day-to-day stress better or long-term aims like improving your self-confidence. Setting goals helps ensure your therapy sessions are focused and meaningful.
With your goals set, your therapist will outline a plan for reaching them. This plan will suggest how often you should meet and what kinds of activities or discussions you might have. Don’t worry—this plan isn’t set in stone—it can change as you move forward and grow.
As you go through these steps, you and your therapist will be building a trusting and therapeutic relationship. This trust is super important because it makes therapy a safe space where you can share openly and work through your challenges together.
Therapy at Relief Mental Health
Mental health diagnoses can sometimes be complex, but you don’t have to navigate them alone. Our clinicians at Relief Mental Health are here to listen, provide answers, and guide you with clear, practical steps toward improving your mental and personal health. You can count on us for high-quality treatment options personalized to your unique needs.
