Five Tips to Get the Most Out of Your Psychotherapy Sessions

Celeb TherapyFebruary 14, 2018

Getting therapy can be a mystery. You wonder what you will be talking about and if you can really be honest and comfortable with who you are talking to. You might also wonder if any of your sessions are actually making you feel better. You might also have some reservations, such as not being open enough or having some reservations when it comes to psychotherapy. If that is the case, here are some things you should know which will make your sessions better:

Pick the Right Therapist

Different therapists have different approaches, so it is important for you to sit down and take some time to think about who can help you with your problems. “You may be in a hurry to find answers for your problems, but it’s a good idea to take the time to carefully choose your therapist,” says California based clinical psychologist Ryan Howes.

Before you actually enter into a transaction with a therapist, you should look them up online. Try to read about different kinds of therapists and taking a look at other clinicians who you think can offer what you are seeking. If you still are not sure about your therapist, try to give him or her three sessions and evaluate your experience.

Let It All Go

[su_quote cite=”Jonathan Kellerman” class=”cust-pagination”]”The science of psychotherapy is knowing what to say, the art is knowing when to say it.”[/su_quote]

You can get the most out of your psychotherapy session when you bring all your emotions and parts of your personality into your sessions. You will be perfectly okay, so let your guard down anyway, this is for your own good. You might be a demon deep inside full of hate or an angel who is too sensitive to the challenges that the real world brings and sometimes, there is an inner part of you which you do not always want to show.

If this is the case, show your therapist who you really are or tell him or her about it. The same goes with all your tears, anger, shame and disappointment and unleash all of them. Be willing to let all of them out without judging yourself.

Therapy is Better With Your Utmost Participation

Therapy is not a one-way effort for your therapist. Therapy is an interactive process where you should express your needs, let out your deepest thoughts and sometimes even do your homework.

In order for a therapist to help you, you should help him or her help you with active participation. This means that you could tell your therapist what you would like to discuss and keep asking for clarifications. For couples, they can help each other by taking turns in brainstorming for ideas and coming up with an action plan.

Identify Themes and Patterns with Your Output

Therapy can be a very powerful tool when you use what you get to connect the dots between different stimuli and understand why you feel or react the way you do. You should be able to understand how your personality and how you respond affects you.

With the output that your therapist can give out of your sessions, you should be able to search for a deeper understanding of how you operate when exposed to different circumstances. Once you are well enough to stop attending sessions, you are sure to be equipped with the tools needed to navigate the world on your own.

Plan a Good Schedule

Therapy is something that you should feel good so if the schedule is not too convenient for you, you might end up hating it. This only means that you should schedule your sessions when you know you can give your therapists your full attention and cooperation.

Pick a schedule where you think that you are most rested enough instead of in the middle of a work day where you have to immediately feel okay afterward. You should see to it that you can give yourself time and space to reflect about what you will discuss during therapy.

Just like any other remedy, psychotherapy may or may not work for you. This is why full and unreserved participation is crucial when getting into psychotherapy. Do you know of other tips you can share with us?