By: Kate Daley
One of the first questions clients have is, how long will I need to be in therapy?
The answer is often frustrating: it depends. However, two other aspects are arguably more important than duration: frequency and consistency. Today, we will dive into consistency.
Let’s start with an example.
Clients A and B have both been in therapy for twelve months. However, client A often misses and cancels sessions. She has only had 14 appointments, going weeks and months between some sessions. Client B started with weekly sessions for six months and then began to see her therapist biweekly given that she was making positive progress. Clients A and B may have both been in therapy for a year but client B has had more frequent and consistent sessions.
Why does this matter?
While it may be more inconvenient at first due to the weekly time commitment, the overall duration, or months/years in therapy, is likely to be much less. By seeing your counselor weekly, treatment is often more effective and efficient in appropriately addressing presenting concerns.
Think about if you were to ice skate for the first time in months. You might feel a bit wobbly at first. With a more consistent commitment to this activity, you’d likely feel more confident sooner rather than later. The same goes for counseling; practice makes progress. As you learn new skills, it is important to practice them. Consistent sessions help to keep what you are learning top-of-mind.
Another important reason to stay consistent with therapy is to build a strong and trusting therapeutic relationship. It’s not easy to disclose personal details and struggles to just anyone. A significant part of the therapeutic process includes building rapport and strengthening the therapeutic relationship, or the relationship between you and your therapist. Week-to-week data and tracking of progress help us to better help you. When we understand you and your concerns on a deeper level, we can provide more nuanced and effective skills and solutions.
Not only is consistency important for you, but it's also important for your therapist! Just like when you meet a new friend, it takes time to get to know them and understand each other. The same goes for your counselor. When clients miss sessions and cancel last minute, this makes it more challenging for the therapist to get to know you and therefore help you. By being consistently present, there are better outcomes with your care.
But what if I can’t be consistent?
Great question! Of course, therapy is supposed to help add to your life, not take away from it. Also, you are human and life happens! That being said, it is important to know your WHY. Why did you seek out therapy? What are you hoping to get out of it? If addressing concerns and creating change in your life is a priority, skipping sessions will hinder the progress toward these goals. Maybe you can ask yourself, what is getting (or could get) in the way? This question can be a great place to start when first meeting with your counselor!
OTHER COUNSELING SERVICES OFFERED AT WELLMINDED COUNSELING
Therapy for depression isn’t the only service we offer. WellMinded Counseling offers the following counseling services:
Contact our Broomfield, Colorado office today!