How Often Should You Talk to Your Therapist?

What Dilemmas Can You Face While Going for a Therapy Session?

Deciding to reach out to a mental health therapist can overwhelm you in a number of ways. The stigma associated with therapy can leave you with fears like whether you should seek help or not, whether you will be judged for doing so, whether it will make you entirely dependent on your therapist, and what if you’ll never be able to heal. Therefore, it is essential that you understand and overcome your doubts. Here are a few dilemmas you might face while opting for mental health therapy:

Fear of being judged or shamed

The fear of being judged and shamed is the most common fear you can face while going for a therapy session. More often than not, this fear stops you from seeking necessary help. Even more challenging is reaching out to a therapist. It can be an unnerving experience, and you're often left wondering if you might be judged for being unable to handle your problems on your own. 

You can be sure of one thing, your therapist is never going to judge and embarrass you for anything. They will be fully present for you and provide you with a safe space to express your feelings and emotions. You will be offered an empathetic and confidential environment to explore and express anything you have on your mind. Coming to therapy will not only benefit you, but it will also benefit the people around you as you will emerge as a healed and better individual.

Fear of falling apart

It is possible that you may have spent years not expressing yourself. Therefore, it is important to fight these causes of anxiety, uncertainty, and hopelessness. These pent-up emotions and feelings ultimately heavily affect your mental health. You develop defense mechanisms like never crying, putting up a barrier, and guarding your emotions. However, when you decide to go for mental health therapy, you are required to put your defenses down. 

It is extremely important to conquer this feeling to establish a healthy and open relationship with your therapist to get the most out of the sessions. You will have to trust the process and your therapist, as they make you feel comfortable and safe in your surroundings.

Fear of becoming dependent

Another genuine dilemma you might face is the fear of becoming dependent on your mental health therapist. But it is vital to note that if your mental health therapy sessions are going well, it is natural to have some degree of dependency on your therapist. It helps establish a healthy and safe environment for you and plays a crucial role in making you feel comfortable enough to open up about your problems. Your therapist will have your back whenever you need them. Their aim is to help you grow throughout the process of healing.

Besides, it is you who decides your boundaries. Only you decide when to open up about your problems and traumas. Your mental health therapist’s job is to guide and support you in times of crisis. Their aim is to resolve your issues and ensure that there are no loose ends that need to be sorted by the end of your therapy session.

How Often Should You See Your Therapist?

Therapy is a highly individualized experience. There is no one-size-fits-all duration for mental health therapy. Every individual’s journey toward healing is different and depends on a multitude of factors. A therapist usually decides how often you should go to therapy in collaboration with you. Moreover, the sessions are tailored to the needs of the patient. Some factors to take into consideration are as follows:

The type of therapy

The type of therapy being used plays a significant role in determining how often you should go to therapy. Most mental health therapists incorporate different techniques to provide the maximum benefit of the process, whereas others abide by a strict pattern and routine. For instance, when we use the EMDR type of treatment, we ask our patients to visit us more frequently as compared to other types of treatment. Here are some therapies that require you to visit your therapist more frequently than others:

Cognitive-behavioral Therapy (CBT)

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)

Psychodynamic Therapy

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)

Your therapy goal

Do you ever wonder how often should you go to therapy based on the objective of your therapy? Your approach towards therapy plays a significant role in determining the frequency of your mental health therapy sessions. It is generally believed that therapy is restricted to a therapist’s session. But that is not the case. A holistic approach toward therapy goes beyond the boundaries of the mental health therapist’s office. 

For example, when you join a therapy program, it is crucial that you practice the exercises suggested by your therapist at the end of the session. Therefore, the level of commitment and accountability you have towards healing is an important determining factor about how often should you see a therapist.

The type of issue you're dealing with

Some issues take a longer time to heal as compared to others. That is why the type of issue you’re dealing with plays a crucial role in finalizing the frequency of your therapy sessions. For instance, recovering from emotional traumas, especially childhood trauma, might take longer. But someone dealing with stress-related issues might not take as long as someone coping with childhood trauma. However, there is no fixed time frame for healing from a specific trauma since therapy is a very personalized experience. Some issues that require mental health therapy are:

Anxiety disorders like PTSD, OCD, etc.

Mood disorders like depression, bipolar disorder, etc.

Eating disorders like anorexia or bulimia.

Addictions

Your stage of recovery

Everyone’s healing journey is different. Your stage of recovery is important in determining how often you should go for therapy. If you seek therapy right at the beginning of your crisis, you will more likely need to visit your therapist more often than someone whose healing journey started a long time ago. Your therapist’s aim is to provide you with the proper support tailored to your needs.

Process of Therapy

The process or the mode of therapy being used is another crucial factor in determining how often should you go for therapy sessions. The frequency and quality of the therapy session are influenced by whether the session takes place online or offline. While the online mode of therapy might be convenient for you as well as your therapist as it saves commutation time, it can also have its drawbacks as you might face distractions, which can delay the sessions and make them longer. Offline services may offer a better opportunity to communicate with your therapist.

What are Some Therapy Scheduling Methods?

You must decide on a therapy schedule method, but you don’t need to finalize that on your first visit. Talk to your therapist and select a suitable schedule for your mental health therapy session. Some of the popular therapy schedule methods are as follows:

1. Weekly: Weekly therapy sessions are a great option for beginners. You can increase or decrease the frequency as per your need. Weekly sessions are suitable for those who want to build mindfulness, communication, and coping-related issues and those who want to work through a specific type of problem. They help to recognize behavioral patterns and thoughts.

2. Bi-weekly: Bi-weekly therapy sessions can be helpful at times. Even though weekly sessions are enough for most people, sometimes you might need help to discuss everything on your mind in more than one session. Bi-weekly sessions help curb this problem, and you can delve deeper into the issues that bother you.

3. Multiple sessions in a week: Multiple mental health therapy sessions in a week are uncommon, but many choose them when they are in a crisis and require immediate help. They assist those who are going through a major life transformation. They also help people struggling with extremely negative thoughts.

4. As per your need: This kind of mental health therapy helps those who have been in therapy for a while. You can opt for this session once you have already resolved many of your issues.

How Can You Find the Right Kind of Therapist?

It is very important to find the right mental health therapist. Having the correct type of guidance and support makes a huge difference in your healing process. There are a few pointers that you should keep in mind while finding a therapist for yourself.

• Ask for a referral from a trustable source
• Use a credible database
• Search for local references
• Consult reliable organizations for reference
• Keep your goal in mind while selecting a therapist

Conclusion

The process of mental health therapy should be personalized, and that is what we aim to provide our clients at Lifebulb Therapy. Deciding the frequency of the session is a collaborative process and should be done with a caring attitude. Visit our website for assistance, expert advice, and therapy services.