How to Get the Most Out of Each Therapy Session
Therapy is a significant investment. You are investing your time, your money, and your emotional energy into this process. So, how do you make sure you are getting the best possible return on that investment? While your therapist is the expert guide, you are the one who is ultimately in the driver’s seat of your own journey. Being an active, engaged, and prepared client can dramatically increase the effectiveness of your sessions and accelerate your progress.
At Televero Health, we believe that therapy is a collaborative partnership. The more you put into the process, the more you will get out of it. Here are some practical skills and mindsets you can adopt to help you get the most out of every single session.
Before Your Session: A Moment of Reflection
The work of therapy doesn’t just happen in the 50 minutes you are with your therapist. It also happens in the time between your sessions. Taking just 10-15 minutes before each appointment to prepare can make a huge difference.
- Review Your Week: Think about what has happened since your last session. What were the highs and the lows? What challenges did you face? Did you have a chance to practice any of the skills you discussed with your therapist?
- Identify a Focus: Based on your reflection, what is the most important thing you want to talk about today? You don’t need a rigid agenda, but having a general sense of your priority for the session can provide a helpful starting point. It could be a specific problem, a recurring feeling, or a success you want to share.
- Jot Down Some Notes: It’s easy to forget things in the moment. Write down a few bullet points on your phone or in a notebook to remind yourself of what you want to discuss.
During Your Session: Be an Active Participant
Therapy is not a passive experience where you just sit back and get “fixed.” It is an active, collaborative process. Here’s how to be an engaged partner.
- Be Honest: This is the most important part. Your therapist can only help you with what you are willing to share. Be as honest as you can about your thoughts, your feelings, and your behaviors, even the ones that feel shameful or embarrassing. Your therapist’s office is a judgment-free zone.
- Be Vulnerable: Therapy works best when you are willing to go to the uncomfortable places. It can be scary to be vulnerable, but this is often where the most profound healing happens.
- Ask Questions: If you don’t understand a concept your therapist is explaining, ask for clarification. If you’re not sure how a particular exercise is supposed to help, ask about the rationale behind it.
- Give Feedback: If your therapist says something that really resonates with you, let them know. If they say something that doesn’t feel right, it’s okay to say that, too. A good therapist will welcome this feedback.
- Take Notes: If your therapist shares a particularly helpful insight or teaches you a new skill, write it down. This can help you to remember and practice it between sessions.
After Your Session: Integrate the Learning
The session might be over, but the work continues. The real change happens when you take what you’ve learned in the therapy room and apply it to your actual life.
- Take a Few Minutes to Reflect: Immediately after your session, take five minutes to sit in your car or in a quiet space and jot down your biggest takeaways. What was the most important thing you learned? What is one thing you want to work on this week?
- Do the Homework: If your therapist gives you “homework”—like practicing a coping skill or tracking your thoughts—make a real effort to do it. This is not busy work; it is a crucial part of integrating your learning and building new habits.
- Be Patient and Compassionate with Yourself: Change is hard, and it doesn’t happen overnight. There will be weeks when you feel like you’re making huge strides, and weeks when you feel stuck. This is a normal part of the process. Be kind to yourself and keep showing up.
By approaching therapy with this level of intention and engagement, you are transforming it from a weekly appointment into a continuous process of growth. You are honoring the investment you are making in yourself and paving the way for lasting change.
Key Takeaways
- To get the most out of therapy, be an active and prepared participant in your own care.
- Before each session, take a few minutes to reflect on your week and identify a focus for the conversation.
- During the session, be honest and vulnerable, ask questions, and give your therapist feedback.
- After the session, reflect on your takeaways and make a conscious effort to apply what you’ve learned to your daily life.
Ready to take the first step? We can help. Get started with Televero Health today.