How to Have a Successful Therapy Session

​​Therapy is an investment in yourself, so get everything you can out of it. Your therapist is working outside of session to do their part in preparation for your session, but what can you be doing? This article addresses that which is in YOUR control.

1. Reflect immediately following session. One of the best ways to make sure all of that hard work gets committed to memory for future use is to create your own summary of what you learned and how you want to exercise that newfound knowledge. Writing these things down ensure they will be fresh on your mind throughout the week, and thus more accessible for use! This means less time in therapy going over the same thing, and more time spent accomplishing your future goals. 
2. Come to session prepared. It makes a huge difference when clients come in having thought about their weeks and what feels most important to discuss. Your therapist may come to session ready to continue work from the previous week, but if something major happened that you would like support with, tell your therapist.  
3. Tell your therapist if you disagree. I promise it won’t offend us! Actually, it is great information for us to have if we got something totally wrong. You don’t have to tiptoe around it, just say, “I don’t think that’s true.” It helps to gauge where you’re at, learn about you, and move on to something more meaningful and worthwhile for you. AND if what you feel and what your therapist is seeing is completely opposite, then you’re really getting into the good stuff. This is when those life-changing epiphanies are made, so let us know what’s going on! 
4. Honesty truly is the best policy. Most people lie in therapy, it’s just a fact. It happens because we’re in a really vulnerable spot facing things that we probably even lie to ourselves about! How are we supposed to come clean to a near stranger?! Well, those things you’re holding on to are the things you need the most care, compassion, and validation for. Give us a chance to relieve you of your shame and truly care for you; it’s what we’re here for. 
5. Ask questions! Sometimes in the middle of our excitement about growth and epiphanies and new beginnings, we get caught up in therapist jargon. If you don’t totally understand what your therapist is saying, ask all the follow up questions you need. The same goes for the process of therapy and the approach your therapist uses- ask questions about why your therapist does things a certain way or follows certain theories. We have intention behind everything we do, so you might learn a lot by being curious!
6. Come with an open mind. So often the work we think we want to do doesn’t end up being the work we actually need. Your therapist has a bird’s eye view and may have things to contribute you haven’t even thought to consider. Try to take their words into consideration and know that we don’t say things just to say them. We might see something larger going on.

 
The more you follow the above steps, the more seriously both you and your therapist will take your goals. Don’t make the common mistake of thinking that just showing up to session is enough to grow; you have to put in the work. Make your sessions a sacred space in your week, work hard, and watch your life flourish.