It is time to learn how to get the most out of therapy. It is fair to say that in this day and age no one wants to waste their time. Therefore, it is a good idea to address how to get the most out of therapy and your time while in a counseling session. For a therapist, seeing a patient get better is probably the most rewarding part of the job. Because therapists want all patients to experience a change in their lives for the better, it is helpful to identify some of the characteristics that have enabled some people to experience dramatic improvements in their mental health. Many of the characteristics that are described in this article are derived from a broad spectrum of clinical research and are applicable to all people.
First and foremost, making your counseling appointment a priority is a fundamental aspect of treatment success. As anyone who has made physical fitness a life goal can attest, consistency is a major component of success with that goal and it is the same for therapy. Frequent rescheduling or canceling of appointments can be a barrier to treatment success. Research indicates that the clients who experience the most efficient improvements in their emotional health, attend their counseling sessions with reliable consistency.
Being willing to take chances and try new things is another attribute possessed by clients who have achieved therapeutic success. Whenever you learn something new, it can be unpleasant. Learning how to ride a bicycle, for example, feels unnatural and strange. Over time, though, the act of riding a bike becomes second nature. When people first come to therapy and start learning new ways to process their emotions or change some of their thinking patterns, it can feel strange as well. However, when a client displays a willingness to approach their emotional health in a different way and try to implement therapeutic strategies into their daily life, some of these skills start to feel like second nature too.
Finally, it is always important to give honest feedback to a therapist in terms of what is working and what is not working. Most therapists have eclectic therapeutic skills and can tailor their approach to counseling to suit the unique needs of the client. For a variety of reasons, many clients do not provide feedback if a particular approach that the therapist is taking is not effective. To get the most out of therapy, it is best to express to the therapist what is helpful and what is not helpful.
Should you be interested in any of the therapeutic services offered at Specialized Therapy Associates, please call 201-488-6678 for details.