Showing up to therapy after a setback such as depression or stress is a meaningful step in anyone’s life. But it is just the start of it; there is a lot that comes where you have to keep your spirits high to make the most out of it. Your mental health is paramount, so you must always remember why you were there in the first place. So, as much as you should be proud of yourself, you must never lose focus.
The right therapy sessions can make you feel confident and upbeat and help you move forward in your life. But if you see your therapy sessions are not bringing fruits, you must be something important that you lack. So, showing up on weekly sessions is important, but more critical is that you can reap its rewards. If you are already in the therapy session or thinking of starting one in the coming days, here are a few tips to reap the maximum benefits of your therapy sessions.
Make sure you have a licensed therapist
The process starts with knowing the credentials and abilities of your therapists. A professionally trained person with all the required skills to help mentally disturbed patients is the right choice for you. If you want to be sure of your therapist’s credentials, check for their degree and certification. Good therapists are often licensed clinical social workers (LSCW) or licensed professional counselors (LPC). You can search a lot about these certification programs online, even compare lcsw vs lpc to be sure of your choice of your therapist. Working with a professional therapist, you can be sure of their techniques and fully trust them for whatever they ask you to do. The final goal is that you should feel confident and comfortable in their benign presence and be sure of their abilities. On the contrary, things do not make sense if you are doubtful, so your assurance is paramount.
Handle the fee of the therapy session first
What’s the point of attending a session when you can’t concentrate on it fully? Your introductory session might be free, but it is better to handle the fees first. Thinking about the cost of the therapy while you are trying to focus on the questions of your therapists will lead you nowhere. So, even before you sit in your introductory session, make sure to sort out all the business sides, ask about the fee and decide how you will pay for it. Will your insurance cover the cost, or do you have to pay from your pocket? Or how long will you have these sessions going? Any discount for long-term associations and the like. Once you have these things out of your mind, you can comfortably focus on what is happening in front of you without any distractions.
View your therapy as a mutual collaboration
Before starting your session, remember that a therapy session is a collaborative effort; it is not a spectator sport. Your therapy might be unsuccessful if you don’t make it a team sport. If you don’t participate in the effort, it may not produce fruitful results. Consider your therapist a guide, but it is you who ultimately have to open up and discuss what is happening inside of you. Sometimes people are too afraid to open up, so they don’t let the therapy session proceed at its most productive pace. Other times, people want to be more in control of it. Both are flawed approaches to therapy. The most productive therapy session is mutual, collaborative, and does not swing in one side. The balance in the session allows the client to find their own answers.
Don’t pretend that everything is fine
Think about it, if everything was actually fine, why were you even sitting in the session? So, don’t pretend that there is nothing wrong with your life. This denial is the first barrier to your mind, limiting it not to open up. The more you assert that everything is okay in your life, the less you will get out of your therapy session. Verbalizing your stories is critical to having a successful therapy session.
Be prepared to say anything that comes to your mind; remember, you can say anything while being there. You might be going through a trauma or a tragedy in your life, so talk about the dark thing, embarrassing moments, and scratchy details. You are not alone in this tussle of having awkward and scary details of your life. A lot of people are struggling with their life, asking for help. So, just be steadfast and fight against any desire to hold back. Challenge yourself and bring up the things you were always holding back. Often the issue is bigger and goes far back into the past. So, the more you bring up your suppressed thoughts, the more your therapist will understand your life events and the source of your trauma.
Don’t think about being judged
Going into their office for the first time is intimidating; you might clam up, be nervous and make a mind not to discuss anything, or, worse, go back. But attending a therapy session and opening up about your wounds and problems in life is unlike anything you do in front of judgmental freaks around you. Therapists are not sitting with a mind to judge you on what is happening in your life. So, first, you have to remove this fear of being judged on your misgivings. You have to calm your mind. Even if you can’t, don’t fret because calming your mind is often the reason to go to a therapist. But be strong enough to sit on the couch and follow the cues. Regardless of the style of the therapy or technique they follow, judging you does not even come at the end of their agenda. So, if you want to get the most out of your therapy session, be sure of this fact.
Conclusion
No one is without problems; chaos and stress are realities that you cannot deny. Many people out there are looking for help but fail to do so. Fortunately, you have support and a therapist ready to help you. So, it is better to reap as many benefits out of it as possible. A therapy session is as fruitful as you let it be. Try to feel comfortable and trust the process and techniques of your therapist. When you feel at ease and safe in the room of your therapist, you are more likely to start talking. So make sure you have no stray thoughts hovering over your mind; your mind and body should be in unison and ready to speak.