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Engaging with Therapy

Therapy involves commitment

Undertaking therapy can be personally demanding and also involves a considerable commitment in terms of time and money. Obviously, no therapist can promise you a guaranteed outcome because there are too many variable factors involved. However, therapy is also not a random process. The therapist brings her skills, experience and personal qualities  - and you, as the client, can also influence the effectiveness of your time in therapy.  

Therapy is a dynamic and collaborative process

Counselling and psychotherapy offer a space for exploration, growth and change, but the journey may not be a straight path.  It is a dynamic and collaborative process that unfolds uniquely for each individual. It is helpful to understand that progress is not always linear; there may be periods of significant insight followed by times where you feel stuck, or even feel as though you have taken a step back. This is a normal and often necessary part of therapeutic work.

While therapy often incorporates elements of problem-solving, it is fundamentally different. The goal is not simply to find quick solutions, but to foster deeper self-awareness and to understand the root of problematic emotional and behavioural patterns. From understanding yourself you can then be in a position to make the changes you want.

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This exploration may sometimes lead us down a path that does not immediately yield answers, and this can feel like a 'dead end'. However, these explorations are never wasted; they provide valuable information about what does and does not work for you. At times, we may need to pause, reflect on our approach, and agree to try something different. This flexibility is a core strength of the therapeutic process, allowing us to tailor the work to your evolving needs and ensure our sessions remain meaningful and effective.

Between-Session Tasks in Therapy

Therapy sessions, typically lasting about an hour per week, represent a very small fraction of a person’s life. Meaningful change is happening in the hours and days between these sessions and integrating between-session tasks can support this growth and change.

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‘Tasks’ may, for example, include exploring ideas and experimenting with new behaviours; reflecting on insights; working with thoughts and feelings; monitoring activities; practicing mindful meditations and building a new relationship with yourself. Even without a specific task, many people benefit from taking a few moments following their session to write some notes, so that they remember what was talked about, that they can then look at throughout the coming week. 

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Reading this may bring up tendencies you have to do things perfectly, be good, work hard …..or you may notice a resistance to doing it at all. These are all useful things to notice.  But the aim here is to find a kind and supportive way to keep a beneficial connection with the work you are doing in sessions.  The important thing is just to prevent your session from becoming an isolated event in your week and aim to keep it ‘alive’, meaningful and helpful to you. 

Keep actively engaged

Therapy is not something you receive – it is much more like being part of a team with a shared ambition. It is a collaborative effort that extends beyond the one-hour appointment. Ultimately, people are the primary agents of their own change. For you to feel confident to continue your growth independently and maintain changes you have made when therapy sessions have ended, you will benefit from having been actively engaged, in a kind and self-respectful way.

Book a free consultation

I offer a free 15 - 30 minute introductory video consultation to help you decide if therapy with me is right for you at this time.  

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