What to expect during therapy
duration & frequency of a therapy plan
Contents
Client controlled pace. ⬦ How many sessions are needed? ⬦ Choosing what to talk about & exclude from therapy. ⬦ Discontinuing therapy.
1 minute, 45 second read
My model
I offer a flexible, person-centered approach to therapy in which the client prioritizes topics of discussion & directs the flow of the conversation.
How it works
An example⸺
A new client states a traumatic event is interlaced within their past & this event causes significant pain to discuss. I respond by suggesting that we don’t have to talk about the event until they’re ready.
Auxiliary concerns are presented for discussion that suggest being a product of a deeper unresolved traumatic source.
Although a circular process, the client becomes progressively confident in their increasing exposure to the source concern over time.
The client capitulates their original objection and acknowledges the trauma, then offers the event for discussion as appropriate time has elapsed to allow for proper processing.
Therapy plan questions
What happens during the first session?
We will continue the introduction that the consultation began & select areas of concern to initiate a conversation about.
See this blog post about therapy in general.
How many sessions do I need?
Some clients have one session and some have bi-monthly sessions for six months or longer.
It is difficult to prescribe a specific quantity of sessions for a clinical condition however, academic modeling suggests six (6) or more sessions at a minimum for measurable progress.
What are maintenance sessions?
Maintenance sessions
come after the original prescribed therapy plan
are used to measure the client’s current state in contrast to the client’s progress during the original therapy plan
do not conform to a standard session frequency; ie irregular, sessions once every other month vs, a traditional bi-monthly frequency
Is there a minimum number of sessions required? Maximum?
No.
Do I have to talk about something even if I don’t want to?
No.
What if I come once a week for a month then just stop therapy? I canceled all future sessions and didn't explain why. What happens?
It depends.
Option 1
If I feel your safety is a concern I’ll reach out to you to see if you’re okay.
I’m not going to pressure you to have therapy if you choose not to.
Option 2
Nothing happens. I’ll wait for you to reach out to me and we’ll continue where we left off.
Summary
I’ll never force a client to talk about anything against their will.
Therapy is a choice.
It’s the client’s choice to offer topics of discussion, control the pace of therapy, make appointments, and participate in therapy within the prescribed therapeutic plan.
There is no set time frame to reach a desirable state of well-being. I won’t force anyone to attend sessions and ultimately there is no pressure to have therapy.
Therapy is a free-will experience.