The Cadence of Therapy Session

Oftentimes when I work with a client, one of their first questions on their initial phone call is ‘how long do I need to be in therapy?’ Unfortunately, there isn’t one set answer across the board for everyone who starts their therapy journey. People can be in therapy weekly for months, while others can be in weekly therapy for 4-6 weeks and then titrate down to bi-weekly sessions, and eventually every three weeks, and later monthly. I have also worked with clients who still check in with me every month or two months, depending on what is going on in their lives.

The therapeutic process might not be as intense as it was in the beginning, but the benefits of continued support and processing are incredibly helpful. If you are unsure of what your therapy journey might look like, it is important to ask the therapist that you are seeing how they structure their sessions. Therapists also understand that life happens. What I mean by this is that things come up, you are under the weather, or you have a vacation planned. All of these things are real and also still allow for therapy to take place, but might alter your schedule slightly to accommodate these changes.

If you are someone who only wants to participate in a handful of sessions, let the therapist know this as well. Being transparent up front allows you to see how the therapist responds to your needs and ultimately allows you to share what you are looking for in this process. Each therapist has a different way of handling these different situations, and being transparent helps you to find the right fit for you in starting this journey.