We live in a fast-paced world where time seems like it is always in short supply. If you are beginning therapy or considering it, you probably want to know how long it is going to take before what you are experiencing and seek to resolve is worked out. The simple answer to that perplexing question is that there is no simple answer. Here, a few therapists weigh in on the amount of time it takes to see results with therapy:
Cynthia W. Lubow, MS, MFT: There is a great deal of variety in the length of time therapy takes depending on the individual who comes to therapy. The treatment methods the therapist uses, the goals of the person seeking therapy, the symptoms he or she has, and the history of those symptoms will all determine the length of therapy.
Generally, when people have nurturing, protective, wise parents and no trauma throughout childhood, therapy will be short. Usually in this case, people come to therapy for a recent trauma, such as a rape, abortion, mugging, or car accident; a loss such as a death, job loss, or divorce; or a dilemma, like being unhappy in a relationship or job.
In these cases, just talking about the issues, grieving the losses, getting compassionate understanding and wise insight, or trauma treatment like eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), can resolve the situation. Depending on how much and how deeply you want to make use of therapy, this can be one session, or six months or more of weekly sessions.
When people have been repeatedly traumatized, abused, neglected, or shamed as a child, without loving adults to help them handle these traumas, they generally need several years in therapy, or even more. When people get hurt in relationships that are supposed to be close and trustworthy (like parents), it takes another committed and consistently trustworthy person to help repair those wounds over time. When people have been badly hurt, especially when they were children, repair is generally a slower process of developing trust in the therapist and transforming childhood ways of coping into more effective ways.
Erika Myers, MS, MEd, LPC, NCC: Length of therapy can vary depending on your specific needs and circumstances. Some people come to therapy with a specific issue or concern, and brief solution-focused therapy may be the right fit. Often, that can last six to eight sessions. Some people come to therapy to explore issues that seem to run a little deeper. They might engage in therapy for several months or even years.
In my practice, generally I start seeing people once a week for about a month. After that, some continue coming in weekly, while others move to every other week and some eventually transition to once a month. I’ve had people who transition out of therapy and come back in once or twice a year for a “tune up” or for a series of sessions to address a specific concern that has come up.
When you choose a therapist, you can talk about your needs and expectations. There are some insurance plans that only cover a set number of sessions in a given year. If you are planning on using insurance to cover the costs of sessions, you will want to know what those limitations are. You can also contract with your therapist for a specific number of sessions and then evaluate where you are and if you want to continue working together.
One thing to keep in mind is that the single greatest predictor of positive therapeutic outcomes is the quality of the relationship and rapport you develop with your therapist. Building trust and developing that relationship can take time. If you are looking to address needs that run deeper than finding an immediate solution to a specific concern, you may want to allow yourself more time.
Ruth Wyatt, MA, LCSW: With therapy, there usually is no set length of treatment. Therapy can last anywhere from one session to several months or even years. It all depends on what you want and need. Some people come to therapy with a very specific problem they need to solve and might find that one or two sessions is sufficient. Other people come to therapy with more complicated issues they are grappling with and may feel they need a few months or more to understand and resolve their issues. Other people come with long-standing problems or difficult feelings and may benefit from longer-term therapy. The length of treatment may also vary depending on the type of therapy in which you are engaging. For example, cognitive behavioral therapy or couples counseling tend to be short to medium term therapies, while psychoanalytically-oriented therapies may involve more medium to longer term work.
Regardless of why you are seeking therapy or the type of therapy you are doing, it is important to remember that, ultimately, it is your decision as to when you stop therapy. If you are unsure about what you need/want by way of length of treatment, you might raise the question with your therapist to get his/her thoughts. It can also be helpful to discuss your goals of therapy with your therapist. Clarifying what you want from therapy can help you figure out if you have met your goals and when you are ready to stop therapy. When I meet with people for the first time, I usually ask them what they are hoping to get out of therapy and/or how their lives would be different if therapy was to help them. Then, as our work progresses, I periodically check in with them to see how they feel the work is going and to what extent they feel their goals are being met.
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Finding a therapist was one of the best decisions of my life.
At the time, I had been struggling with symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (although I didn’t know that’s what I was experiencing), an eating disorder (I didn’t want to admit), and high anxiety levels (so high that my relationship and performance at work were taking a nosedive). I felt like my life was falling apart and I didn’t know what to do.
How Do I Know When To Find A Therapist?
I made every excuse to avoid finding a therapist. I don’t have enough time. Therapy costs too much. I can handle this on my own. It’s too hard to find someone. But at the end of the day, I knew getting help from a professional was the only way I was going to feel better and I needed to make it work.
Cynthia Catchings, LCSW-S, and Virginia-based licensed Talkspace therapist, shared that clients who are ready to succeed in therapy usually show the following signs:
- Tired of a situation
- Tired of the negative emotions affecting them
- Desire to be seen as soon as possible
- Follow up with scheduling subsequent sessions
- Attend sessions on a regular basis
- Arrive on time and are eager to participate
- Receptive to suggestions from the therapist
What Is The Time Commitment?
Usually therapists meet with clients weekly or once every two weeks. However, there is no one-size-fits all approach as it depends on your unique needs and goals. Some forms of therapy require daily sessions!
“I have clients that I have seen for years and are on a once a month maintenance plan and others that require once a week appointments,” Catchings said. “Similarities in clients that I see for longer periods of time are severe depression or anxiety or dependency issues.”
How Will I Know If I’m Getting Better?
I constantly asked my therapist this question when we first started working together. I wanted to make sure it was “worth it.” I wanted to see results ASAP and move on with my newly acquired “happy life.” Wasn’t that what I was paying her for?
I quickly realized it wasn’t that simple. Instead of giving me a straight answer, my therapist taught me how to check-in with my body and mind, to notice for myself how I felt about a certain thought, feeling, or situation. A big part of my healing has been learning about the tremendous wisdom of our bodies and feeling empowered to voice my opinions instead of always looking for answers outside of myself.
“Every session is a good opportunity to empower a client,” Catchings said. “Utilizing the correct techniques and therapeutic tools can be very beneficial to help [clients] see that it is their responsibility to do the work and be open to change.” Catchings added, “As their therapist, I walk next to them and they guide me, but at the end they always have the power to make the needed change.”
How do you know therapy is working?
You will know that therapy is working for you when you notice a change in your state of mind. You may realize that you’re starting to change your negative behaviors instead of just voicing your frustrations. It might be that you start to navigate through your thoughts constructively or feel good about applying a suggestion that your therapist gave you. Your progress can also become clear to you by way of being visible to a friend or someone close to you. It might also be that you feel good about progressing towards the goals you set to yourself when starting therapy. There are many signs to let you know that therapy is working for you, you should monitor your progress by checking in with yourself and your therapist.
When Will I Be “Done” With Therapy?
The amount of time you spend in therapy is deeply personal and depends on your individual needs, goals, and resources. The number of recommended sessions varies by condition and treatment type, however, the majority of psychotherapy clients report feeling better after 3 months; those with depression and anxiety experience significant improvement after short and longer time frames, 1-2 months & 3-4.
Conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder typically take around 15-20 sessions for 50% of patients to feel improvement. It’s been found that those treated with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy report feeling better after around 10-20 sessions. “I have had many successful stories with clients who had situational issues that only needed brief therapy services,” said Catchings.
“However, it is important to mention that therapy is not only a way to solve a problem, but also a way of living,” shared Catchings. “In the same way that we go to the gym and exercise or tone our body, therapy is like exercise for our mind, heart, and soul.”
Over the years, I’ve realized therapy isn’t just about “fixing” one-off issues for me. Rather, it’s about regularly prioritizing my mental health so that I can show up as my best self no matter where life takes me.
With an insatiable thirst for personal growth and commitment to living a happy life, I am grateful to have my therapist by my side as a skilled and trusted mentor to help me embrace every step of this wild and beautiful adventure called life.
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