How to Get the Most from Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy improves emotions and behaviors and is associated with positive changes in the brain and body. Its benefits also include fewer absences due to illness and greater satisfaction with social relationships. However, research indicates that about 75 percent of people who seek psychotherapy benefit from it, often only partially.

Practical tips for getting the most from psychotherapy:

1. Honor your therapy or counseling appointments:

Always arrive on time for your therapy or counseling session, or a few minutes early. Maintain a regular and consistent therapy schedule, and do not miss appointments, as this can cause the relationship to grow distant and the benefit to diminish.

2. Be honest with your psychotherapist:

Try to be honest when revealing your problems. Do not present a polished image or hold back with your psychotherapist. Even thoughts that seem dangerous and feelings that seem naive are important to the therapeutic work, and this is the most appropriate place to share them.

3. Continue sharing your needs:

Talk about any previous course of therapy and discuss your needs continuously. Give your psychotherapist timely feedback on their interventions, including difficult issues related to psychotherapy, as well as concerns, criticism, and objections.

4. Ask your psychotherapist about complex terms and explanations:

Do not be embarrassed to ask about the complex terms and explanations your psychotherapist may sometimes use. Speak about yourself as an expert: the psychotherapist is an expert in mental health, and you are the expert on yourself and your personality.

5. Apply what you learn from your psychotherapist outside therapy:

Try to practice the changes and lessons gained from psychotherapy outside the therapeutic setting. The goal is to adapt and improve your relationships outside therapy, not only your relationship with the therapist.

6. Respect the time available:

Respect the time available for the session, and do not expect therapeutic interventions outside the session except in cases of extreme necessity.

7. Pay the required therapy fees:

Honor the fees you agreed upon, and do not make them a subject of repeated discussion with your psychotherapist.

Finally, if you are uncomfortable with the psychotherapy you are receiving from your therapist, do not leave without telling them and discussing the matter, so that the ending is understandable and acceptable to both parties.

In summary, you are also responsible for how much you benefit from psychotherapy. Treat it as a collaborative effort, be open and honest, follow the agreed treatment plan, and complete the tasks between therapy or counseling sessions. A psychotherapist can lead a horse to water but cannot make it drink.

Download the Tatmeen app for online psychological and family counseling from the Apple Store or Google Play. You can also register on the Tatmeen mental health website to access valuable information and practical tools for strengthening your mental and family well-being.