Tips For Staying Consistent With Therapy (And Making More Progress!)
By Rachel Paulich
We’ve all been there before — we get a great idea of how to make an improvement in our life and we’re super gung ho about it. Maybe it’s a new workout routine, or a hobby we’re embarking on, or a cleaning schedule for the house. The first couple of weeks start out great, and then…well, not so great after that. Call it losing motivation or falling off the wagon or whatever you want, the real issue is a lack of consistency.
And guess what? Therapy can be the same way.
Sound familiar? Let’s talk about it!
Why Is Consistency With Therapy Important?
Mental and emotional health is much like any other healthy endeavor. For example, exercising once is great, but to really improve strength or endurance it is something that needs to happen multiple times a week, every week. Getting a full night of sleep once will help you feel good for a day, but to feel good every day it’s important to get quality sleep every night.
If you are looking to improve your mental and emotional well-being by attending therapy, the magic comes in attending therapy regularly. Your therapist might recommend coming weekly, every other week, or a different cadence based on your individual needs.
Meeting with your therapist regularly allows you to :
Build rapport and trust with your therapist
Address concerns quickly rather than trying to remember for when you meet a few weeks later
Reinforce positive behaviors - your therapist will usually be one of your biggest cheerleaders!
Break down barriers getting in the way of the “meat” of your therapeutic work. It takes some time to truly get comfortable with a therapist and for them to truly get to know you, your history, and your needs. Meeting consistently will help you work through those barriers more quickly, allowing for real progress to happen sooner.
Tips For Staying Consistent With Therapy
So, you want to make progress and really maximize those therapy results? Great! Here are some things to do to support you in your goal:
Have a re-occurring therapy appointment on your schedule. Trying to “squeeze it in” when it feels convenient usually means it gets bumped to the bottom of your priority list when life is busy. It can also be stressful to have a weekly appointment that is different every week that you have to keep track of. Knowing that you have therapy every Thursday at 3 pm will take one more thing off your to-do list and mental load.
Make it a priority. Busy adult life usually means a juggling act of work, appointments, family responsibilities, and leisure time. Making your reoccurring therapy appointment a top priority that you schedule around will be a commitment to yourself and your well-being that will pay big rewards over time.
Only cancel when necessary. Sometimes things come up that we just can’t avoid. Maybe it’s a required work trip, or a big family reunion, or a medical procedure. No problem! Let your clinician know in advance and they are happy to cancel or reschedule your appointment. On the other hand, a friend inviting you to a movie during your reoccuring appointment time? Remember to make your mental and emotional health a priority! It’s ok to ask to meet your friend at a different time.
Utilize teletherapy if needed. The Covid-19 pandemic forever changed the way we think about meeting and gave us the option of teletherapy when needed. If you normally see your clinician in the office but wake up sick one morning, or are in a position that you can’t drive in, that’s ok! Contact the front desk or your clinician and asked to be switched to an online appointment so you can still maintain your consistent meeting time. (Obviously, you be the judge on what you need when it comes to illness! Some sniffles might mean you stay home and meet online, but a violent stomach virus might mean it’s time to use that emergency cancellation and rest instead!)
Talk to your therapist about it. If you find that it’s difficult to maintain the recommended therapy schedule outlined by your therapist, talk to them about it! Sometimes discussing the barriers to consistency and brainstorming ways to improve it is part of the therapeutic process itself.
Therapists at The Healing Group are dedicated to your success and healing, and will help you stay consistent! Call or text us at 801-305-3171 to schedule an appointment.
