what is therapy like? What should I expect?

Because each person has different issues and goals, therapy will be different for each individual. During each session, you can expect to discuss the current events in your life, your personal history relevant to your issue, and any progress you have made or new insights you have gained since your previous session. Depending on your specific needs, therapy can be short-term, for a specific issue, or longer-term, to deal with more difficult thought and behavior patterns or to address your desire for more advanced personal development. People most commonly schedule regular sessions, usually weekly.

It is important to understand that you will get better results from therapy if you actively participate in the process. The ultimate purpose of therapy is to help you apply what you learn in session to your everyday life. Therefore, in addition to the work you do in therapy sessions, your therapist may suggest some things you can do outside of therapy to support your process, such as reading a pertinent book, journaling on specific topics, noting particular behaviors, or taking action on specific goals. People seeking psychotherapy take responsibility for their lives, are open to new perspective, and are ready to make positive changes in their lives.