How Long Does Counseling Typically Take to Work?

Therapy can help you better navigate complicated feelings, relationships, and experiences. It’s a powerful tool that can improve every area of your life.

It takes bravery to get help, and you’re probably wondering what the process is like — particularly if this is your first time. A ubiquitous question people will have is how long therapy takes.

There’s no one-size-fits-all timeline for how quickly you’ll see results after starting therapy treatment. How long therapy takes will depend on the kind of therapy, the issues involved, who the individual is, and the ability and willingness to engage with it. It can be anything from a single session to several years, depending on what you want to achieve and how much progress you make.

Keep reading to learn more about the process as well as when you might begin feeling better about your mental health condition.

How Many Therapy Sessions Does It Take to See Progress?

Therapy is not one-size-fits-all. Trial-and-error experimentation is the name of the game here, and it can be hard to gauge; for example, what works for one individual may or may not appeal to others, and each result will always carry some degree of variance. That said, some research provides insight into what you can expect on your travels.

The American Psychological Association (APA) estimates that more than half of the people who receive therapy will be diagnosed within 15 – 20 sessions.

Factors of the Timeline of Effectiveness

Many other reasons influence the length of time it takes for therapy to be effective. Grasping elements of both can help you achieve the most effective, efficient results from your work with your therapist.

Type of Therapy

Some forms of therapy are better for others based on experience, condition, and personal style, so finding the type of therapy that is right for you is critical. What’s extremely effective for one person may not work for another, emphasizing a tailored approach to mental health treatment.

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a well-established talk therapy that helps people identify and change unhealthy or unproductive patterns of thought and behavior, making it a valuable treatment for symptoms of depression or anxiety in some people. DBT, or Dialectical Behavior Therapy, is part of the CBT spectrum and caters more to people dealing with high or intense emotions and trauma, as well as those who have or are recovering from borderline personality disorder, PTSD, or trauma in general.

Although many people report positive results from CBT or talk therapy at around 12 weeks or so, it’s crucial to remember that treatment doesn’t always fit one shoe. For instance, Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) can take months to show meaningful improvement, and some components of group therapy are often the treatment process. Nonetheless, individuals must communicate their unique needs and expectations to a therapist, who can guide them in setting the most suitable treatment plan outcomes.

Individual factors

How long it takes to work on specific behaviors, thoughts, or symptoms will also depend on your history and background. If you’ve spent years (or decades) engaging in unhealthy habits and patterns, those can be even more hardwired. The type of issues and experiences you have will determine how long your course of therapy will take to achieve the desired effect.

Severity and duration of mental health issues

The nature and longevity of mental health conditions will also impact the timeframe to reach successful therapy results. More severe cases may require more time as they require a more intensive therapeutic regime.

The same goes for mental health disorders that have been ignored for extended periods; these will also require a long-term treatment length to see significant changes. It’s essential to recognize that improvement likely will look different depending on these factors, so patience and endurance in treatment are necessary.

Commitment and motivation

Therapy is a commitment. Getting through it is a matter of assertion and a desire for the work of the process. Those who work to continually learn and apply new tools and strategies almost always have the best results in therapy. The good news is that you can witness change quickly if you’re dedicated and motivated to your growth and healing.

Therapist-client dynamics

You feel a connection with a good therapist — this is another one of the most critical factors in the healing process. Opening up and sharing your worries and experiences with a therapist is vulnerable. A strong, engaged, and trusting therapist-client relationship is essential as you consider self-improvement. So, knowing how to find the right therapist is crucial if you hope to see results as soon as possible.

External factors

Occasionally, life hurls unpreventable curveballs well beyond your control. Things happening outside of the therapy room — job loss, death of a loved one, relationship breakdown, or sudden health issues — can affect your mental health and the quality of therapy in a colossal way. If outside forces appear to prevent you from making the most of your therapy, having dependable access to support and resources could help keep you — and your healing — on course.

But don’t wait for a big shake-up, either. A strong network of support around you from the outset can help mitigate the harm caused by whatever unexpected challenges come your way. Support from family and friends, local resources, support groups, and online forums can help provide emotional support and practical help during challenging times.

Setting therapy goals

Goal setting is key to getting the most out of therapy. A mental health professional can work with you to determine attainable goals for therapy. Whatever your goal, a clear and achievable goal is an important element in the therapy process.

Common goals for therapy might include:

• Developing your self-confidence so you can speak up for yourself

• Taking care of the self

• Setting boundaries

• Enhancing communication

• The tools to help you out of a toxic relationship

• Establishing Realistic Expectations

Science confirms that therapy works. According to the APA, 75 percent of individuals who seek treatment experience positive results and symptom improvement — but it’s not magic. Deciding to seek therapy is a significant first step and understanding what to expect about the process will mitigate disappointment when change doesn’t come overnight. It’s crucial to enter your first appointment, not under the misunderstanding that you’ll walk away healed after just one therapy session.

How You Can Get the Most Out of Therapy

You need to come to the table, face the music and listen. You also need to recognize that you won’t be doing your work only in the minutes or days you are sitting in a therapy session. The more you’re invested in your therapy treatment plan, and the more willing you are to implement those tools you’ll learn into your daily life, the faster you will see results.

It’s not unusual to receive “homework” from your therapist. These assignments outside of your sessions are valuable to your work. They ground the strategies you practice into your everyday thoughts and habits. As they say, practice makes progress, even in therapy.

What about the lifestyle factors that should align with your efforts to develop a healthy mind & body? Other factors, like maintaining a healthy sleep schedule, eating well, and exercising regularly, can help reinforce what you’re doing in therapy.

How to Tell if Therapy Is Working

It’s natural to want to know if your hard work is paying off. Indicators of progress in therapy can include the following:

• This shift in perspective: You look at what previously made you feel like you were underwater and what you thought to be barriers you think you can now overcome.

• Utilizing coping strategies and tools: One of the most telling signs of growth is finding that you’re instinctively leaning toward picking up the journal to write out what is causing you stress or taking a deep breath and counting to 10 before replying to something upsetting.

• Healthier relationships: Engagements and conversations seem to involve more healthy back-and-forth than a toxic exchange of data.

• Emotional regulation and control: You no longer tend to have knee-jerk reactions, and notice that you can take a breath and reflect before responding to stressors.

• Observing new habits and patterns: You notice that the urge to take the unhealthy path gives way to better, more proactive, more restorative choices.

Start Therapy with Healthy Families Albuquerque

If you’re prepared to transform your life and have contemplated embarking on a journey with therapy, Healthy Families Albuquerque is an internet-based treatment platform that streamlines the process.

Healthy Families Albuquerque pairs you with the therapist best suited to fit your needs, goals, and preferences. Before you know it, you’ll be taking steps toward healing with no hassle of the traditional therapy experience — no commutes, no waiting rooms, and less time connecting with someone who will help you.

If you’re wondering most commonly how effective therapy is or how long it takes for Healthy Families Albuquerque members on average, research shows that online therapy can be as effective as or more effective than traditional in-person treatment in the same amount of time.

To make it work, start — the sooner you begin, the earlier it can work — contact Healthy Families Albuquerque today to get moving.