Taking the step to see a therapist is something that many people find hard to do. Most of the time, many people with issues that need a therapist’s help are usually in denial and try to make up all sorts of excuses not to see one.
Some say they do not have enough or can handle things on their own, or therapy costs too much. Others are not sure when they are ready to see a therapist. Others say that it is hard to find therapists, which are not the case.
If you have signs like eating disorders, high levels of anxiety, or irregular sleeping patterns, Talkspace is the place to visit. They have the best therapists, and their services are unmatched. Their therapists shared some signs of patients who are ready to undergo therapy and succeed.
• Tired of their current situation.
• Tired of being affected by negative emotions.
• Following up by setting up subsequent sessions.
• Have a regular attendance of all their sessions.
• They are always on time for their sessions and always participate.
• Receive suggestions that the therapists give.
Time Commitment
At Talkspace, the one-size-fits-all approach does not apply because different clients have different needs. Most of the time, therapists see their clients once a week or once in two weeks. Some patients need daily sessions.
Other patients who have been on treatment for long have maintenance plans that are done monthly. Most of those patients are the ones dealing with severe depression, dependency issues, or anxiety.
Monitoring Progress
For patients who are seeing a therapist for various reasons, the most important thing is to know how they will monitor their progress and know if they are getting better. After all, that is what they paid their therapists for. Some even ask the therapists how to know if they are improving.
Dr. Catchings, one therapist at Talkspace, tells her patients that the only way to monitor their progress is to study their minds and body to see how they feel and react to certain situations, thoughts, or feelings. She says that every session is their opportunity to empower their clients.
She continues and says that using the right therapeutic tools and techniques helps clients realize that it is up to them to work and be open to change. She says that as a therapist, she walks next to her clients, but they always have the power to make the required changes.
Patients know that therapy is working when they notice that their state of mind is changing. That means that they start changing their negative behaviors and feeling good about working on a suggestion given by their therapists.
Progress can also be in the form of being visible to friends or family or feeling good about working towards set goals. Therapists insist on checking personal progress.
When To Finish Therapy
How long one spends in therapy is dependent on the needs, resources, and goals that individuals have. There are different numbers of sessions needed for different patients, but most psychotherapy patients have said they start improving after around three months.
Depression and anxiety patients start improving after either one to two months or three to four months. For PTSD patients, half of the patients feel better after approximately fifteen to twenty sessions.
Many cognitive-behavioral therapy patients reported noticing an improvement after approximately ten to twenty sessions. Dr. Catchings says that she has had many success stories with patients with situational issues who only required short therapy services.
She goes ahead and adds that therapy not only solves problems but is also among the ways of living. It is like exercising the souls, mind, and heart, she adds.
One of her patients also said that therapy is not just for fixing problems, but is about prioritizing her mental health to be at her best no matter where she is in life.