Structure of a Therapy Session

It is common to experience anxiety when thinking about starting therapy. I can empathize! I have had similar feelings as both a client in therapy, and as therapist. I thought offering a general idea of how a session is usually structured could offer some predictability. 

I usually “meet the client where they are” meaning there is a flexible agenda based on the individual’s unique needs and feelings when we start session:

Setting an Agenda

I may ask, “if we were to focus on one topic for today’s session what would it be?” or” How could today’s session be most beneficial for you?” 

For a first session I usually ask about expectations and specific goals you may have for therapy. I understand there can many starting points, but wherever you would like to start is perfectly fine. I have found that once a client and I start working on one area of life, it influences many other areas. For example, learning how to set boundaries at work, may influence quality time spent with friends and family, lower stress levels, and help focus on other areas of life that perhaps had been forgotten. 

Processing

Processing facilitates understanding of one’s inner experience. It offers the possibility for bringing the unconscious experience into consciousness, helps bring mindfulness to recurring patterns and allows take perspective, and understand our narratives and experiences. Processing may look different depending on the person. It is an essential time to connect with oneself and identify next steps in therapy.

Action Plan

I would like you to leave each session with something practical to use actively to improve your life.

Depending on the topic you would like to focus on in session, we will typically brainstorm and decide on an “experiment” towards the end of session. This experiment is aligned with the clients’ values and will would ideally move you closer to where you would like to be.

For example, an experiment for overwhelm at work could be- Identifying causes of overwhelm- identifying actions that would decrease overwhelm (for example, setting boundaries, communicating to manager, delegating) – and the experiment would be committing to experiment with one action.

The reason we call these goals experiments is that the purpose is to gain information, even if the action is not done, we learn about and work on the barriers (i.e., anxiety, assertiveness, emotion regulation) to move forward with the action in the future. 

I hope this article offered some clarity about what to expect from a session. Please feel free to send me a message if you are interested in scheduling an initial consultation where I would be happy to answer any questions you may have.

Useful Links

• Your First Therapy Session – https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/therapy/your-first-therapy-session
• What is Therapy – https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/therapy
• Benefits of Therapy You Probably Didn’t Know About – https://psychcentral.com/blog/benefits-of-therapy-you-probably-didnt-know-about#1