Making the Most of Therapy

New to therapy? You’re not alone. You might be wondering how you can get the most out of your therapy sessions. Meagan Herman, LCPC, a therapist at our Outpatient Mental Health Center in Frederick, shares tips on why you should try therapy and how to make your sessions productive and meaningful. 

How do I know I should try therapy?

I think everyone should try therapy! There are so many ways you can benefit from it. When you’re looking to start therapy, I recommend thinking about your goals and what you’re hoping to gain from it.

Maybe your goal is broad: Is there something that you want to work on? Are there personal achievements you’re aiming for, situations or feelings you want to learn to cope with, or do you have goals for personal growth you want to accomplish? 

Or, maybe what you want to tackle is more specific: Do you have a phobia or an intense fear to address? Do you want to improve specific relationships? Have you gone through a particularly stressful situation and want support navigating it?

Therapy can help with all of these areas and more.

I know my goals. What’s next?

Now that you know your goals, it’s time to find a therapist. When possible, I recommend interviewing therapists to see how they would approach what you want to work on. Do you feel comfortable talking with them? Do they work on the types of problems you’re experiencing? Are they giving answers that suggest they can help you reach your goals? It’s okay to interview a few therapists to find one that is right for you! Also, keep in mind it can take a few sessions to fully feel comfortable opening up to a new person, so it is okay if there is an adjustment period once you start.

How do I make the most of therapy?

What I tell my clients is, “You’re only in the room with me about 50 minutes a week. There’s a whole lot of time you spend outside of therapy.” 

Work with your therapist on what you can do outside of sessions. Bring a notebook and jot down notes for coping skills to try or conversation starters to use. Talk to your therapist about exercises you can practice outside of your therapy sessions. This will also give you great insights to come back with for your next session—how did you do with practicing those skills and engaging in those exercises? What went well, or what was hard for you?