One Dose is Not Enough.

Throughout the 12+ years of being a therapist, I have had both long-time clients and short-term clients. Each journey when meeting a new client is exciting for most therapists. We want to know all about what your life has been like and what pieces of the puzzle we can start identifying with your help during the rapport phase. Building rapport with a client will happen during the first four appointments and can last awhile, depending on how comfortable a client is with the process. I get into that in this post.

• Long-time clients would be considered clients who have been in therapy for long-term (a year or more). Long-term clients tend to be seen two to four times a month, consistently.

• Short-term clients are considered less than one year. They may have started weekly, quickly shifted to bi-weekly (twice a month), once a month, then terminated therapy.

We can really only do so much when sessions are spread out so far. Which is why I always encourage weekly therapy when clients begin treatment.

Think about this. You meet someone who you want to receive help from. You choose to only see them twice in a 30-day period. How long do you think it will take to get to the root of the issue when the “root” is embedded deep into your emotions.

Therapy cannot be a drive-by service.

Sometimes we expect a solution from our doctor or dentist after the first appointment. That can be valid if it’s an easy fix. Drippy nose? Let’s try a nose spray. Itchy palms? Why not this lotion! Use this prescription for seven to ten days. Finish the bottle. Boom, you should be all clear.

What happens if you stop the medication too early? The problem usually comes back. Easy fix: go back to the doctor again. Give it another try. Or maybe you need an alternative solution.

Emotions are not quite as easy to figure out, are they?

Long-term therapy can promote trust within a clinician and their client. We have seen you through all seasons of life. We can remember back to that one holiday where it all went to shit. We love being able to experience the year with you. I talk a little more about why therapy can take a while in this post.

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I cannot speak for the short-term clients, but my long-term clients are doing great.

“Well then why are they still in therapy?”

I think people misunderstand what “doing great” actually means.

Society promotes this belief that people who are showing up and being happy all of the time are the real ones who are living the best life.

I think based on what we are starting to understand about social media, that is not always the case.

The reason why I state that my long-term clients are doing great, is because I am measuring off of change.

Clients who come to therapy really ready to do the work, understand that things cannot be fixed/changed/made better in a matter of four, six, twelve, or even fifteen sessions.

These clients want deep exploratory work. They want to know what the root cause is of their pain, habits, or misunderstandings. They want to go deep and identify where their triggers originated.

These clients really want to get to know themselves. Then they want to grow and progress. Then they want to get to know their new selves.

So, how is it that my long-term clients are doing great?

They are doing great at getting to know themselves.

They recognized that it was going to take more than just one dose of therapy.

Look, if a person is feeling like they are ready to discontinue services because they are “feeling great” after six sessions, I welcome their confidence. Sometimes therapy is too hard. Sometimes it is too intimidating or scary. Sometimes we do not have the energy to grow. That is okay.

Just do not be surprised when the excitement of the first few sessions wears off and you wonder why you are back feeling the same symptoms once again.

Do not be surprised when relationships have not changed or people do not respect the boundaries you tried to put in place. Do not be surprised when you feel at a loss why you cannot speak up and reiterate your needs and wants. Do not be surprised when you miss having a safe space to process all of your thoughts and feelings.

We cannot rely on wonderful change in a handful of sessions.

It might sound cringe to some people; however, therapy really is an investment.

Reach out, it really is never too late to get started.