Therapy is the multitool of healing. With various shapes and applications, there’s a suitable fit for everyone, but finding the right fit for you and figuring out how to get the most out of therapy can be entirely different processes.
Maybe it’s your first time, and you’re feeling overwhelmed, or you’re just starting back, and the thought of establishing such a relationship again feels overwhelming to you. Or maybe the expanse of possibility- and your role in it- is the very thing holding you back from beginning at all.
There are many things you can do to contribute to the benefit of your therapeutic experiences. The most crucial part is that you’re here and you’re willing, but we want to help you build on the knowledge you can bring into the therapeutic relationship to ensure you leave feeling as empowered as possible. From session to session to the overarching tone of your healing journey, you deserve to feel prepared.
So, how can you get the most out of therapy?
Be accountable
Taking responsibility for your actions as well as your attitudes and emotions is a valuable part of the therapeutic process. Accountability is the process of recognizing the gravity of your consciousness in the way you exist in the world, even when that gravity feels uncomfortable. This may mean accepting fault for wrongdoing or bearing the knowledge that the way you engage with those around you altered the situation you encountered in a way that wasn’t ideal.
It’s not all hard revelations, though. Accountability also means accepting the positive consequences of your presence or actions. Being accountable for the knowledge you bring or the value of your impact on situations that grew or expanded because you were a part of them can help you identify strengths and develop those skills to be a more comprehensive part of your worldview.
Embracing accountability as a required part of your healing will help you to help yourself by seeing the places you could respond to old feelings or experiences in new ways. In turn, this will create the space for your therapist to help you build your skillset at recognizing those opportunities for growth and the tools to unlock new potential for your compassionate accountability to serve you positively.
Embrace curiosity
An element of the curious lingers in the unfamiliar. Often, we grow to recognize this with resistance or suspicion. Some of us may experience new things with an edge of defensiveness. Embracing the unfamiliar in all its formats can help you expand your holistic perspective beyond your most hopeful daydreams by embracing the possibility hidden in the mundane.
| What if I am bad at this? | ⟶ | What if this is a hidden strength? |
| What if my plans go wrong? | ⟶ | What if my plans go right? |
| What if it’s painful? | ⟶ | What if it’s liberating? |
| What if no one likes me? | ⟶ | What if I find space to belong? |
If you’ve ever experienced anxiety, you’re familiar with the power of the “what if?’. By inviting curiosity into your therapeutic spaces, you can re-shape the impact of “what if?” by offering it a connotation of wonder. Curiosity can be a powerful way to engage your imagination as an active part of reshaping your reality when you allow yourself to flourish in the safety of therapy, guided by an expert who is there to support you through the experiences you have.
Speak up
You are your most powerful ally. Using your voice to communicate clearly and concisely about what you need and how you feel is an important tool you can use to guide your therapeutic experience. If you know what you want from therapy or have specific goals, share them. Suppose there’s something that’s not working or you think could be going better. In that case, it’s okay to initiate a conversation about re-evaluating those elements to ensure they’re an ideal fit for where you are today. Maybe the space you occupy on your recovery journey has changed, or the emotions you’re experiencing have been impacted by something you couldn’t have anticipated.
No matter what it is that’s weighing on you, good or bad, you are a powerful advocate for your needs. Through therapy, you’ll learn how to use it, and here is the best place to exercise its power to ensure you are getting the most beneficial support possible.
Show Up, Authentically
The most valuable tip we can offer you is to be authentic. Show up as your whole self for the whole time. From the very start, it’s key to ensure your therapist sees all sides of your personality. Resist the urge to downplay your strengths and gloss over your flaws. You are here to grow, and judgment of your character has no place in a holistic healing relationship. When you bring your authentic self to therapy, you invite the therapist into the vulnerable spaces where healing begins so it can take place most holistically.
You have the power to shape your healing journey, and we’re here to help along the way.
