How many sessions and what time commitment?
Due to COVID-19 Medicare has approved up to 20 sessions per calendar year. The number of recommended sessions really depends on your unique needs, goals, diagnosis and situation. For some clients experiencing milder, reactive symptoms therapy may involve brief structured sessions over a few months as therapeutic tools and problem-solving skills are developed. For others therapy may be required over the longer term to address more complex or chronic issues. Also as a ‘way of living’ in the recovery phase, therapy may serve as a maintenance check for your mental health. In the same way that we exercise the body regularly to keep physically fit, therapy can be like making time to exercise the mind, heart and soul to develop longer term resilience and wellbeing. Therapy also has an end point and you will have the opportunity to plan and discuss with your therapist when and how to take a therapy break.
How you feel after an individual therapy session will depend on many things. Perhaps you have taken the opportunity to delve into uncomfortable emotional issues that you have been holding onto for some time. It is not unusual to feel more emotional after a session as deeper and intense feelings such as sadness, anger or anxiety rise to the surface as you confide in your therapist. Do not be discouraged if you experience these strong feelings after a session of therapy. It may well indicate you are developing insight and understanding more about why you think, feel, and respond a certain way. Moving outside your comfort zone generally leads to positive changes occurring as you become more empowered to take self-responsibility for your mental health. Your therapist will discuss a range of self-care and emotional self-regulation techniques you can use between sessions as needed.
Due to COVID-19 Medicare has approved up to 20 sessions per calendar year. The number of recommended sessions really depends on your unique needs, goals, diagnosis and situation. For some clients experiencing milder, reactive symptoms therapy may involve brief structured sessions over a few months as therapeutic tools and problem-solving skills are developed. For others therapy may be required over the longer term to address more complex or chronic issues. Also as a ‘way of living’ in the recovery phase, therapy may serve as a maintenance check for your mental health. In the same way that we exercise the body regularly to keep physically fit, therapy can be like making time to exercise the mind, heart and soul to develop longer term resilience and wellbeing. Therapy also has an end point and you will have the opportunity to plan and discuss with your therapist when and how to take a therapy break.
How you feel after an individual therapy session will depend on many things. Perhaps you have taken the opportunity to delve into uncomfortable emotional issues that you have been holding onto for some time. It is not unusual to feel more emotional after a session as deeper and intense feelings such as sadness, anger or anxiety rise to the surface as you confide in your therapist. Do not be discouraged if you experience these strong feelings after a session of therapy. It may well indicate you are developing insight and understanding more about why you think, feel, and respond a certain way. Moving outside your comfort zone generally leads to positive changes occurring as you become more empowered to take self-responsibility for your mental health. Your therapist will discuss a range of self-care and emotional self-regulation techniques you can use between sessions as needed.