Tips for Turbo-Charging Therapy from the Start

1.  Use a therapy notebook (and we will be happy to provide you with one).

New patients coming into the practice will typically be given a loose-leaf binder that we call a therapy notebook.  This notebook has been extremely valuable for many people.  In it you can write down things you want to remember to discuss in therapy, details of problematic situations, ratings of progress, and things you learn in therapy.

2.  Write out an exhaustive and detailed problem list.

Writing out all the problems that are weighing on you can help to reduce the sense of being overwhelmed, help you and your therapist to organize and prioritize the issues, and keep therapy focused.

3.  Write out your goals in exquisite detail.

Writing out your goals in as much detail as possible will help you to break them down into smaller steps, will help you to visualize them clearly, and will help you to identify what you really want to accomplish.  If you don't know where you are going, it will take you a long time to get there.

4.  Be courageous and tell your therapist about both positive and negative feelings about therapy.

Most therapists are flexible in their style of working.  If you want more or less direction, advice, support, etc., please ask!  You can't get your needs met if you don't make them known.

5.  Ask your therapist to help you establish a way of measuring your progress.

Most problems can be tracked using some sort of measurement device.  For example, we have scales that can rate depression, anxiety, worry, stress, and all sorts of issues.  We are also able to help you develop rating scales that are particular to the unique goals you have for treatment.  By developing a way of measuring your progress, and even graphing your progress, we can make sure therapy is moving in the right direction.  If you ask your therapist to help you do this, they will be glad to.

6.  Choose specific goals to work on during each phase of therapy.

Try to be clear with yourself and your therapist which goals are most important to work on at any given time.  Successful therapy often results when some goals are identified as clear targets and other goals are put "on the shelf" for the time being.  It can be useful to think about there being different phases of therapy, that can last from one to three months or longer.  Your therapist will help you to decide which goals are best to shoot for first.

7.  Tell your therapist if you are ready to come less frequently, end the therapy for now, or feel like you aren't making progress.

We love to see patients grow and develop and eventually reduce the frequency of sessions.  Much of the time therapy sessions are scheduled weekly until there is a good sense of progress, then taper to every other week.  From there, patients often come in for monthly visits, then every few months, and then perhaps yearly for check-ups.  It can be hard to tell your therapist that you are ready to end therapy or to come in less frequently.  Please know that we love to see people "graduate" therapy.  We also generally do not like to see people just stop coming after a while.  Please push yourself to be open about where you see yourself in the process of therapy.  If you would like to take a break from therapy, or even want another referral, please let us know.  We support people ending therapy when they believe they are ready.

8.  Try to participate in a group workshop.

The power of group workshops is striking!  Hearing about the struggles of other people and celebrating victories together often makes for more rapid changes than patients thought was possible.  Group workshops teach strategies, reduce isolation, provide accountability for making positive changes, and are generally very enjoyable.  There is almost a surprising amount of laughter and connection in every group.

9.  Read workbooks and watch movies.

Seeing the recommendations made by your therapist in print is almost always helpful.  There just isn't enough time in sessions to develop therapeutic points the way a workbook can.  Just ask your therapist for a book recommendation.  Also, watching movies and videos that relate to issues you are working on can be motivating and helpful.  We have several videos available for patients to watch at RICBT.  Your therapist can help you watch a video in our conference room after a session, for instance.

 BJ