If you’ve recently started therapy and feel like nothing has changed yet, it is important to remember that improvement can take time. Not seeing an immediate change in behavior or mood after therapy is absolutely okay and normal. A lot of the time, people just give up on therapy the minute they feel it's not working, but before you do there's a few things you can do to really make sure you give it your all.
We asked Jasmine and Sierra, two of our therapists here at Honest Hour what they would suggest in this situation and here is their take:
"Let your therapist know how you're feeling"...
We know, it sounds scary, but most therapists want you to feel better and WELCOME feedback.
For example, if you want a therapist that gives you homework after every session, then share that and see if your therapist can offer that and if not, they can help you find a therapist that does.
Jasmine assured us and said a good therapist, "won't get offended, this is your time to get what you need so go ahead and ask for it!"
“I’d encourage them to reflect on how long they’ve been feeling this way and how they define results or improvement."
At the beginning therapy can often make us feel worse before helping us feel better as we’re starting to talk about really difficult and emotional topics. Also, it’s important to remember that therapy is a process, and we may have expectations in our head about how long things will take to feel better so having a conversation about realistic expectations with your therapist can be so helpful.
Ultimately, it’s important to remember that your therapist has your best interest at heart so if you are feeling concerned, communicate that to them. Therapy is a journey and with time you and your therapist will reach your goals. Give yourself grace and remember you are taking all the right steps just by showing up!
Honest Hour offers authenticity-focused virtual therapy for healthcare & legal professionals. While we serve all individuals, we are particularly dedicated to supporting communities of color through our diverse team of therapists. All of our therapists take insurance and if you would like to learn more about our therapists who serve New York, New Jersey, Maryland, and Washington, D.C., click here.
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