When people start therapy they have their reservations about its effectiveness. The effectiveness of therapy is determined by your willingness to open up to the therapist, your ability to accept criticism and your desire to change yourself positively.
If you keep these things in mind, you should be making progress. Getting the most out of therapy involves you opening up to the therapist but also giving yourself ample time to self-reflect on what your therapist tells you.
Here are some quick tips to help you get the most out of therapy:
1. Bring all aspects of your personality to the sessions
When you start therapy, you know yourself better than the therapists. We’re all multifaceted individuals with good and bad traits. To enable your therapist to conduct an effective psychoanalysis you need to be honest with them. Show them all sides of your personality – the good, the bad and the ugly.
Whether you’re a child-like individual who is always looking for direction from others or you’re a narcissist who blames everyone but yourself for your problems, you need to let the therapist know.
No matter how dark your thoughts are, a good therapist will never judge you. They are there to make you feel better.
2. Let your emotions loose
If you’re holding back your emotions in therapy, you’re hurting yourself. Therapy requires you to be vulnerable. Shout on the top of your voice if you’re angry; let the tears come rolling down your face if you’re upset. Therapy is all about self-awareness and personal growth which cannot be achieved if you’re constantly bottling up your emotions.
Overtime you’ll learn to acknowledge your emotions without losing control.
3. Take responsibility for your behavior
Therapy sessions will be a complete waste unless you take responsibility for your behavior. Not accepting your wrongdoings is the worst thing you can do for yourself in therapy.
The job of the therapist is to elicit negative patterns and behaviors. As a client you need to accept their analysis and take action to adjust your thought process.
By refusing to take responsibility, you’re coming in the way of your own progress.
4. Connect the dots
Your therapist will work collaboratively with you to identify underlying themes and patterns in your life that determine your behavior and the decisions you make.
You may not have the time to relive every big and small event in your life in therapy but you can still use their feedback to self-reflect and connect the dots on your own.
You’ll be surprised by how sense your life starts making after therapy!
David Myers is a trained psychotherapist who provides psychotherapy, psychodynamic therapy and relationship counseling. If you’re in Birmingham, Alabama or nearby communities and are looking for an experienced therapist, call (205) 251-8808 to book an appointment with David.