Getting the Most Out of Therapy

As my mom always says, "Everyone has their own stuff."

Have you ever wondered how to make therapy more beneficial for you? Well, I'm sure you are wondering now that you have read that sentence. I am going to outline and try to explain why different things may, or may not, work based on my experience with therapists.

Trigger Warning: Mention of self harm (not in detail)

1. Find a therapist that you "click" with.

This works by helping you trust them much sooner. However, if you need to work on interpersonal skills (skills to help you communicate with other people), maybe someone you don't get along with perfectly, but don't hate either, is a better option. This is because therapy is the best place to practice getting along better with others.

2. Give it time to work.

Like everything, it takes time for therapy to help. I would estimate about three months just for me to trust them with some stuff I have done and thought in the past (and still sometimes do or think).

3. Find a program that works for you.

I know of many different programs that could be helpful for different people. I will explain each method in detail (as much as I can) in this article. The ones I can think of at the moment are group therapies, individual therapy, partial hospitalization, and inpatient (the only one I have no experience with).

a. Individual Therapy

This is when you meet with a therapist one-on-one. I am not completely sure if this is true but this appears to be the most common form of psychotherapy, or talk therapy. I have been participating in individual therapy for over six years. With it, I was given a proper diagnosis (bipolar type two and generalized anxiety disorder) and medication to ease my symptoms. I believe that there are points in everyone's lives where they could benefit from seeing a therapist individually.

b. Group Therapy

This is when a group of people with similar issues meet and discuss how they can cope in healthy ways. This one is definitely not for everyone. In my opinion, it takes a lot of courage to participate in it. Especially at the beginning, it is very anxiety inducing, particularly if you have an anxiety disorder. However, once you begin to get to know the people, it can be really beneficial. It is hard but worth it.

c. Partial Hospitalization Programs and Inpatient

From what I have been told, partial hospitalization programs are similar to inpatient in structure and rules, but you sleep at home. I did a partial hospitalization program (PHP) a couple times as a teenager, but never was "sick enough" to need inpatient, though I feel it would have helped more at the time.

The first time I attended PHP, I learned that I have psychosis due to emotional stress. I found out that when I opened up about seeing and sometimes hearing things that weren't there. At PHP, we did small groups of eight to twelve people and learned coping skills. We were also able to talk about what we were struggling with, just not too in depth, so we wouldn't trigger anyone else. I also saw an individual therapist that was assigned to me at least once a week.

4. Reach Out When You Need To!

I would say this is the most important tip. Far too many people, myself included, don't always reach put when they start to struggle. This can lead to impulsive and negative behaviors. For example, if I don't reach out but am struggling, I tend to lean towards hurting myself. However, if I call or email my therapist, a crisis hotline, or a close friend, this self destructive behavior can usually be avoided.

5. Research Possible Resources

In the United States, here are a couple options:

Call: 1-800-273-8255 (National Suicide Hotline)

Text: 741-741 (You can start a conversation with any word. Certain words are flagged so operators can respond to more severe cases first.)