You’re probably thinking to yourself- “what actually happens in individual therapy?”
You may find therapy to be a bit of a mystery, especially if you have never been before. The media often portrays it as something it is not.
So let’s walk through what happens in individual therapy at Cultivating Courage from the very beginning. We pride ourselves on transparency and collaboration from the beginning!
The Five Stages of What Happens in Individual Therapy
Step One: The Consultation Call
The first step of what happens in individual therapy in the consultation call. You can reach out for a consultation and we give you a call at your scheduled time. During this call we discuss why you are reaching out. In return, we will share our experience and expertise. Then, we determine if working together and starting individual therapy feels like a good fit.
If we both agree to move forward, then we send you a link to your own personal client portal with necessary paperwork and a general intake form. If you are struggling to fill it out, or need support in doing so, we can also work on them together during the first session.
Step Two: The First Session
The first session that happens in individual therapy is a little unique. It is a continuation of the getting to know you process that was started during the consultation call. We will spend a lot of time getting as much information as we can in order to make an accurate diagnosis. We really want to make sure we fully understand what is going on for you.
This diagnosis is an important part of what happens in individual therapy and is shared with you in session. Hopefully that word isn’t scary. Instead, a diagnosis is a way to quickly capture the symptoms and distress you are experiencing during this time in your life. Diagnoses can change or be removed based on how you grow. A diagnosis also gives a framework for how to go about our time in therapy.
Step Three: Treatment Planning
Creating a roadmap for treatment is essential. In our first few sessions, we will work closely together to create a treatment plan. Think of this plan as a road map to where you want to be. Periodically, we will check in to reflect on the treatment plan and see where we are in terms of meeting your goals and if we need to shift anything.
Treatment planning is an empowering part of what happens in individual therapy. It takes the mystery out of therapy and you get to have full say of what we focus on.
Step Four: Rapport Building and Making Changes
We are not meant to navigate through this world on our own, especially during times of struggle. Sometimes our loved ones just don’t have the capacity or the tools to help us in the way that we need.
Therapy is a space and time for you. A skilled therapist gives ample time in the beginning of a therapeutic relationship to build trust and provide a safe place for you to land. For us, building trust and providing safety starts with transparency and collaboration. From there it develops into being able to tailor our approach to your specific personality and needs. This can look very different depending on the person, but it will always be a blend of using conversation or activities as a way to help you gain better insight into unhelpful patterns or behaviors.
You might be asking yourself- what kind of activities would happen in individual therapy?
Here are 3 examples of an activities in therapy:
- A breathing exercise such as belly breaths, square breathing, or paced breathing.
- Guided visualization or progressive muscle relaxation. You can learn more about this by reading our Blog on Progressive Muscle Relaxation.
- Expressive or creative arts: it can be helpful to take a break from spoken language and use other forms of expression to convey a story, your thoughts, and your feelings.
Once you have a better understanding of what you would like to change, the therapist will help you build a toolbox of skills. These skills will be used to change the way you think, cope with big emotions, and act in ways congruent with your values. The making changes stage is the longest part of therapy. Change takes time and courage, and therapy offers the perfect place to allow this to happen.
Step Five: Wrapping up
There is no one-size-fits-all timeline for therapy. As mentioned earlier, you get to move at your own pace and work on what is meaningful to you. Eventually though, the therapeutic relationship will become less important in your life as you find relief and meet your goals. The goodbye in therapy is just as, if not more, important as the beginning. The therapeutic relationship is unique and offers a space to be your most vulnerable self. Taking time at the end to reflect honors this meaningful relationship.