This article explores why you may come to treatment, the therapy process and the road to recovery. We discuss what to think about when considering the number of therapy sessions you’d need. Let’s dive in. 

What brings you to therapy?

Think about what brings you to therapy and what you need help with. During an initial consultation call, a therapist offers you a safe and non-judgmental space to explore what led you to contact them in the first place. The therapist will help you gain clarity and think about the support you may need. Think about: 

• is it a specific issue you would like to solve?

• has there been something on your mind for a while, and you feel like you need to talk to someone?

Whatever it is, being open with your therapist during the consultation call can help you find the direction you need. Equally, the therapist helps to think about whether you need short-term (6-12 sessions) or long-term therapy. Usually, the first four sessions help determine whether you’d be a match and whether a particular type of therapy fits your needs.

The road to recovery 

Therapy is not a linear process. It can be up and down, back and forth. You can feel energised and like you’ve made a lot of progress on some days. On others, you may be feeling anxious and overwhelmed, a sense of having lost direction. And that’s okay. It doesn’t mean that you have fallen behind on your progress or that the steps you have taken are suddenly lost. You don’t need to fix your emotions. Instead, it’s about feeling them and letting go of them. It is part of the process. What matters is that you show up to the sessions and you show up for yourself. You don’t need to have it all figured out. We can figure it out together. 

Setting goals for therapy

With your therapist, you can set goals for therapy and assess these throughout the process. You may have come to treatment with one particular issue or question. However, during the process, it may be that something else has come up that you’d need to process and dive deeper. However, having goals in mind can help you keep track of your process. You can always come back to them and reflect on these during the sessions, where necessary. 

Checking in with your therapist

Your goals can change throughout the therapy process. If you feel like you have accomplished your initial goals or lack direction, check in with your therapist. It is a collaborative partnership, and your therapist is open to feedback. We are human, too, and we don’t always know whether what we focus on in the session is your most pressing issue. Giving feedback is important, helps to track progress, and strengthens the relationship between you two.

How do I know I’ve made progress?

We will inevitably face life problems, but we don’t suffer because of them. We suffer when we get stuck on the same problem repeatedly. Here are some of the ways progress can show up: 

• improvement in your relationships

• a change in your thought patterns

• change in dealing with challenges

• being more open in communication

• practising self-compassion

• saying no

• taking time for yourself

• nourishing your body

• scheduling in exercise

• asking for help

Ending therapy

You and your therapist may talk about ending therapy when you both feel like sufficient growth has happened. You feel more content in your daily life and can manage difficulties better. You can apply what you’ve learnt in therapy to life outside the sessions. You can then set an end date and work towards it together. You can also start seeing your therapist fortnightly to reduce the support you need and eventually end therapy.

However, ending therapy doesn’t mean that you can’t contact your therapist again. We will always be happy to offer you check-in sessions if you feel in need. Equally, it doesn’t mean that you haven’t grown, but it is about giving and allowing space and time for yourself and check-in in with yourself from time to time. 

How many therapy sessions do I need? 

Therefore, the length of therapy depends on many factors. It is about the process rather than finding a quick fix or solution to your problem, understanding yourself and giving yourself time to look deeper.

I am an English-speaking therapist in Berlin, offering online and in-person counselling. Contact me to schedule a consultation call if you are considering starting therapy. If you have more questions about treatment and the length of therapy, I look forward to hearing from you.  

Please note: This is for educational purposes only and is not to substitute a therapeutic relationship with a mental health professional. If you are in a mental health crisis, please call 112 or your country's crisis line, where professional mental health workers can help you.