Therapy Timelines: They’re Different for Everyone
No one person will have the same timeline when it comes to therapy. Some of us may need to be in it for a few months to help process a recent event or issue with a partner, some of us a few years to unpack and understand trauma in our past, and some may be in it indefinitely as they navigate their mental health. All this to say, there isn’t one reason or amount of time people start therapy, and it's important to keep with it until you and your therapist decide you might be ready to leave. But, more often than not, people leave therapy before they’re ready. In fact, 37-45 percent of people don’t make it past their first two sessions. Why do people do this? What are the consequences of leaving therapy too soon? The pros of sticking with it through the end? This is what we’re talking about today so stick around to learn more.
Why do people leave therapy too early/suddenly?
One of the most common reasons people leave therapy suddenly or too early is because they realize the work they need to do is bigger than they’re ready to currently handle. It can be overwhelming to meet with a therapist and realize there might be more to unpack then you might have originally thought, it can be scary. With this also comes internal biases to therapy. Many people think therapy is silly or for weak people (which isn’t true) and so they go into a session without an open mind, already deciding this won’t work for them. Lastly, people may not be ready to start doing the work therapy takes. Whether that’s doing exercises your therapist asks you to do on your own time, hearing their feedback and advice about your situation, or pushing yourself to be vulnerable.
What are the consequences of leaving therapy too soon?
The biggest consequence of leaving therapy too soon is that you don’t resolve or overcome what you originally came to therapy for. This means you’re still harboring the emotions and trauma that you started the process with in some capacity. Therapy is also all about personal growth and when you quit too soon, you’re not giving yourself the chance to fully flourish and grow that you deserve. A big part of therapy is also identifying your patterns or triggers that can cause you to have an outburst or reaction. Leaving too soon means you don’t get to fully identify and understand what causes these triggers or patterns and how to react to and potentially stop them. Lastly, many of us are in therapy for issues with how we handle relationships whether it’s romantic, friends, or family. By choosing to quit early you’re denying yourself and your relationships the opportunity to be closer, more available, empathetic, communicative and more emotionally intelligent.
Why stay in therapy?
We’re not saying you should be in therapy forever. Once you and your therapist have decided you’ve accomplished the goals you came in with and are no longer getting as much out of it, you should absolutely leave. But, until you get there, staying in therapy has great pros. Obviously, the biggest is that staying in therapy helps you grow and understand yourself to the fullest capacity. It also gives you the space every so often to get everything off your chest, have an allotted time that’s just about you, speaking to someone without any bias about you and the people in your life. Lastly, therapy gives you the tools to navigate the rest of your life, and you don’t get these tools from one session, they come with time as you make progress.
If you think therapy might be a good option for you, book your free consultation with Mayra today to see how she can help you achieve your goals.