“How many sessions will it take me to feel better?” Renee
Thank you for your question Renee. I picked this question as I think it is something most people wonder about when coming to a Psychologist for the first time. While I am unable to provide you with a definitive answer, I can give you some context around therapy timeframes.
Generally, when you start therapy a psychologist will provide you with a tentative timeframe, however this will need to be revisited throughout therapy. In your second appointment your psychologist will discuss a formulation and treatment plan. This should provide you with an outline of the skills they think will help you and the amount of time it will take to learn these skills.
In a 2013 study psychology clients received an average of 11 cognitive behaviour therapy sessions with a range between 4 and 31 sessions. Solution focussed brief therapy has been shown to be effective with only 3 to 5 sessions. This can be a good option for some difficulties, however most people require more sessions. There are a number of types of therapy which generally take 12 months or longer. One such therapy is called Dialectical Behaviour Therapy and the standard protocol for that is 12 months of group and individual sessions. Recently Medicare increased the number of sessions it will fund for eating disorders to 60. This means people who have a diagnosis of anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder or another eating disorder can access 40 psychotherapeutic sessions and 20 dietetic sessions. Some people experience cyclical mental health concerns where they need psychological support for weeks or months but then function quite well in between these periods.
If you think about how long, it takes to transform your body with exercise a similar rule probably applies for transforming your thoughts and brain with therapy. You also need to use the skills you learn in therapy every day, so they become a habit or part of your routine. The more diligent you are in implementing the skills you learn during therapy the faster you will move through your treatment plan. How often you are seeing your psychologist will also affect the length of therapy. A lot of Psychologists will see you fortnightly but there are often situations which may lead to them suggesting you see them weekly or monthly. You need to ensure you have time in between your sessions to try out and practice any new skills you have learned.
The length of treatment is affected by many variables. These may include the severity and complexity of the mental health condition, the type of therapy being provided, the life events which may occur during the therapy process, the supports you have, and/or the amount of information that was gathered in the assessment. The length of therapy may also be impacted by the funding which is available. Your psychologist will work with you to help you understand the funding which may be available to you. Your psychologist is trained to help you learn specific skills and will endeavour to help you feel better in the most efficient and effective timeframe that is possible.
