Therapy: Should Someone Work With A Therapist For A Long Period Of Time?

When one wants to work with a therapist, they can have a number of different questions, and one thing they can want to know is how long it will last. This could come down to the fact that they want to move on with their life, or it could be a sign that they just want to feel better.

Nevertheless, it is going to be a question they want answered so they can put their mind to rest. If they were to find a therapist to work with and they were to ask them this question, they might not be able to give them a straight answer.

Different Factors

For one thing, this is something that can all depend on what it is that they want to work on. Along with this, what will also play an important part is how one responds to the assistance that is provided.

And although the therapist’s ability is not something that can be overlooked, it is also going to be necessary for one to feel comfortable with them. As if this wasn’t the case, it might not matter what their qualifications are or what experiences they have had.

Comfortable

What this comes down to is that when one can relax and they are able to open up, it will make it easier for them to make progress. Now, this is not to say that it should happen straight away, as it could take a little while.

But if this was something that didn’t take place, it would stop one from being able to relax and to open up. This would then stop them from being able to make progress, or they would only get so far, for instance.

Gender

Whether one feels as though they can relax can be defined by what gender they work with, and this is because they may have had a bad experience with a man or a woman in the past. If one realises this, it could make it easier for them to work with someone who is right for them.

Thus, if one has had a bad experience with a man/woman in the past and they were to work with a therapist of the same gender, it would be normal for them to shut down. Yet if one didn’t realise why this was and neither did the therapist, one blame themselves and the therapist could also find it hard to understand what is taking place.

The Reason

There are all kinds of reasons as to why one would want to work with a therapist, and while one could have a fairly minor challenge, they could also be in a position where they are unable to function. When it relates to the former, it could mean that one has trouble with feeling confident or taking action, for instance.

When one is unable to function, it could mean that they have just experienced a breakup, have emotional problems, or that they had a less-than nurturing childhood, for instance. What this comes down to is that there are many reasons why one would have therapy.

A Few Sessions

If one only has a minor challenge, they could find that their life begins to change after they have worked with a therapist a few times. The work they did together would then have allowed them to be more comfortable with themselves.

There is then going to be no reason for one to work with them for longer, and this could have been something that lasted for a few weeks or months. Still, one could end up having therapy for something minor and after they begin to take a closer look at what is taking place, they could find that there is more to it.

Symptoms

This could then mean that the problem/s one is having are an effect of something else, and one now has the chance to deal with what is taking place at a deeper level. As a result of this, it is to be expected that they will need to work with their therapist for longer than they first thought.

During this time, one could end up getting touch with what took place when they were younger. One might find that how they have felt as an adult matches up with how they felt when they were younger, for instance.

A Number of Sessions

However, if one can’t handle life and they are in a bad way, it is unlikely that their life will change overnight. Therefore, it is going to be necessary for them to have more than just a few sessions.

In this case, one may find that they need a lot of support, and one could even end up feeling dependent on their therapist. Now, one way of looking this would be to say that this shouldn’t happen.

Part of the Process

Yet if one is having therapy due to neglect or abuse and they are working through pain, it could be said that this not something to be concerned about. One is in a vulnerable position and though being this way, they need to have the right external support.

This is not to say that this will last forever, as it will be stage that one goes through. After a while, one should soon start to feel stronger and they won’t need same amount of support.
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How Long?

When it comes to working with childhood problems, it could take a matter of years as opposed to matter of months. For example, if one grew up in a narcissistic family and their sense of self didn’t develop, it is highly unlikely that they will be able to heal from this in a short period of time.

This is because one won’t just be changing their software; they will be repairing their hardware, so to speak. It is then going to be important for one to be patent and persistent, and to have the will to heal.

Time for a Change

Throughout the time that one works with a therapist, it will be vital for them to pay attention to how things are going. If they have been working with someone for a long period of time and nothing has really changed, then it could be time for them to find someone else.

One could find that although they have made progress, they are now in a position where they feel stuck. It will then be a good idea for one to listen to their intuition and to find someone who can assist them on the next stage of their journey.

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Oliver JR Cooper
http://www.oliverjrcooper.co.uk/