How long does psychotherapy take?
There is no time limit put on psychotherapy. Some clients experience benefits in a short period of time (six months or less), and others continue treatment for some years. The average patient remains in therapy for about two years. Staying in therapy longer is neither a sign of excessive dependence nor severity of illness. It takes a lifetime to develop the attitudes and character traits that contribute to emotional stress, and generally, although not always, time is required for change. Therapy often transforms into personal development after a period of time and the therapist becomes a coach as well as therapist, helping the client build life skills.
This is a legitimate question with no one answer. Unlike many health condition there is rarely a single procedure/process that can be done to you to fix your problems. Psychotherapy is a collaborative process between you and your therapist. The initial consultation should help you to get a feel if this is the right person with whom to work. Within the first several sessions you should have a sense of making progress. Effective psychotherapy often requires a deeper examination of core issues, childhood events or past traumas. Akin to an archaeological dig, this excavation of old material unsettles things which have been dormant for many years. When this happens, you may actually re-experience some of those very difficult feelings. Know that this too can be part of the process which will ultimately promote healing. Confidentiality and Records The code of ethics to which I am bound and licensed requires absolute confidentiality. This not only includes the content of sessions but the ident
