As you spend more time discussing goals and challenges with your Talkspace therapist, you may have questions or are interested in learning more about specific mental health topics and conditions. The Talkspace Bookshelf offers up-to-date mental health information directly from our behavioral health team to provide a better understanding of condition origins, diagnoses, various forms a condition may take, and different treatment options. Feel free to use this resource as a starting point to open up a dialogue and pose questions for your Talkspace therapist.
One of the questions that you will encounter very early in your conversations with your new therapist is, “what goals do you have for therapy?” This can be an incredibly difficult question to answer, but your response can be a valuable predictor for your future success in therapy.
In therapy, having a clearly defined goal or objective is one way in which you can ensure that you leave the therapeutic process having made considerable progress and accomplished important changes. For some people, the goals outlined at the onset of therapy are the ones that remain through its duration. For others, the goal at the end of your time with your therapist may have changed, maybe even several times. It’s not at all uncommon for clients to enter therapy with one goal in mind, to later have another goal arise based on conversations with your therapist. That being said, it is always helpful to have an idea of something that you would like to work on with your therapist as you consider entering therapy.
How Specific Do I Need to Be?
The specificity of your goal is dependent on what you want to achieve with your time in therapy. For example, someone may enter therapy stating, “I often feel panicked and want to attend an upcoming wedding with no panic attacks.” This is straightforward enough, and will give your therapist the much-needed direction to provide the best treatment options for you.
Another person may enter therapy stating, “I want to learn more about myself.” This goal is a bit more abstract. It’s less concrete and something that probably can’t be easily measured by a survey or questionnaire. The achievement of that goal depends more heavily on the person involved rating their experience. This is, of course, less of an exact science and it’s open to interpretation. It’s a fine goal, and often a good one for therapy, but may make it difficult to discern when you’re going to end your time with your therapist.
Setting goals in therapy is an essential conversation to have with your therapist early on. Not only will it help your therapist devise a treatment goal, plan, and direction, it will also serve as a benchmark in which you can evaluate the value of your time spent in therapy. That is, having a clearly defined goal may help you focus more acutely on meeting your objective and working through the related problems, rather than being distracted by other things that may be happening in your life at the time.
As you can see, having a clearly defined goal at the onset of therapy can provide a significant boost. On the other hand, by starting therapy with a more relaxed approach, you may create more space to talk about a variety of different issues and concerns. If you’re looking for someone to address a whole host of concerns, being more broad and far-reaching in describing your goal makes sense. If you have a specific need or want to reach a specific outcome in a certain time frame, it’s best to be as clear, concise and specific as possible.
Whose Goal Is It?
One question or concern that often comes up in conversations about therapy is about whose goal is actually being worked on during the course of therapy. Sometimes you may walk into therapy unsure how to describe the goals that you want to work on. In those cases, a therapist will try to interpret your concerns into achievable and identifiable goals. In other instances, you may know exactly what you seek to achieve in therapy (e.g. “I want to be able to feel less anxious delivering a presentation at work that’s coming up next quarter.”). This obviously requires a lot less interpretation and exploration.
In both instances, it is imperative that you are able to honor what your goals are for therapy. Sometimes even well-meaning therapists might overreach in an effort to be supportive and helpful. However, it is imperative for your success in therapy that you work on goals that are most meaningful and important to you. If your therapist suggests a goal that doesn’t seem to align with your desires, open up a discussion right then and there and talk about it further to ensure that the focus of your time stays on how to achieve progress towards your goals and aspirations.
Make Goals SMART
To help make goals effective, some recommend creating SMART goals. That is, goals that are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Time-bound. When you work with your therapist to create SMART goals you increase the likelihood that you can create goals that can actually be met in the course of therapy. In addition, by working with your therapist to abide by these principles, you can limit miscommunication and frustration. Ultimately, you may find that creating SMART goals helps you feel more satisfied with your therapy process overall.
When Therapy Starts to Work
Deciding when therapy starts to work is a difficult idea to explore. This is, in large part, due to the fact that people have a wide range of goals in therapy. Therefore there can be no hard and fast rule to know when therapy starts working. However, you may be making progress when you notice that you:
- Generally feel better or more at peace
- Spend less time worrying or thinking about your concerns
- Have improved in your relationships with others or made new social connections that feel pleasant
- Perform better in your role at work or school
- Feel like you have greater insight or self-awareness
- Exercise better judgment when making decisions
- Understand your emotional and thought processes more clearly
- Feel more hopeful about the future
- Find enjoyment in activities again
Each person enters the process of therapy with their own hopes, goals, and expectations for their outcome. These points offer some insight into ways you may be better able to assess your progress in therapy and can also help you more effectively communicate with your therapist about the ongoing nature of your professional relationship.
Therapeutic Note
Remember your therapist is here to help you figure out the best way to address your concerns. Therapy works best when it is a collaboration between you and your therapist. It is important to be open, honest, and an active participant in this process. Talk to your therapist about your goals for therapy so that together you can come up with the best plan to achieve your goals.
Questions for My Therapist?
- Does the length of therapy have an impact on me meeting my goals?
- Are there different types of therapy that might impact the ability to reach my goals?
- Can you help me in developing SMART goals?
- How do people define success in therapy related to depression?
- What are some ways in which I can notice success related to my anxiety?
Sources
Crossing, K. P., LPC, MEd, MS. (2017, April 28). 50 Signs of Good Therapy. Retrieved August 16, 2017, from https://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/50-signs-good-therapy-0110119/
Emiliussen, J., & Wagoner, B. (n.d.). Setting Goals in Psychotherapy: A Phenomenological Study of Conflicts in the Position of the Therapist. Retrieved August 16, 2017, from http://www.psychologyandsociety.org/__assets/__original/2012/11/Emiliussen_Wagoner.pdf
Golden Rules of Goal Setting: Five Rules to Set Yourself Up for Success. (n.d.). Retrieved August 16, 2017, from https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newHTE_90.htm
Heitler, S. (2013, July 08). I Know I Need Therapy Help, but Is My Therapy Working? Retrieved August 16, 2017, from https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/resolution-not-conflict/201307/i-know-i-need-therapy-help-is-my-therapy-working
Howes, R. (2014, March 31). How Long is Too Long in Psychotherapy? Retrieved August 16, 2017, from https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/in-therapy/201403/how-long-is-too-long-in-psychotherapy
Meek, W. (2013, August 25). How to Set Goals. Retrieved August 16, 2017, from https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/notes-self/201308/how-set-goals