INDIVIDUAL THERAPY

Individual therapy aims to identify and address the situations in one’s life that cause strong emotional responses – such as stress, anger, grief, and/or conflict. With this type of therapy, you can expect one-on-one interactions with your therapist in an environment that is comfortable and private.

Your treatment may be short-term, focusing on specific issues, or long-term if your problem is more complex in nature. The number of sessions, frequency of appointments, and length of each visit will depend on your unique needs, the recommendation of your therapist, and time and financial considerations.

Over the course of your sessions, you and your therapist will explore important matters that pertain to your emotional well-being. This may include issues such as the way you express your thoughts and emotions, certain behavioral patterns, problem-solving certain situations, and/or conflict resolution. You may then be given take-home work or skills to practice, depending on your therapist and the branch of psychiatry they practice.

Individual therapy has extensive mental, emotional, and behavioral benefits for those seeking additional psychiatric support. The benefits include:

• Bolstering your support network via one-on-one counseling sessions.
• Gaining more personal insight about yourself, including your needs.
• Learning how to handle strong and/or complicated emotions in a healthy way.
• Identifying the root cause of issues and addressing them in a safe space.
• Providing ample tools, resources, and coping strategies to safeguard your mental health.
• More support in managing your unique symptoms.
• Specialized support that accounts for your personal lifestyle and needs.

Individual therapy can help with a wide number of concerns, stresses, and issues that can affect anyone. The issues therapy can help you address will be specific to you and your circumstances, but some common presenting concerns we help within individual therapy include:

• Trauma and abuse
• Domestic violence
• Acculturation and identity issues
• Anxiety and depression
• Stress reduction and management
• Burnout
• Relationship issues
• School and job stressors
• Preventative mental health

Individual therapy is carried out in a safe, professional, and private environment that allows you to speak freely about the issues on your mind with a licensed mental health professional. There are many forms of therapy and its common for therapists to combine approaches from different branches of psychiatry to best suit the patient’s individual needs. Some forms of treatment work better than others when handling different issues which are why psychiatric professionals are trained to utilize a multitude of methods. This may include:

• Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
• Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT)
• Interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT)
• Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT)
• Psychodynamic therapy

While therapy may not cure a condition, it can help people identify what’s causing them distress and move them toward developing healthy coping skills. For the best results from individual therapy, it’s crucial to commit to the process and find the right therapist for you.

Research has shown that,on average, individuals benefit the most from 12-16 sessions spread over the course of 3-4 months. These sessions are typically between 45-60 minutes long, depending on your unique needs.

How long you’ll need individual therapy, and the number of sessions you’ll require, depends on a variety of factors such as the complexity and severity of your mental health condition, the disruptiveness of your symptoms in your day-to-day life, your commitment and openness to treatment, and your available time and finances.

Some issues can be addressed with short-term therapy that lasts anywhere from a few weeks to a month. More complex concerns often require long-term treatment, requiring 1+ years to tackle all the necessary components and underlying issues.

The successfulness of therapy is largely dependant on how committed you are to the process. The more you put into your sessions, and the more honest and vulnerable you’re willing to be, the more you’ll get in return. To go deeper into therapy and really maximize the best results, make sure to do the following:

• Find a therapist that you’re comfortable with and that makes you feel safe, understood, and acknowledged.
• Prioritize your needs and concerns by addressing key issues first.
• Give yourself unconditional permission to feel and express your feelings in every session.
• Commit to sharing your thoughts and concerns, even if you may have trouble putting words to your feelings.
• Understand that therapy is a journey, not just a destination – be realistic with your expectations and take things as slowly, or as quickly, as they come.