At the start of therapy, frequent sessions may be recommended in order to address immediate concerns and establish therapeutic rapport. Once clients begin making progress towards reaching therapy goals, it may become appropriate to reduce this frequency down to weekly or biweekly appointments.
Therapists rely on professional judgment and client feedback to decide session frequency. We will explore how important psychologists consider frequent scheduling to be, as well as any barriers that prevent them from providing this option.
Weekly
Individual therapy sessions that meet weekly are often advised, as this helps establish a regular routine and provide ongoing progress and support as well as allow clients to explore issues in greater depth. Furthermore, research suggests that more frequent sessions tend to produce faster short-term therapeutic results for anxiety and depressive disorders.
Some therapists offer brief check up sessions as an additional form of support between intensive therapy appointments. These appointments typically last 15-30 minutes and can be conducted over either phone or video call.
Many individuals reconsider their therapy frequency upon reaching certain goals or experiencing significant life changes such as divorce, job loss or the loss of a loved one. If this applies to you, increasing therapy sessions temporarily may help manage these challenges more easily.
Your therapist will take into account your goals and current situation when making decisions regarding session frequency. Furthermore, depending on the type of therapy being administered – for instance addressing an immediate crisis or specific traumatic event may necessitate more frequent sessions.
Research indicates that more frequent scheduling can accelerate the rate of improvement, though this varies by client and therapist. Some therapists may be unwilling to offer weekly sessions due to time commitment and expense, while others might lack enough experience with less frequent sessions to feel confident they will provide effective results.
Though RCTs don’t directly compare different scheduling frequencies, naturalistic studies and client feedback indicate that more frequent sessions result in faster and longer-lasting improvement. Based on these findings, psychologists would likely offer weekly sessions if client preferences and work/life balance considerations weren’t restricting them.
Not only should you assess how often you attend therapy sessions, but it is equally essential to know that your therapist must assess and monitor your progress throughout your treatment course. If your progress hasn’t met with what was expected of it, it is crucial that you inform your therapist so they can make any necessary changes and assist in meeting your therapeutic goals. Therefore, it’s crucial that you attend all scheduled appointments. However, if your therapy goals cannot be reached at the recommended frequency, it may be beneficial to request a reduced session schedule. Similarly, if you are making progress but require additional support between sessions, you can ask your therapist to extend your current appointment. Monthly sessions could be ideal for individuals who have developed stronger coping mechanisms and simply require assistance with any new challenges that arise, while as-needed sessions should only be considered if therapy has been ongoing for some time and has created an established trusting relationship with their therapist.
