Therapy benefits everyone regardless of the severity of the presenting issue. No matter how anxiety is showing up in your life, it is not welcomed. Anxiety becomes a long-standing pattern for many people. It is important to learn how to change these patterns. Rewiring the anxious brain is difficult to do on one’s own. This is why it is important to seek professional help to decrease and ultimately rewire your anxious brain. SO how often should you see a therapist for anxiety?
Related reading: How to Help Someone With Anxiety: Practical Tip & Strategies
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Dealing with Anxiety
Anxiety is an emotion characterized by feelings of tension, worried thoughts, and physical changes. It is a person’s state of worry over a future unwanted event or fear of an actual situation. It is a response to threats or perceived threats.
Everyone experiences anxiety, whether it’s normal anxiety or more problematic anxiety. But it's vital to determine and recognize when anxiety is negatively impacting your life.
If you are frequently operating from an anxious brain it is time to reach out for help.
Some common symptoms of anxiety are:
Racing thoughts
Uncontrollable Over-thinking
Feeling irritable
Difficulty concentrating
Catastrophizing
Dissociation
Sleep difficulties
Change in appetite
Frequency of Therapy
Generally, weekly therapy sessions are a great place to start. As you and your therapist assess where you are at, the frequency of sessions will either decrease or increase.
Weekly sessions allow the mental health professional to explore your situation quickly, and it promotes effective and consistent progress. However, some clients need more than one weekly session.
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What Determines Frequency?
Rapport
The term "rapport" means the trust and relationship you build with your therapist. It's what leads to a positive therapeutic relationship and allows you to open up and feel comfortable in sessions. The beginning stages of therapy are when rapport building begins. With time, rapport grows stronger. If you find positive rapport is not happening, seeking another therapist is a good idea. As finding a therapist you feel comfortable opening up to is vital for your therapeutic journey.
The Disorder's Severity
There are different types of anxiety. The severity is determined based on your symptoms and the frequency of your symptoms. You and your therapist together will identify the severity of your anxiety and your treatment will align with that determination.
Some examples of anxiety are:
Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Panic Disorder
Social Anxiety Disorder
Performance Anxiety
Phobias
Compulsive Acts
Progress
As you make progress, you may find you are ready to change the frequency of sessions. To determine frequency after some progress has been made is something you and your therapist will discuss in detail. Everyone is different, therefore, assessing progress and future goals are important to discuss when thinking about changing the frequency of sessions.
How many therapy sessions does it take?
The number of sessions vary for each individual. The severity of the symptoms, the effort put in, how fast progress occurs, are some determining factors.
There is no set rule on how many sessions it takes.
Every person’s unique needs are considered. No matter how many sessions it takes, know that it is growth, progress and your preference that will determine this.
The Bottom Line
Everyone is unique, and there is no straight answer to "How often should you see a therapist for anxiety?"
Weekly sessions are advisable at the beginning of treatment. It allows for rapport building, understanding the client and their needs, and the consistency needed for progress.
Hopefully, this article helped you understand determining the frequency of therapy. Still, the best recommendation is to follow the professional's advice, so we encourage you to find a therapist you vibe with and book that first appointment.
Giving yourself time to heal on your own and reducing the therapy weekly/monthly sessions can benefit you. You'll develop more autonomy and independence, both crucial for your well-being.