For all the talk about dangerous side effects from medication, you rarely hear about negative consequences from psychological treatment. But researchers have found a significant minority of people who feel they are worse off after therapy.

Therapy can help improve symptoms of many mental health conditions. In therapy, people also learn to cope with symptoms that may not respond to treatment right away. Research shows the benefits of therapy last longer than medication alone.

Some people come to therapy with a specific issue or concern, and brief solution-focused therapy may be the right fit. Often, that can last six to eight sessions. Some people come to therapy to explore issues that seem to run a little deeper. They might engage in therapy for several months or even years.

The general rule of thumb for the frequency of sessions is once per week, especially in the beginning. Therapy requires a concentrated effort on a consistent basis to realize the fullest benefits from the therapeutic relationship – in other words, it takes work to get good results.

“It’s very common for people to take a break from therapy, even if they aren’t ready to,” said Anna Kress, a New Jersey-based clinical psychologist. No matter why you need to cut back or pause therapy, information and lead time gives your therapist ample opportunity to help you transition.

the regime of your life starts to include one more thing. Therapy twice (or more) times per week also makes the therapy process go a bit faster, which is good, as therapy can be quite slow in its progress.

One way to determine if you are done with therapy (or your current therapist) is if you are no longer concerned about the mental health problems that brought you to therapy in the first place. You may feel like what you initially came in about has changed.

In fact, according to one psychotherapist, some patients actually suffer from too much therapy. Jonathan Alpert, a psychotherapist and author of “Be Fearless: Change Your Life in 28 Days,” contends that in many cases, the more therapy sessions someone attends, the less likely they are to be effective.

Curtis and Hart (2015) were among the first to study patterns of therapist concealment and deception. They found that 96% of therapists reported intentionally keeping information from clients “in order to protect the client,” while 81% reported directly lying to their clients.

When someone enters therapy and begins a relationship with their therapist, whether it’s online or offline, the last thing on that person’s mind is leaving.

1. Figure out why you’d like to leave.
2. Don’t stop abruptly.
3. Talk about it.
4. Be honest.
5. Plan for the end in the beginning.

Ideally, therapy ends when all therapy goals have been met. If you entered therapy to treat a fear of dogs and you no longer fear dogs, your work is complete. Or you want to communicate better with your partner and you’ve learned to navigate your disagreements constructively, the goals are met.

Feeling stuck in therapy? 5 Ways to move forward

1. Talk about it with your therapist! Mention what you’re feeling.
2. Do something different! Sometimes, the feeling of being stuck in your therapy is maintained by doing the same things over and over again.
3. Either go lighter or go deeper!
4. Ask your counselor what they think!
5. Maybe it’s time for a change.

How to Go Deeper in Therapy

1. Find a therapist that makes you feel safe, heard and acknowledged. Looking for the right fit is tough work, but well worth it.
2. Prioritize your concerns.
3. Test the waters – are you ready to really open up?
4. Bring it up!
5. Embrace the process and not the fix.

But it’s only one form. Countertransference is present whenever a therapist brings in their own experiences to the extent they lose perspective of yours. It is there when their emotions from their own past and life colour their response to you, or they let their personal opinions stop them from being objective.

If you’re looking to make some important changes in your life, here are some thoughts to get you unstuck.

1. It All Starts With Self-Reflection.
2. Reconnect Your Purpose.
3. Take a Peek into the Future.
4. Try Something New.
5. Work With a Therapist.

1. Ask Focused Questions. Even before your first session with a client, you have the chance to start asking the right questions.
2. Be Welcoming. Especially in an initial session, therapy can feel a bit clinical or even business-like.
3. Build a Powerful Relationship.
4. Do an Exit Interview.
5. Actively Listen.
6. Stay in Touch.

What do I do when it does go bad?

1. Reflect. It might be helpful to set aside some time to think about what went wrong.
2. Ask questions. If you are new to therapy (or returning from taking a break) then you may have many questions.
3. Give it some time.

10 Strategies for Getting Your Clients Unstuck

1. Align, Lift, and Lead. Most of us were taught to validate our client’s feelings.
2. Visualize the Desired Response.
3. Identify Inspiring Goals.
4. Locate the Root of an Emotional Conflict.
5. Reverse Traumatic Memories.
6. Change Beliefs with Imagery and Metaphor.
7. Conjure Up Compelling Stories.
8. Prime with Play and Humor.

The client expresses reservations and reluctance about information or advice given. Unwillingness to change….The client contests the accuracy, expertise, or integrity of the clinician.

• Challenging. The client directly challenges the accuracy of what the clinician has said.
• Discounting.
• Hostility.

Reluctant clients

1. be aware of the effects of client’s behaviour on you and how it triggers unhelpful responses.
2. acknowledge what is happening between client and yourself.
3. develop a more open discussion between you.

Nearly every clinician has experienced an intense emotion during a client session. Perhaps it was grief as a client described the death of her 5-year-old son. Some clinicians believe that a therapist should never express anger or grief in front of a client. Yet, says University of Iowa’s John S.

But in reality, all counselors experience discomfort with and dislike of a client at some point in their careers, says Keith Myers, an LPC and ACA member in the Atlanta metro area. “If someone tells you that it does not [happen], they’re not being honest with themselves,” he says.

Quick tips

1. “Stay out of the ‘expert’ position,” Mitchell says.
2. “Don’t collude with clients’ excuses,” Wubbolding says.
3. “When you encounter resistance, slow the pace,” Mitchell says.
4. “Don’t argue,” Wubbolding says.
5. “Focus on details.
6. Leave blame out of it, Wubbolding says.

Engaging Resistant Clients

1. Make them as comfortable as possible. You can try to put them at ease by introducing yourself, being personable, reassuring them of confidentiality, and explaining, in an appealing way, how your role works.
2. Acknowledge their perspective.
3. Find out what they want.
4. Use what they find motivating.

Most therapists agree that Googling a patient before an appointment is discouraged and could constitute an ethical violation, but safety concerns can lead some to take pre-emptive measures.

If the client is exhibiting resistance, it is the job of the therapist to assist in reducing it as much as it is the client’s responsibility to change their behavior. Whatever your definition, one thing is sure, resistance is negatively related to treatment success (Beutler, Moleiro & Talebi, 2002).

Examples of causes of resistance include: resistance to the recognition of feelings, fantasies, and motives; resistance to revealing feelings toward the therapist; resistance as a way of demonstrating self-sufficiency; resistance as clients’ reluctance to change their behavior outside the therapy room; resistance as a …

A rupture may be caused by an overt disagreement between therapist and client, a client holding onto negative feelings about something a therapist said or did or didn’t say or didn’t do, or any disturbance in their cordial equilibrium. This dynamic is not something that client and therapist need to avoid.