If you’re new to therapy, you may be wondering how effective it really is at improving your mental health. After all, therapy is a big investment of your time, money, and emotional energy — it’s natural to wonder if that investment is paying off.
The signs of whether therapy is working will vary from person to person, in part because the definition of “working” varies from person to person, too. So it’s essential to set realistic expectations as you begin therapy and to keep track of your progress, so you can recognize the changes and growth that therapy is bringing to your life.
Key takeaways
- Establishing and regularly discussing goals for therapy can help you and your therapist track progress and stay focused on your needs.
- Progress in therapy can manifest in various ways, like improved self-awareness, changes in thought patterns, better emotional regulation, stronger relationships, rand healthier coping strategies.
- Therapy isn’t always a straightforward journey. Setbacks and plateaus are normal, and these moments can provide valuable insights.
- Feeling comfortable and engaged in therapy is a strong indicator of progress. A positive relationship between the therapist and client is critical to good outcomes.
How therapy goals help you track progress
When starting therapy, identifying your initial goals plays an important role in shaping the direction and focus of your sessions. The best therapy goals follow the SMART framework — these goals are:
- Specific
- Measurable
- Attainable
- Relevant
- Time-bound
Clearly defined goals provide a road map for your progress, while specificity ensures that the objectives are attainable and tailored to your unique needs. The SMART goal approach makes it easier for you and your therapist to gauge progress.
Leslie Wilborne, a licensed professional counselor with Grow Therapy, says that with her clients “We often break down larger goals into manageable steps to ensure they feel attainable. I also emphasize flexibility, as goals may evolve as the client gains new insights or as their circumstances change.”
It’s important to remember that therapy is not a linear process. As you work through your sessions, it’s common for deeper-rooted issues to come up as initial concerns are resolved. When this happens, you may need to adjust your therapeutic goals. By regularly revisiting and reassessing your goals, you ensure that they remain aligned with your current needs and aspirations. This creates a sense of adaptability and progress as you continue with your therapy sessions.
What progress in therapy looks like
Progress in therapy often reveals itself in subtle, yet impactful ways. Things like feeling better in your daily life, handling your emotions well, or thinking more positively can all be signs that therapy is helping you. Feeling worse at first can even be a sign therapy is helping — especially if you’re someone whose emotions have been pent up for years and you’re now letting them out in therapy.
Keep an eye out for the following signs that you’re seeing progress, which not only show that therapy is making a difference but also show that you’re growing and becoming stronger.
Sign #1 – You notice that you’re thinking differently
The first good sign that therapy is working for you is that you have better self-awareness and increased insight into who you are.
Recognizing patterns
In therapy, one of the initial signs of progress is heightened awareness of the way you think, what makes you upset, or how you act in certain situations. You may notice negative or repetitive thought patterns, that you’re speaking more kindly to and about yourself, or that you react to challenges in certain ways. The first step in therapy is often simply noticing patterns — by doing this, you’re taking an important first step toward making changes.
Shifts in perspective
Therapy can teach you to see problems differently. With progress in therapy, you may experience a shift in your perception of current problems, past traumatic events, or the behavior of others. Or, when you face challenges, you might find yourself trying new ways of framing the situation. This change in perspective shows that you are willing to reassess and reinterpret difficult experiences, which can lead to healing and growth.
Improvement in emotional intelligence
You may notice that you’re developing a better understanding of your own emotions and an increased sensitivity to the feelings of others. You might also find that you’re having an easier time talking about your feelings. Both of these things indicate that therapy is having a positive effect on your life, and can help you navigate relationships — with others as well as yourself — more effectively.
Sign #2 – You’re making small changes in your life
Whether it’s overcoming challenges or striving for personal growth, therapy often leads to making incremental but meaningful changes in your life.
Shifting the behaviors or habits that brought you to therapy in the first place
As you progress in your therapy sessions, you may start to identify and address the behaviors or habits that may have prompted you to seek therapy. This could mean doing more of what’s good for you, doing less of what’s not, or trying new ways to approach situations and challenges that are aligned with your goals.
Using the new skills and techniques you’ve learned in therapy
A key component of therapy involves applying the skills and techniques acquired during sessions to your everyday life. For example, if you’re working through depression, you might practice behavioral activation or thought challenging techniques learned through cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). These efforts lead to a noticeable shift in your inner dialogue as you begin to experience more positive and constructive self-talk.
Sign # 3 – You have better coping skills and emotional regulation
During therapy, you learn new ways to deal with tough situations and strategies to help you navigate life’s stressors with increased resilience.
Learning effective coping strategies
Another sign of progress is relying less on negative coping mechanisms, such as avoidance or substance use. This could be a sign that you’re embracing healthier and more constructive ways of coping with difficulties. Over time, turning to positive coping techniques leads to a sense of empowerment and adaptability, allowing you to manage stress better.
Emotional regulation
You might also find that you’re better at managing intense emotions, or experience fewer emotional outbursts — all without suppressing your emotions. Therapy can help you achieve a more stable emotional state and develop healthier ways of experiencing, processing, and expressing your feelings.
Sign #4 – You (or other people) notice a difference in your personal relationships
Starting therapy can lead to big changes in how you relate to others.
Deeper connections and stronger communication
As your sessions progress, you may notice improvements in your communication skills within your relationships, including resolving disagreements and expressing your feelings effectively. This newfound emotional awareness allows you to forge deeper connections with the people around you, creating a sense of empathy and understanding in your interactions.
Healthier boundaries
If you find that you’re engaging in less people pleasing, or “standing up” for yourself more often, you may be starting to set and enforce healthier boundaries in your relationships. Boundaries are a critical component of self-respect and self-care in regards to all kinds of relationships. Sometimes when someone is working on boundaries, they might get feedback from loved ones that therapy isn’t helping — but in reality, the person is improving the relationship they have with themselves and are overall feeling stronger.
Reduction in isolation
As you progress through therapy, you may begin to feel more comfortable reaching out to friends and family, making you feel less isolated and lonely. This newfound ability to engage more in social activities contributes to a sense of connectedness and belonging in your social circles, and can have positive effects on your overall emotional and even physical health.
Signs that therapy is helping often include a greater sense of clarity, reduced distress, increased resilience in handling stress, and the development of healthier coping strategies. Clients might also feel more empowered, communicate better, or notice they are no longer as affected by the same triggers or challenges as before.
- Leslie Wilborne, LPC
Sign #5 – Your day-to-day moods and emotions have improved
Therapy often leads to noticeable improvements in our daily emotional well-being, positively impacting mental health symptoms and overall mood.
Reduced symptoms
If you’re in therapy for a specific mental health condition, such as anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), or obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), you may notice that your symptoms are beginning to improve. This could show up in a number of ways:
- A decrease in the frequency of intensity of panic attacks
- Less frequent or intense feelings of sadness or hopelessness
- Fewer flashbacks or intrusive thoughts related to past trauma
- Feeling like you’re better at managing compulsive behaviors
This is a strong indicator that the work you’re doing with your therapist — for example, discussing root causes and developing new skills — is starting to lead to better mental health for you.
Sign #6 – You have better life satisfaction
Therapy often leads to increased life satisfaction by fostering hope, motivation, and a sense of empowerment in individuals seeking support.
Hopeful outlook
A significant aspect of therapy involves finding ways to be hopeful, discover meaning, and practice forward-looking thinking. Through therapy, you may discover a renewed sense of hope for the future, replacing feelings of despair or uncertainty with a positive outlook.
Empowerment and motivation
Therapy can reduce feelings of helplessness or being “stuck,” empowering you to take charge of your life. This newfound motivation often translates into a renewed interest in hobbies, work, and relationships, encouraging you to step out of your comfort zone and embrace new opportunities for growth and fulfillment.
Sign #8 – You look forward to your therapy sessions
The anticipation of therapy sessions can be a key indicator of progress and a positive therapeutic relationship, where you feel comfortable, engaged, and supported in your journey towards personal growth and healing.
Establishing comfort in sessions
One sign of progress is when you feel increasingly at ease opening up during therapy sessions. Being able to express thoughts and emotions honestly, even when discussing difficult topics, is a reflection of a strong therapeutic alliance built on trust and mutual respect.
Feeling heard and understood
A crucial element of a positive therapeutic experience is feeling heard and understood by your therapist. When therapists demonstrate empathy, validate struggles, and offer practical insights or guidance, you may find a sense of relief and validation in your experiences, which improves the therapeutic process and fosters personal growth.
Sign #9 – Your therapist tells you you’re making progress
Therapists may use various tools and techniques to quantifiably measure progress, such as mental health check-ins or symptom tracking. By monitoring symptoms, moods, and overall quality of life, you and your therapist can objectively assess the impact of therapy and track the tangible steps taken towards improved mental well-being and overall progress.
“To measure progress, I combine subjective experiences with clinical assessments,” says Wilborne. “Regularly reviewing these assessments, alongside revisiting therapy goals, provides both the client and me with a clear picture of progress.”
Sign #10 – You can recognize setbacks and plateaus
In therapy, it’s important to recognize that continuous progress is not always linear, and setbacks or plateaus are normal and expected. These periods allow you to pause, reflect on challenges, and develop coping skills and strategies to navigate difficult moments.
Utilizing developed skills
The ability to recognize setbacks and plateaus in therapy signifies a deeper level of self-awareness and emotional intelligence. By applying the skills and insights gained through therapy, you can effectively reframe setbacks, cope with challenges, and approach obstacles with resilience and determination.
Celebrate small wins for your mental health
Acknowledging and celebrating small yet meaningful changes and victories throughout therapy can serve as powerful sources of motivation and encouragement. Recognizing the significance of these small wins reinforces a sense of accomplishment and progress, making you feel more encouraged and positive about the direction therapy is taking you in.
“Progress in therapy isn’t always a straight line, and sometimes it’s in those moments of feeling stuck that we uncover the most valuable insights,” says Wilborne. “I focus on reinforcing [my client’s] strengths, highlighting small wins, and reminding them that personal growth often takes time and patience.”
