• Therapy can help identify goals

Most people come to therapy with identified presenting concerns; however, they may not be sure what their specific goals are. That is OK! Your therapist can help summarize the main theme of things that you share and then offer a framework for specific, measurable goals. A process goal and a coping goal is a great place to start if you are struggling with where to begin.

• Therapy can help prioritize goals

Let’s face it. There are a lot of things that we could be working on. It can be overwhelming to focus on too many areas and also not very effective. We want you to be able to attain your goals and see progress. Your therapist can help you narrow down your top 2-3 things to focus on as you start working together and can adjust accordingly.

• Therapy can help with accountability

Having someone that you check in each week on the progress of goals that you are working on both within and outside of sessions helps with personal accountability. Your therapist can help remind you of your goals and help with accountability through strategies such as assigning homework and checking on progress.

• Therapy can problem-solve roadblocks

Processing difficult topics, learning new skills, and developing new habits or routines is not easy work! It is common to feel discouraged or frustrated when there is a lack of progress, a plateau in progress, or regression. Your therapist can work with you to problem-solve the next steps.

• Therapy can encourage and motivate

Your therapist can help provide positive reinforcement to encourage and motivate progress. One of my favorite parts as a therapist is reflecting on progress and giving clients credit for all their hard work toward accomplishing their goals.