This post contains affiliate links. Commission earned goes back into creating more content for Never Alone and into our mental health help community.
Deciding how often you should go to therapy when determining it’s time to start working to better your mental health is one of the more challenging decisions to make.
How much money can you invest each month?
How much time do you have open to go?
Is going one time a month worth it?
There is no specific number of therapy sessions you need to go to a month that will solve all your problems, but there is a sweet spot that will give you the best chance over time.
Let me share it with you.
The majority of people going to therapy average three sessions a month. Their focus is to go every week (4 sessions a month), but life isn’t always easy to work with. Sickness, work obligations, family, and overall exhaustion, are a few of the reasons that only 3/4 of sessions happen each month.
To get the most out of your therapy sessions and investment of money paying for them, you want to go once a week for the first 3-6 months.
If four sessions a week is not something you can do because of time or money, then go three or two times a month.
I do not suggest going one time a month to therapy, especially if you have never gone before. With only going to one therapy session each month, you and your therapist will have a hard time getting settled into any work due to the vast amount of days between each session.
Go every week.
Pay for your sessions up-front for the next 3-6 months (will hold you accountable to going.)
for in-person sessions (usually more costly, some people find in-person therapy better than online.)
Search around to find a therapist that can see you 4x a month for your price range
Settle for 2-3 sessions a month with an in-person therapist
Look into an online therapy app where your money could get you more sessions + text messaging
If possible, combine the 4-6 months of your potential investment and do 4-6 weeks in a row. These will be more effective than going 1x each month.
Look into group therapy.
Look into online therapy apps that are more cost-effective.
It’s normal to go to therapy every week. Not only is this the most common, but it is also long-term the most effective therapy use.
There is no set time frame when seeing a therapist. Most people find out that once they have addressed the struggle, they go to therapy and continue seeking more life help.
No, therapy once a month is not enough if you are a beginner to therapy. If you have been going for years, you might find therapy once a month possible, but only with the therapist you have worked with for a long time.
You should have 52 therapy sessions a year. Fifty-two sessions a year breaks down to one therapy session a week.