Is Therapy Effective?
Is Therapy Effective?
Some people wonder why they can’t just talk about their problems with family members or friends. Therapists offer more than someplace to vent. Therapists have years of training and experience that help people improve their lives. And there is significant evidence showing that psychotherapy is a very effective treatment.
How effective is therapy?
Hundreds of studies have found that psychotherapy helps people make positive changes in their lives. Reviews of these studies show that about 75 percent of people who enter therapy show some benefit. Other reviews have found that the average person who engages in therapy is better off by the end of treatment than 80 percent of those who don’t receive treatment at all.
How does therapy work?
Successful treatment is the result of three factors working together: 1) Evidence-based treatment that is appropriate for your problem. 2) The psychologist’s clinical expertise. 3) Your characteristics, values, culture and preferences.
When people begin therapy, they often feel that their distress is never going to end. Psychotherapy helps people understand that they can do something to improve their situation. That leads to changes that enhance healthy behavior, whether it’s improving relationships, expressing emotions better, doing better at work or school, or thinking more positively.
While some issues and problems respond best to a particular style of therapy, what remains critical and important is the therapeutic alliance and relationship with your therapist.
What if therapy doesn’t seem to be working?
When you began psychotherapy, your therapist probably worked with you to develop goals and a rough timeline for treatment. As you go along, you should be asking yourself whether the therapist seems to understand you, whether the treatment plan makes sense and whether you feel like you’re making progress.
Some people begin to feel better in about six to 12 sessions. If you don’t start seeing signs of progress, discuss it with your therapist. Your therapist may initiate a conversation about what to do. If he or she doesn’t, bring it up yourself. You could ask your therapist about additional or alternative treatment methods, for example. Sometimes speaking up to your therapist can be very empowering, especially since your therapist will be understanding and nonjudgmental instead of offended.
Keep in mind that as therapy progresses, you may feel overwhelmed. You may feel more angry, sad or confused than you did at the beginning of the process. That doesn’t mean therapy isn’t working. Instead, it can be a sign that your therapist is pushing you to confront difficult truths or do the hard work of making changes. In such cases, these strong emotions are a sign of growth rather than evidence of a standstill. Remember, sometimes things may feel worse before they get better.
In some cases, of course, the relationship between a patient and the therapist isn’t as good as it should be. The therapist should be willing to address those kinds of issues, too. If you’re worried about your therapist’s diagnosis of your problems, it might be helpful to get a second opinion from another therapist as long as you let your original therapist know you’re doing so.
If the situation doesn’t improve, you and your therapist may decide it’s time for you to start working with a new therapist. Don’t take it personally. It’s not you; it’s just a bad fit. And because the therapeutic alliance is so crucial to the effectiveness of therapy, you need a good fit.
If you do decide to move on, don’t just stop coming to your first therapist. Instead, tell him or her that you are leaving and why you’re doing so. A good therapist will refer you to someone else, wish you luck and urge you not to give up on therapy just because your first attempt didn’t go well. Tell your next therapist what didn’t work to help ensure a better fit.
Additional Post: Cognitive Therapy