“We also try to identify how we would know if things were getting better, and how we want to measure progress.” That means you’re not just in charge of setting the goals but also having conversations about what progress and “success” truly looks like for you.Īdditionally, Varkovitzky notes that you can support your evaluations with well-researched and validated questionnaires and measures these make it easier to chart your progress over time. “When I work with clients, I like to have them articulate their goals, and we put them in writing together,” says Varkovitzky. Setting up a roadmap for your time with your therapist also offers structure and sets the foundation for measuring how far you’ve come.
Erin Miller, a psychotherapist, explains that she asks her clients in their initial session, "If therapy 'worked' for you, what would that look like?" This helps focus on the optimal outcome of therapy-which is to journey a little closer to our best selves. Your therapist should help prompt you to discuss your goals for therapy, but you can begin the conversation as well as early as your first meeting. If we can practice our goal setting in therapy, we’ll be better equipped to set goals outside of it, too. Think of it this way: Our therapists are the personal trainers who offer meaningful feedback and support while we exercise our goal-setting muscles. Goals, specifically the ones we set with professionals if we are able to work with them, can help us understand how (and why) we’re spending time and money on our personal development. “The process of articulating what we are feeling and putting words to our intentions can help us build our own motivation and take meaningful steps towards the life we want.” “Creating a plan for change, which can include goal setting, isn’t a skill that we are born ’s a skill we need to learn and practice,” she explains. Varkovitzky, a board-certified clinical psychologist, encourages taking this step, even if it doesn’t feel intuitive. But setting goals within the experience of therapy can support us in our everyday growth. It’s always easier to take a look at where I was. It’s often difficult to pinpoint exactly where I’m at and where I’m going when it comes to my mental health and overall well-being. Wasn’t I paying someone else to do that for me?īut I did the assignment, and I’m glad I did.
I had always imagined therapy to be a “show up, cry to a professional, feel better” kind of deal. When my therapist sent along a goals worksheet before our first therapy session, I don’t know why I was surprised. When I went to my first online therapy session, I only had the goal of “feeling better.” I didn’t have the vocabulary for what I was experiencing-all I knew was that I was crying in my bathroom after a long weekend for no clear reason.
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