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  • Q&A with Australian Health Practitioners

    How long should I expect to be in cognitive behavioural therapy for anxiety?

    Related Topics
    Anxiety Mental Health
    I am currently seeing a therapist for my anxiety… I suffer from social anxiety and general anxiety. How long should I expect to be in therapy before I am on my own?
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    Grant Dempsey

    Counsellor

    With a passion to see people move forward and break free from the barriers holding them back, Grant is a highly experienced counsellor with over … View Profile

    How deep is a hole? This is a very difficult question to answer because there are many variables eg how frequently you see your therapist, how much you take from your sessions and apply between sessions, your level of motivation and willingness to ‘push’ yourself, your therapists skills and experience and so forth. It could be weeks or months depending on your situation. I'd make a few points for you to keep in mind;

    1. Choose a Cognitive Behavioural Therapist (CBT) you connect with and has experience in this area
    2. Choose a suitable period of time you can set aside to work on the therapy, eg if you are really busy at work between Feb-May and quiet over the winter wait until the quiet period to get stuck into it.
    3. Start with weekly visits for the first 4 then space them out if required.
    4. Determine to work on the exercises between sessions and push yourself
    5. Tell a trusted & respected friend what you are doing and ask her/him to support you eg, go with you to tricky situations, urge you along, encourage you and so forth. I've found clients who have support outside of their therapist do really well.

    I've seen a handful of clients where CBT hasn't helped them and we have had to deal with underlying emotional trauma's which bviously takes longer. However, once you have overcome the hold anxiety has on you the time taken will seem insignificant so hang in there and keep pushing through. 

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    Dr Louise Shepherd

    Clinical Psychologist, Psychologist

    I am a clinical psychologist with 15 years experience working with all sorts of goals and issues. I love working with people, helping them to … View Profile

    Grant makes some very good points. I think it is important to review treatment goals every 3-4 sessions with the psychologist (you say “therapist” so I'm not sure this is a psychologist but am guessing.) 

    Standard treatment protocols for CBT for anxiety tend to be about 10-20 sessions - I generally find that some people respond a lot quicker and some take longer. The variables that Grant mentions are well worth considering. I usually recommend a book and other exercises for my clients to do between sessions and the ones who do those generally respond better and more quickly…….makes sense doesn't it?!

    If I was in your shoes I'd want a clear rationale for the treatment approach, the content of treatment sessions and a guide from them as to how long treatment will go for. This may change and it is good to be flexible about that - and it is also good to not just turn up and not say anything if you are wondering where things are headed!!

    And one last thing - if you have 3-4 sessions with a therapist and are not clicking nor finding that you are making any progress in any way you can see then you need to consider if it is better to work with someone else. I often say to people if you don't like shopping at Coles you go to Woolies or IGA…..don't keep shopping at the same place out of habit :-). Having said that therapy can be tough and I wouldn't suggest you move on just because the person suggests something that is a bit hard to hear. Or they ask you to consider doing something that makes you feel anxious - treatment for anxiety involves getting anxious - that is the hard part for sure!!

    Good luck!

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    Grace Gonzalez

    Counsellor, Psychotherapist

    I am a counsellor with over two decades of experience working with non-for-profit organisations, private organizations, secondary education, community health services, and private practice in … View Profile

    Each person is different and the causes of anxiety are different. Duration and intensity of the causes can be said to correlate with how long might take for behavioural therapy to bring about noticeable changes. Generally, you might be able to experience changes within 6-10 sessions. It is also important to remember that the relationship between counsellor and client has a great impact on the progress of the therapy. Your ‘gut feeling’ is a good tool to use in order to make the decision if the counsellor and you are a good fit. Follow your gut feeling!

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