The most useful answer that I could give to this question, is that change occurs one conversation at a time, so it depends. Change takes time, effort and commitment.

Equally, the presenting issues can indicate something about the length of time it may take. For example, attending therapy to increase your confidence at public speaking will require less sessions, than that of a couple attending therapy to understand their communication, trust and intimacy issues.

A common thread between most clients is that they are wanting to improve their emotional awareness, their responses to situations and develop tools that support different ways of communicating with others. But they need some support to explore what it is that is preventing them from doing this on a day-to-day basis by themselves? The skills and questions that the therapist ask at these times is what is often most useful in therapy. In therapy you are supported to listen and to use that listening to inform your next conversation.

Sometimes, it takes several therapy sessions for couples and family’s to practice listening to each other. While this sounds simple, it is often a taken-for-granted assumption that we all know how to do this, when we might not. Equally, not all clients attending therapy know how to talk about talking, having a therapist in the room can really support this and create understanding around ideas of not being open enough, or finding it difficult to name thoughts, feelings and actions.

It is important that the sessions feel safe, it is okay for the pace to vary and for this to be spoken about. Correspondingly, the same events may produce a different story for each individual. Overall, therapy helps create emotional safety, self-awareness, and the tools to make deliberate choices instead of reactive ones.