A therapy session can look different depending on the setting. Therapy in a hospital will look different than therapy in an outpatient office setting. Since we are an outpatient clinic, we will answer from this perspective.
A typical therapy appointment will last roughly one hour and will involve:
-A review on progress: This is the therapist getting an idea on how the client has been doing since the last session, including reviewing any progress or setback.
-Determining the focus of that day’s session: After the review is completed, the therapist and client will agree on the focus of that session. It may include a review of prior lessons or themes, or may introduce a new step.
-Intervention: Once the focus of the session has been established, the therapist will then introduce interventions. These are the actual things a therapist does to help the client change. This can include interpretations of client’s stories, skills development, or guided exercises.
-Review and plan making. Toward the end of the session, the therapist and the client should review the progress made in session, and create a plan of action. This could include scheduling another session, assigning homework exercises for the client to do, or referrals for the client to follow up on.