How long does therapy take?

 

That varies from person to person. Just as each person has life experiences unique to them, each person will have an individualized treatment plan.

In the first visit , I take a detailed history and talk with you about possible directions we can take, given your situation and goals. Very few people are able to accomplish what they want in just a few visits. Examples of people able to use very short term treatment include those that are already in therapy elsewhere but need a short burst of intensive trauma work to help them move ahead with their regular therapist. Or people that have just recently had their first incident of trauma, are strongly connected to and use their support systems, and are unlikely to get worse instead of better using a short-term approach. These people have probably had an uneventful childhood, stable upbringing, and are functioning well in adulthood, but need to put this one incident or event to rest. In these examples, it is not unreasonable to have as few as three to six sessions--as long as no crises arise and they remain well-connected to their pre-existing supports.

Unfortunately, the majority of people coming to a trauma specialist don't have a single traumatic event that occurs in adulthood. Therapy in these cases is expected to take longer. Generally speaking, the more damaging or destructive their childhood and adolescence was, the longer therapy will take. A number of variables can affect this including how much you have already resolved through previous treatment, whether new crises emerge during the course of treatment, how often we meet, how well you tolerate change, and your level of functioning prior to therapy.

You will be a partner in your treatment. This issue is one of the many issues I will discuss with you periodically as we work.