I would have designed this as a poll, but then I wasn't sure how. Anyway, I'm interested in what people do alongside therapy to attend to whatever issue they are dealing with. I am curious because therapy is so important, yet it really is limited in terms of time, unless we are wealthy types that can go 5 times a week.

Though there are all kinds of alternatives to the therapy model, what I'm curious about in particular is how whatever you do when not actually in session is related to what does happen in sessions.

For me, though I do a number of things, one consistent thing has been self-analysis. In other words, I use the therapy as guidelines that then I apply to whole bunch of things that I may not necessarily ever bring up in therapy, but they have everything to do with how the therapy is working.

I've used three basic techniques. The primary and strongest one is writing. (And alongside that secondarily reading if interested.) The second one is mindfulness or meditation practice. (Again augmented by reading when helpful). The third is more general--creativity in whatever form it takes. Also within that since I tend to combine my creativity with long walks, there is exercise though I don't necessarily tie it strongly to therapy itself.

Curious to hear what others do or how people think about the way they view therapy in their lives. Whether they contain it within the limits of that particular time or extend it outside.