The typical therapy session tends to be about 50 minutes long. That's how long my sessions are, 50 minutes. At times my therapist has gone over by a few minutes, which is good because it shows she isn't a clock watcher.

The thing is, it just doesn't seem long enough. 50 minutes just seems to fly by for me. It goes by so quick I find myself looking back at the clock myself to try and fit everything in because the sessions always seems to be over before it's started.

I think a therapy session should be at least an hour and a half to 2 hours long.

[lostmyway21]

I wish sometimes I had 90 minute sessions. It can be hard to get everything in during the 45 minutes. I have found myself starting to worry about the time more often.

I find 50 - 55 to be about right the vast majority of the time. On occasion T will hold me longer if something is particularly happening, but I honestly wouldn't want more than an hour on a regular basis. Much too exhausting.

[healed84]

I wouldn't mind a 90mins session like once a month or something, but every week it would be too much for me. My sessions have run 40mins-60mins.. but in general they are somewhere in between and it has been okay so far.

Have you ever asked your T if longer sessions are available??

[Chopin99]

I'd love a 2 hour session and I'll almost get that next week...two 60 min appointments Wed and Thurs.

[pbutton]

Mine are 60 mins. I really need to make better use of the first 5-15 mins. Maybe I will make that my goal for next week.

[Mike_J]

I have thought about suggesting 2 hour meetings every other week instead of 1 hour (well almost) every week. I don't think my therapist would go for this though, she likes to see me every week just to make sure I'm doing OK, and Im not sure what my insurance would say about it.

Originally Posted by healed84

I wouldn't mind a 90mins session like once a month or something, but every week it would be too much for me. My sessions have run 40mins-60mins.. but in general they are somewhere in between and it has been okay so far.

Have you ever asked your T if longer sessions are available??

No there's no chance of making sessions longer. I couldn't afford it anyway.

[CantExplain]

Originally Posted by Lycanthrope

The thing is, it just doesn't seem long enough. 50 minutes just seems to fly by for me. It goes by so quick I find myself looking back at the clock myself to try and fit everything in because the sessions always seems to be over before it's started.

I think a therapy session should be at least an hour and a half to 2 hours long.

Fifty minutes is right for me now, but there were years when 90 minutes would have been better.

I asked my T about double sessions but she said no.

[sunrise]

When I stopped going weekly, my T and I found that 50 minutes didn't work well, so he suggested we do 90 minute sessions. They really helped a lot. I think a longer session if you aren't going weekly can be a big help. Recently, I've changed from 90 minutes every 3-4 weeks to 50 minutes every 2 weeks. It's tough to go back to shorter sessions but I'm trying to make it work because of the cost. The yearly cost of 50 min sessions every 2 weeks is exactly the same as 90 min sessions every 3 weeks (by my T's rates). But right now I need to go more frequently.

Lycanthrope, would you be able to afford the longer sessions if you went less frequently? It might be worth it. Or has your T already said she won't do it under any circumstances?

with my private T we stick to roughly 50min. sometimes it's not enough. but most of the time it is.

with my DBT T our sessions are scheduled for 1hr although a lot of the time they run over, which is her doing. I'd be happy to leave after 1 hour but she pushes me to talk more. I feel a lot of the time they are too long cuz they tend to run for 2hrs-2.5hrs. but I guess it gets everything out there.

but I feel like a huge burden because I have these long sessions and then have phone coaching most days. but I have to keep reminding myself that it's T who says she wants me to call and she's the one who makes the sessions so long.

I could not do the 50 minute therapy session. I have been doing 90 minutes for the past 18 months. Many times we go over that. I NEED that much time. I am a very slow starter and often have shut down periods. I don't know how you all manage with just 50 minutes~

[dazeofdolphins]

I go 2 times a week, a 90 min and a 50 min. It works for us, especially if we're doing EMDR. It's intense work and has been for 10 years but I'm used to pacing myself. He never seems to look at the clock but I do. I need to manage how much time I spend on different issues.

[shoez]

i have 50 minutes too..weekly..is definitely not enough

I didnt function on 50 min sessions with old t. New t we have 3-4 hour sessions which works better.

[jazzy123456]

I totally understand. i really dislike only 50 minutes. even 90 minute sessions feel too short to me but, sometimes I wonder if they do it that way for the benefit of the therapist... Therapists have to be a certain way for an alloted amount of time. I wonder if they spent a continuous amount of time with the same client if that would drain them. of course, I also know this depends on who the client is... but, yeah. i get you! it's so hard to leave... i feel so overwhelmed leaving the office after my time. :/ Hope this gets better for you.

[jazzy123456]

Originally Posted by SarahMichelle

I didnt function on 50 min sessions with old t. New t we have 3-4 hour sessions which works better.

do you have a lot of money? lol. that's great! i just wonder how much that would cost.

[vanessaG]

Mine is 45 min...I asked for a 90 min & he said yeah on e a week but he emphasized he RealAudio felt it would be better 45 twice a week. But yeah I feel like just when I'm getting 'warmed up' it's over.

[CantExplain]

Originally Posted by Squiggle328

I could not do the 50 minute therapy session. I have been doing 90 minutes for the past 18 months. Many times we go over that. I NEED that much time. I am a very slow starter and often have shut down periods. I don't know how you all manage with just 50 minutes~

I'm a blabbermouth.

[confuseduk]

I think no matter how long you get you always want more. I had a 70 minute session once and it still wasn't long enough! I only started opening up in the last 10 minutes

[Nightlight]

50 minutes once a week is not enough. I'm so sure I'd cope better with more help, more time, but I can't afford it. I can hardly afford 50 minutes once a week. I'm not working at the moment but even if I was working on the rate I last got it takes me almost a full working day to earn enough for a 50 minute appointment. Ugh.

[CantExplain]

Originally Posted by confuseduk

I think no matter how long you get you always want more.

I don't agree. Some days I can't fill a fifty-minute session.

50 to 60 is plenty for me, almost too much, too intense. TOO painful. I don't really want to go at all anymore, but it's hard to stop too.

[rainbow8]

My former Ts all had 50 minute sessions. I always felt like I was just getting started when it was time to leave! For 2 years now I have had 90 minute sessions and it is so much better. Of course I'm one of those people who could have a 4 hour session with my T and it wouldn't be enough. But, definitely I feel like I have enough time each week. We need more time for EMDR but even if we don't, filling 90 minutes is not a problem for me!

Well I guess it all depends on the person, but for me it isn't long enough. I will be leaving therapy in couple of weeks but haven't ruled out going back out some point.

Loner sessions is definitely something i will consider.