[SheHulk07]

I have an appt in the am with my T, but it's only a 30 minute slot. I always see him for an hour, so 30 minutes doesn't seem like anywhere near enough time. Esp with the events that have happened in the past 2 weeks. I have another appt scheduled with him in another week that's for the regular hour, thankfully.

Has anyone had just a 30 minute session with their T and what do you talk about in that time?

I'm assuming it'll be more of a "check in", and then next week we can go more in depth. I'm secretly hoping his client after me cancels so I could get some more time.

[Argonautomobile]

I have thirty minute sessions with some regularity (every time T is substantially late). It's not ideal, but it's enough time to do a few minutes of catch-up, go over mood, do a questionnaire, get some feedback, spend another few minutes on whatever the Topic Of The Day is, then make a plan for home practice.

I don't think it's long enough if you're in any sort of crisis, and I don't get into deep, emotional issues or talk about my childhood. But I've found that if I'm stable and just there for maintenance, it's surprisingly enough time.

Hope it works out.

Catch up, go over meds how they are working, discuss topics that you feel need to be worked on. that sort of thing, tc

[SheHulk07]

Originally Posted by Argonautomobile

I have thirty minute sessions with some regularity (every time T is substantially late). It's not ideal, but it's enough time to do a few minutes of catch-up, go over mood, do a questionnaire, get some feedback, spend another few minutes on whatever the Topic Of The Day is, then make a plan for home practice.

I don't think it's long enough if you're in any sort of crisis, and I don't get into deep, emotional issues or talk about my childhood. But I've found that if I'm stable and just there for maintenance, it's surprisingly enough time.

Hope it works out.

Thank you. I feel like I am in the midst of a crisis lately, so that doesn't help. I'm trying to figure out what I want to discuss tomorrow, but there's so much I don't know what to pick.

Thinking maybe touching on my "homework" would be the best start. But I want him to know that my SH has been worse lately too.

[Argonautomobile]

Originally Posted by AmyFed07

Thank you. I feel like I am in the midst of a crisis lately, so that doesn't help. I'm trying to figure out what I want to discuss tomorrow, but there's so much I don't know what to pick.

Thinking maybe touching on my "homework" would be the best start. But I want him to know that my SH has been worse lately too.

I think the homework would be a good place to start, too. You should definitely have time to talk about the SH. Session time passes quickly, but 30 minutes is still a pretty long time for unbroken conversation...Think about the last time you were on the phone for 30 minutes. When I know I have a short session, I largely skip catch-up. Best of luck!

I've had 30 minute therapy times, and I've found there was enough time to discuss what I needed or wanted.

[Wren_]

I've had ones that long and less that have been more in the nature of a quick catch up, tagging things to follow up and have helped me just get through to the next fuller session

[LonesomeTonight]

We once had a 20-minute session with my marriage counselor because he had something come up and had to leave early (he told us at start of session). I was in a bad place and was upset that we'd only have 20 minutes. But I skipped the usual "How was your week" and chit-chat and dove right into what I was upset about. It ended up being one of the most helpful sessions, despite being really short. It made me realize that sometimes I just need to jump right in, rather than wasting time talking about random stuff, which we often end up doing. (He didn't charge us for the session, incidentally.)

So I'd say to think about what you want to focus on, whether SH, your homework, or something else, and just dive right in.

[AncientMelody]

Yeah thirty minutes wouldn't work for me. Because I either have to 1) drive an hour after work to see her, or 2) take a few PTO hours and see her during a work day. But otherwise I think you'll be ok, maybe write down ahead of time what's really critical for you to cover and perhaps focus more on supportive care at that visit rather than true therapy "work"

I once had a short session - T came late and left early. I felt worthless - I would have preferred she'd cancel.

[ruh roh]

I have had 30 min sessions a couple of times when my therapist didn't have time for a full extra session, and they were very helpful. We just got right to what was going on and what I could do to manage the situation. I think it helps to know the time limit. If it had been a full session that was cut short, it would have been different.

[AnxiousGirl]

Ive had a 20 minute session once I didnt even take my jacket off since it was such a short time.

My T had to talk with my parents and what should have been a 10 minute talk lasted almost 40 so then when I went in I just talked about what I wanted to talk about next week or something. It was more of a check in.

[SheHulk07]

Thanks everyone, had my session this morning. When I got there, he said he was pretty sure his next client would be a no show, and I was welcomed to stay for my hour if I could. I jumped right in and told him about this week how I've been struggling because we had a death in the family and talked about the SH. Thankfully the person after me didn't show, so I was able to go more in depth about the SH, and told him something that I haven't told him about.

I didn't talk about my homework part, since we got sidetracked about the other 2 big topics, but I told him that's what I want to discuss next week.

[ruh roh]

Glad it went well and that you ended up with a full session.

I wonder how a therapist foresees that someone will be a no show and if that happens a lot. Mine knows that I arrive really early (not to her office, but to her town, to make sure I don't get caught in traffic). One time, she emailed to say the client before me was a no show and I could come up whenever I was ready. When I got there, she made a comment about how she gets irritated when... then caught herself and clammed up. I assumed that the person who didn't show up, gave her no notice and since it was the first appt of the day, probably screwed up her morning.

[SheHulk07]

Originally Posted by ruh roh

Glad it went well and that you ended up with a full session.

I wonder how a therapist foresees that someone will be a no show and if that happens a lot. Mine knows that I arrive really early (not to her office, but to her town, to make sure I don't get caught in traffic). One time, she emailed to say the client before me was a no show and I could come up whenever I was ready. When I got there, she made a comment about how she gets irritated when... then caught herself and clammed up. I assumed that the person who didn't show up, gave her no notice and since it was the first appt of the day, probably screwed up her morning.

I'm guessing maybe this client has a habit of being a no show, but not sure. I was just thankful they didn't.

[SingDanceRunLife]

30 minutes definitely isn't a lot of time...I feel like somewhere around the 30 minute mark is where the real stuff starts happening (I have a tendency to check the time during my sessions because it never feels like there's enough)...and always somewhere around 2:10 I feel like we're going somewhere -- my appt is at 1:30, but the earliest I ever get in is 1:38 and it's often closer to 1:45...I even play a game with myself every week which is "guess when she'll come get me" lol

[SheHulk07]

Originally Posted by SingDanceRunLife

30 minutes definitely isn't a lot of time...I feel like somewhere around the 30 minute mark is where the real stuff starts happening (I have a tendency to check the time during my sessions because it never feels like there's enough)...and always somewhere around 2:10 I feel like we're going somewhere -- my appt is at 1:30, but the earliest I ever get in is 1:38 and it's often closer to 1:45...I even play a game with myself every week which is "guess when she'll come get me" lol

I always check the clock during my sessions, too, because the clock is right by the window, and he has one on the wall behind where I sit. I don't know how I would have felt if it had ended on time and I didn't get the full hour instead.