[marcoleap]

I've been in biweekly and weekly therapy at various times. I'm wondering if anyone here has been in more frequent therapy--say, twice a week or more--and whether they feel the increased frequency has made a difference.

[ElectricManatee]

I've been in twice a week therapy for about a year now, and it has made an enormous difference. It's not just the extra time and attention from my therapist (although that's helpful), but it's the ability to explore deeper stuff. The deep, scary, vulnerable things would either get more closed down if I went a week between sessions (which I used to do with this same therapist) or would get pushed aside because of me needing to talk about events happening in my life. Going twice as often as I did before is allowing me to make way more than twice the progress.

[toomanycats]

I was in 2-3x per week therapy with my last therapist.

In an ideal world, I'd see my new therapist 2x per week, but right now, I am 1x per week with additional sessions as needed. (I've had 2 sessions per week the last few weeks but should be returning to 1x per week after this week. )

[marcoleap]

Originally Posted by ElectricManatee

I've been in twice a week therapy for about a year now, and it has made an enormous difference. It's not just the extra time and attention from my therapist (although that's helpful), but it's the ability to explore deeper stuff. The deep, scary, vulnerable things would either get more closed down if I went a week between sessions (which I used to do with this same therapist) or would get pushed aside because of me needing to talk about events happening in my life. Going twice as often as I did before is allowing me to make way more than twice the progress.

Thank you! That makes sense, and I suspect the same would be true for me. Also, given the fact that much of the the effectiveness of therapy seems to be related to the therapeutic alliance, the deepening of trust between patient and therapist, and access to deeper layers of emotion (right-brain vs left-brain), I would think that going more frequently would be helpful. I'm not sure I can afford it, but I think it would make a difference.

[DP_2017]

I've done weekly and 2x a week. I find 2x a week is helpful especially when I am feeling more overwhelmed etc because it gives me extra support to make it through the long week wait...however down side is that I become more attached on the 2x a week sessions I go to.

Not sure I'll ever handle bi weekly, I think I'd spiral

I am similar to Electric. I go twice a week & I find that by not having to wait too long to see my t again, gives me the support I need. It is more intensive, but keeps me working on the hard stuff whereas, there was less continuity by just once a week & often I wouldn't go to the stuff I really needed to go to as much.

[NP_Complete]

I started out going 1x week, but after about 6 months I started going 2x week. I found that to be a better schedule for me because it helped me to feel more connected to my therapist. Lately I've been going 3x week because some stressful life stuff came up and I really need the extra support right now.

[Elio]

Originally Posted by ElectricManatee

I've been in twice a week therapy for about a year now, and it has made an enormous difference. It's not just the extra time and attention from my therapist (although that's helpful), but it's the ability to explore deeper stuff. The deep, scary, vulnerable things would either get more closed down if I went a week between sessions (which I used to do with this same therapist) or would get pushed aside because of me needing to talk about events happening in my life. Going twice as often as I did before is allowing me to make way more than twice the progress.

Pretty much exactly the same thing here for me. When I was 1x a week, I could shut it all down between sessions and loss the connectivity/trust to be open with my T. I don't think I would have made the progress I have had I continued at 1 x week.

Now that I am stable, if I dropped to 1x week, I'd start wondering why I am even going because we wouldn't get to the deeper stuff at all.

I went twice a week for a short time during the first year and it was very helpful.

[Anastasia~]

I only go more than once a week when I am having difficulty. It is very helpful and helps me get back on track.

[Ididitmyway]

Occasionally, I was coming twice a week when I was "in crises" a.k.a feeling really ******. And, with the last therapist, at some point, I started coming three times a week not only because I was feeling ****** but because he gave me a good payment deal. He cut his fees twice, and, even though the total amount was bigger than what I paid for coming once a week, a "fee per session" deal was great.

I can tell that when you develop strong dependency and attachment to the therapist, which was my case, it feels great to see them more than once a week, but, ultimately, it becomes a trap because it feeds your addiction to seeing that person regularly. As I know now, those frequent visits didn't have any therapeutic value for me despite giving me immediate temporary comfort of being able to talk to someone who "understands".

Frequency of sessions is a complex subject. I don't think there is an easy answer of what the "right" frequency should be.

[growlycat]

When I was hospitalized as a teen I went 3x a week and it did not feel like enough.

These days it is once a week with dbt group once a week for ten weeks.

[nottrustin]

I go weekly with my long term therapist. A couple of times we tried bi-weekly but it just didn't work. We have regular. e-mail contact. So for the most part once a week is enough. There have been about 5 times in all the years seeing her I had a second appointment because I was struggling.

I see EMDR T once every other week. It ia okay not ifeal dpr either of us. I think it should be weekly but right now not possible with my work schedule.

[Lemoncake]

I started with twice a week sessions for the first nine months. Last week I started three sessions.

[Teddy:)]

You guys are lucky to be able to go so regularly- I go every 4 weeks and it sucks! So much happens in those 4 weeks there is never enough time to cover everything that's been going on, I feel like I'm playing catch up all the time and am left to figure things out on my own

Originally Posted by Teddy:)

You guys are lucky to be able to go so regularly- I go every 4 weeks and it sucks! So much happens in those 4 weeks there is never enough time to cover everything that's been going on, I feel like I'm playing catch up all the time and am left to figure things out on my own

I hear you. I saw T once a month for a year due to her caseload. I don't have a regular session slot ever because it's first comes first served. I hope to resume seeing her fortnightly.

My first T, I only saw him once every three to four months. It sucked.

[captgut]

Once every three/four months!
I'm sorry for asking, but was it even productive?

I see him fortnightly and it feels like an eternity sometimes. I'm in crisis right now and counting days. 9 to go

I've only done weekly.

what's weird about it is that regardless of who my therapist is, it's always been on Tuesdays.

i'm not sure if that's some sort of sign (I believe in these things), or it just happens that way,

Originally Posted by captgut

Once every three/four months!
I'm sorry for asking, but was it even productive?

I see him fortnightly and it feels like an eternity sometimes. I'm in crisis right now and counting days. 9 to go

No, it was really unproductive, especially as sessions were only 30 minutes of "solution focused brief counselling" and once he kicked me out at 15 minutes. He didn't remember me, and he mostly taught me relaxation exercises.

He was an overworked counselling psychologist...

He did one good thing though, which was to refer me to secondary services which enabled me to see a psychiatrist and access psychotherapy.

Fortnightly is not enough as you're in crisis *hugs*

[BudFox]

Originally Posted by Ididitmyway

I can tell that when you develop strong dependency and attachment to the therapist, which was my case, it feels great to see them more than once a week, but, ultimately, it becomes a trap because it feeds your addiction to seeing that person regularly.

For me it was just that. I changed to 2x per week when I became infatuated with the therapist. It was an additional hit of the therapy drug, and made me more of an addict. The cruel irony, though, is that even if you increase to 3 or 4 hours per week, that still leaves you in a withdrawal state 99% of the time.

[Ididitmyway]

Originally Posted by BudFox

For me it was just that. I changed to 2x per week when I became infatuated with the therapist. It was an additional hit of the therapy drug, and made me more of an addict. The cruel irony, though, is that even if you increase to 3 or 4 hours per week, that still leaves you in a withdrawal state 99% of the time.

So true..When this happens, the only "way out", as it feels, is either to quit therapy in order to turn it into a full blown personal relationship or just to quit..Just quitting is much harder to accept but is a better option in the long run, as I've learned from my experience.

[ruh roh]

I go twice a week and it's been very helpful and stabilizing. The need for between session contact has lessened, and I'm better able to handle some stressful life situations.