How long are therapy sessions, and how often should you go to therapy?

If you’ve never been to therapy, you might wonder how long your sessions will be or if you’ll have to attend therapy forever. And, you may be unsure how you’ll know if therapy is working or how long it will take to see meaningful results. 

Rest assured that therapy is flexible — your therapist will work with you to ensure the experience meets your needs. Together, you can decide how often you should meet and how long your sessions should be based on your goals, preferences, and immediate concerns. Whether you’re using insurance to pay for your sessions can also be a factor.

How long are therapy sessions?

Most therapy sessions last about 50 minutes. This is sometimes called a “therapeutic hour” or “53-minute hour.” You’ll spend those53 minutes working directly with your therapist. When those 53 minutes are up, your session will come to a close. But there’s no need to monitor the clock during your appointment. It’s the therapist’s responsibility to keep track of time and bring the session to an end when it’s time. 

After your 53-minute session, your therapist will use the remaining 7 minutes of the hour for things like taking notes, processing billing or insurance information, scheduling, or as a break between clients. 53 minutes is also often the limit of what insurance will pay for. This is another reason that most sessions are structured this way. 

Some therapists offer the ability to schedule additional sessions if necessary. For example, a therapist may offer a second session per week if a client needs extra support during a challenging time. Also, some therapists may offer longer sessions, but they likely won’t be covered by insurance.

How often should you see your therapist?

There’s no one right answer to this question. Some of the factors that could determine how frequently you see your therapist include:

• Scheduling constraints
• Therapist availability
• Financial concerns and insurance coverage
• Severity of symptoms
• Diagnosis and the presence of co-occurring conditions
• Type of therapy 
• Goal progression
• Individual needs and preferences

Many people see their therapist once per week. However, this isn’t possible for everyone, and that’s OK. Research shows that more frequent appointments during the first three months of treatment can be beneficial for people living with common mental health concerns like depression, anxiety, and personality disorders. 

But keep in mind that you can change the frequency of your sessions as things evolve. For example, you can start with weekly sessions and then taper to biweekly or monthly sessions (or longer intervals) as your needs change. 

It’s also worth noting that acute difficulties, like experiencing a traumatic event or unexpected loss, usually require fewer sessions than chronic mental health conditions.

How long does therapy take to work?

As you embark on your mental health journey, it’s important to set some reasonable expectations to maximize the benefits of therapy. 

Often, the issues that bring us to therapy are things that have challenged us for a long time. In other words, these things didn’t happen overnight. So you can reasonably expect the healing process to take some time too. 

That said, everyone’s experience in therapy is unique. You might begin to feel some relief after a single session. Sometimes, just starting the process can feel like a weight has been lifted.  Or you may need several sessions before you begin seeing improvement. You can also stop and restart therapy as your needs change. 

Your therapist can weigh in on how long it will take to see meaningful results and make suggestions about the best duration of treatment for you. But ultimately, research shows that consistency and commitment to the process will help you make the most of the experience. 

Find care with Rula

If you’re interested in starting therapy, you may wonder how often you’ll need to see your therapist and what kind of results you can expect. As with most things in the world of mental health, the answer depends on your individual needs, preferences, and goals. You and your therapist can work together to determine the best course of treatment for you. 

Whether you’re interested in individual, couples, or family therapy, Rula makes it easy to find a therapist who can offer the personalized experience you deserve. Our therapist-matching program makes it easy to find a therapist who takes your insurance and schedule your first appointment as early as this week. 

Find a therapist with Rula