Hi, I’m Ilia Jones, licensed professional counselor in Suwanee, Georgia, and I wanted to talk to you for a bit about how long it takes to go to therapy. A lot of people want to know how much of a time commitment it is and how long it is going to take. Of course, the answer depends on you, your goals, your current situation, and the severity and intensity of your symptoms.

Most of the time people come in for a particular situation or a particular stressor. Most people stay for about 10 to 20 sessions, which could be around two to four months. Then, once they start to feel better, a lot of people who have been coming in once a week will start coming in once every two weeks, and then after a while they will come in once a month and then stop coming.

If the reason you are coming in is something chronic, whether it is an illness or something ongoing like your work situation, your marriage, or dealing with parents or kids, then you may benefit from staying in therapy longer, maybe a year or two, depending on the situation and what your support system is like. If you have a good support system, then you may not need to come as often. Most of clients tell me themselves when they feel like they are ready to go, ready to graduate from therapy.

That choice is up to them, and it does not hurt my feelings when people want to stop coming. That is always the goal, and it makes me happy to see that. So, let me know if you have any questions or comments.