Do you ever wonder about what to talk about in therapy? In this blog, we cover some of the best topics to raise with your counselor. Of course, these are just general suggestions to only use ones that you find are relevant.
General “what to talk about in therapy” topics
Talk about what is going on in your life. What are you having trouble with? When have you felt anxious or depressed recently? What triggered these feelings? Or when have you been binge eating or resorting to “retail therapy” or drinking or taking drugs or using other crutches? What have you been running away from? What happened that upset you?
Are there any bad habits you would like to get rid of?
Do you bite your nails? Or are there other bad habits you would like to get rid of? Talk to your counselor as they may be able to find out why you developed this habit. And they may have suggestion of how to replace it with good habits.
Are there any unresolved traumas from your past?
Have you ever wished there was someone you could talk to about a specific incident in your past? Was it traumatic? Do you still think about it or dream about it?
Or do you want to unravel what went wrong in your relationship with your mother, father or siblings?
Are there things you would like to do or achieve, but you feel like something is holding you back?
What are your goals? Do you think some of your fears are holding you back from achieving these goals. Your therapist can help you work through these fears, so that you can manage them better.
Do you have patterns of behavior you would like to change?
Do you find yourself repeating certain ways of behaving? For example, are you always attracted to partners that aren’t good for you? By discussing your behavior patterns with your therapist, you may gain new insights. This will allow you to stop repeating patterns that do not serve you.
What should you not talk about in therapy?
Whilst some may say you can talk about anything, treat this time as precious. Don’t waste time repeating the same topics over and over. Don’t tell your therapist every single thing you did this week. That’s what a calendar or diary is for.
What will you talk about with your therapist?
I hope these general topics have been interesting. Before you go to your next therapy session, think about what would be most helpful for you to discuss. And if you aren’t yet seeing a counselor, contact us to set up an appointment.