31 Things to Bring up at Your Next Therapy Session.
Need Ideas for what to bring up in your next therapy session? I’ve got you.
Yay, you are in therapy! You finally are able to go, you have the means, the time, and you are ready. Therapy is hard sometimes and it takes great courage to unpack all the things in order to move towards a more healed version of yourself. Sometimes therapy can be awkward and it can feel like we have no idea what to talk about or how to make the most of the therapy experience. That is why I created this list!
Let’s face it therapy can be expensive, time-consuming, and hard. But it is so worth it! As a couples therapist and EMDR therapist, it is not uncommon to get to a space where you have no idea what to talk about. It is even super common for people to know they need to or want to go to therapy but they are unsure about what to talk about to make the most out of therapy. Here are some ideas to help you come up with topics to talk about in therapy.
Below I will give you a big list of possible ideas of what to bring up in your next therapy session!
Relationships issues to bring up at your next therapy session.
Exploring boundaries and how to have better ones and what gets in the way
Discussing your dating life to learn how to be a better partner and get a better partner
Your most recent relationship struggle: romantic, family, or platonic
Exploring how power dynamics impact your relationships
Pre-marital counseling to prevent issues before they even happen
Learning how to not care so much about what other people think
Self issues to bring up at your next therapy session.
Exploring and getting better at identifying your feelings
Unpacking your relationship with yourself and learning to have more self-compassion
Exploring why you are so judgmental (what do your pet peeves really say about you?)
Learning how to not be a people pleaser (that shit runs deep)
Unpacking themes you notice in your life
Unpacking your identity: culture, race, sex, gender, religion
Exploring your relationship with alcohol and other substances
Learning what self-care really means to you
Learning to be more embodied and connected with your body
Learning how to live your best life
Past issues to bring up at your next therapy session.
Learning how to recover after a toxic job or career
Unpacking childhood trauma
Future and Anxiety issues to bring up at your next therapy session.
Learning about your anxiety triggers and how to soothe them
Exploring your worries and biggest fears about the future
Unpacking imposter syndrome and how to overcome it
exploring existential issues and fears
Other ideas and issues to bring up at your next therapy session.
Your top 3 complaints in life that you are always venting about to your friends (a personal favorite, we learn so much from our go to complaints!)
Gaining psychoeducation on skills to improve your understanding of mental health (consider bringing in things you read in a self help book)
Unpacking and processing what the COVID-19 Pandemic was like for you
Learning how to live a great life with neurodiversity (ADHD coaching and support can be a game changer!)
Exploring how to live a less stressful life and learning how to rest
Exploring and healing your relationship with money
Your relationship with food and diet culture
Discussing and treating specific issues like anxiety, depression, bipolar
Discussing transitions in life: leaving home, becoming a parent, having a loss
Important things to remember about therapy:
You will not have major breakthroughs at every session.
Therapy does not have to be a weekly thing.
Therapy is not just a place to vent.
Things often get worse before they get better.
Your therapist will challenge you to look differently or deeper at things.
Your connection with your therapist is the biggest predictor of successful treatment.
You will not have major breakthroughs at every session.
If a therapy session felt pretty unproductive it does not mean it was a bad therapy session. Some things take time to work through and to process. I remember when I was a baby therapist, I would want to rush to tell people what I thought was wrong with them. That they were people pleasers and here they are again repeating the pattern or that they are self-sabotaging and getting in the way of their own happiness…again. I could have been right but it means so much more if the person is able to come to this conclusion on their own. This is why our deepest healing moments are a result of our hard reflections what we choose to see. Not because someone gave us a harsh reality check.
My biggest reflections and realizations in life have been times when I was out waking or in the shower and things just click, not in the therapy session itself. I found things to really sink in after. Things are more meaningful when we let them click naturally. Therapy just helps with creating a space for the clicking and ah-ha moments to happen.
Therapy does not have to be a weekly thing.
Some people come to therapy every other week, once a month, for refreshers every year. Some therapists don’t practice in this way but many do, especially in the private practice world where insurance companies can’t get in the way of telling you how to take care of your well-being. This is why I am a huge fan of having HSA and FSA accounts if you are able to, so that you can use this for therapy and other types of wellness care.
Some therapists even offer workshops and intensives. This can save you time and money and help you get to the root of the issue so that you can get back to living your life. As a therapist practicing in the Phoenix Metro Area in Arizona and in the San Diego area, plus all over California and Arizona, completely online, I offer intensive and would love to chat more if you are interested! Click here to book a FREE consult.
Your connection with your therapist is the biggest predictor of successful treatment.
This is proven by science. You will have better outcomes with therapy if you feel well-connected to your therapist. Feelings safe, understood, and like your therapist actually cares, are crucial to having a healthy therapy experience. This is called having good rapport with your therapist and strong theraputic alliance. You and your therapist are a team addressing the issues that you are struggling with.
You could go to the most qualified therapist with all the certificates and titles after their name but if you don’t like them and have an off feeling in your gut, it won’t work. Trust me. Time and time again people say they like me as their therapist not because of my extensive training in trauma and couples (though I am sure that helps) but because they can relate to me and feel like I am a real human (which I am). So set up those free consultations and go with whoever feels like the “right fit” in addition to specializing in what you need help with.
Therapy is probably the weirdest experience I have ever personally experienced. Especially my background as a Latina where we did not talk about mental health let alone going to a therapist. Connecting with the right therapist helps you feel safe. Therapy works, you just have to trust the process.
Going to therapy is not for the faint of heart, but it is so worth it. You will gain skills, perspective, and awareness to help you make the most of this one precious life. If you are in need of a therapist, reach out, I would love to chat to see if we are the right fit, if not no pressure I can always connect you to someone else in my network!
With Warmth,
Elisa Blair
Hey there, I’m Elisa Blair!
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist + Founder of Mindfully Minding Me Therapy.
My specialty is couples counseling, especially for those who are BIPOC, in interracial partnerships, 1 and 2 gens wanting to break family cycles to step into a more peaceful way of doing life. I also offer depth work with individuals, helping people rewire their nervous system because traditional talk therapy sometimes is not enough.
I work with people all over San Diego, from Little Italy to Chula Vista, to La Jolla, and really all over California since I practice 100% online therapy. That means I can see people from Los Angeles to Fresno to San Jose, and San Francisco. And all while my clients get the convenience and comfort of having therapy right in their own living room.
I work with people all over Arizona from Flagstaff to Phoenix to Tucson 100% online therapy. Since I am dually licensed, I can see people who reside in both states or find that they travel often. And all while my clients get the convenience and comfort of having therapy right in their own living room.
Check out my about page to see if we are the right fit, explore my specialties page to see if I can help you break generational patterns and step into a more peaceful life. Ready to set up a free consultation?
