The Trail to Therapeutic Success

While studying to be a Psychotherapist in 2017, I learned an interesting statistic on the success of Psychotherapy. Fifteen percent of your therapeutic success is determined by the therapeutic modality you choose to participate in. "Modality," refers to the type of therapy you are offered. There are over 400 options available to choose from and most therapists use a combo depending on their client's needs. Options include somatic, psychoanalytic, cognitive-behavioural and narrative to name a few. You can do some research and choose a modality that speaks to you. Use your free consult to ask questions so you can get informed!

Another fifteen percent is determined by your belief that you will get better. Staying hopeful about your future is important. Feeling that there is a chance things will improve increases your chances of success by fifteen percent.

Forty percent of your therapeutic success is dictated by things you can't control. These are things like.....your partner ended your relationship, your dog died, you got fired, COVID 19. This is when you hear the saying, "when it rains it pours." If crappy things keep happening to you, it can be hard to feel good.

The last thirty percent of your therapeutic success comes from the relationship you have with your counsellor. Do you feel comfortable with them? Do you feel like they understand you? Do you feel like they care about you? It's important that the answer is "yes," to these questions. If it's not, it's time to find another counsellor. Any good therapist will gladly recommend someone else if you feel that the fit isn't right for you- we don't take it personal.

All things considered, the good news is that therapeutic success is within reach despite the lack of control in our environments. So do a little research on therapeutic modalities, search for a spark of hope deep inside and find a therapist that you trust.

*Lambert M. (1992) handbook of Psychotherapy Integration