How Often Do I Need to See A Therapist?

Published May 16th, 2024

Updated January 16th, 2025

4 min read

 

How often you go to therapy will depend on your financial situation, your mental health goals, and the type of therapy you need.

 

Written by Simon Spichak

 

Whenever people go to their first therapy session, they ask many questions about the process. One of the most common questions is how often they’ll need to attend therapy. Everyone is eager to know when they can expect to see improvements in their mental health, plus going to therapy often can be expensive. There’s no single answer — how often you’ll go to therapy depends on many factors.

How many therapy sessions until I feel better?

It can take more than a dozen therapy sessions until you feel better. How many sessions you need exactly will depend on the goals you set for yourself and the issues that you come to therapy with. 

With that said, here’s what we know according to researchers:

  • One in two people will start to feel better after about 15 to 20 hour-long therapy sessions.

  • Therapy for conditions like ADHD, depression, and anxiety can take 12 to 20 therapy sessions.

  • Exposure and response prevention therapy for OCD takes 12 to 20 sessions

  • Some people start to feel better after eight or fewer therapy sessions

  • Some people need six months of weekly therapy sessions before they start to feel better

Most people will continue to see a therapist even after feeling better. In some cases, they might attend therapy less frequently, going from twice a month to once a month to on-demand sessions to address urgent issues. 

Once you and your therapist agree that you’ve met the goals set up at the beginning of your first therapy session, you’ll “graduate” from therapy and will no longer need to schedule any sessions. However, you’ll always have that therapist to return to if anything goes wrong.

How frequently do people go to therapy?

Most often, people will go to therapy once weekly, every two weeks, or monthly. Here are some common factors that determine how frequently you’ll see a therapist:

Therapy isn’t a quick or easy fix, and that’s okay

There’s nothing magical about going to therapy. It is a slow process that requires you to work with a therapist over several months. How often you see a therapist will depend on your finances, mental health goals, and the type of therapy you’re receiving. Unfortunately, it is very hard to predict how many therapy sessions you’ll need before you start feeling better. 

If you’re interested in learning more about whether therapy is right for you, please reach out to one of our practitioners for a free 15-minute consultation.

Please note that this post is written for educational purposes; it is not therapy. If you need to talk to a professional, please book a consultation with a psychotherapist through Resolvve.