What to Talk About in Therapy

Are you considering starting therapy or currently in therapy and wondering what topics you can discuss with your therapist? Therapy is a powerful tool for self-exploration and personal growth. Whether you're seeking therapy for a specific issue or simply looking to enhance your mental well-being, there are many reasons why therapy can be good for you. Some of the benefits of therapy include the following:

Benefits of Going to Therapy

• ‍Improved mental health: Therapy can help individuals improve their mental health by providing them with tools and strategies to manage their symptoms. This can include learning coping skills, identifying triggers, and developing a better understanding of their thoughts and feelings.‍
• Increased self-awareness: Becoming more self-aware by exploring their emotions, beliefs, and behaviors can be a benefit of therapy. This increased self-awareness can lead to greater self-understanding and self-acceptance.‍
• Better relationships: Therapy can improve relationships by helping individuals develop better communication skills, learn how to set boundaries, and work through conflicts with others.‍
• Increased resilience: Therapy can help develop greater resilience in individuals, or the ability to bounce back from difficult situations. This can be particularly helpful for individuals who have experienced trauma or other significant life stressors.‍
• Greater life satisfaction: Therapy can lead to a greater sense of purpose and fulfillment in life. It can also help individuals identify their values, goals, and priorities, and work toward achieving them. ‍
• Improved physical health: There are positive effects on physical health, as well as mental health that can result from therapy. For example, therapy has been shown to be effective in reducing chronic pain, improving sleep, and lowering blood pressure.‍
• Reduced stigma: Therapy can help reduce the stigma associated with mental health concerns by increasing awareness and understanding of mental health issues.

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One of the trickiest things about working with a therapist and improving your mental health is tracking your psychological wellness. If you can’t measure your mental health, how do you know what is working for you? So glad you asked. Meet Galvan. Galvan is a free mental health app that helps you track your physical and mental progress. The best part? It rewards you for doing it too! Download our newly launched, free app below!

Topics to Discuss in Therapy

Some therapists let their patients take the lead in discussions, which can be uncomfortable for people who don’t know what they want to talk about.

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Here are 12 topics that you can explore in therapy sessions when you don’t know where to start:

1. Thoughts and Feelings 

One of the primary focuses of therapy is to gain insights into your thoughts and feelings. Discussing your emotions, thought patterns, and beliefs with your therapist can help you understand yourself better and gain clarity on how they may be impacting your mental health.

2. Relationships

Relationships play a significant role in our lives, and they can often be a source of joy, stress, or conflict. Talking about your relationships, whether it's with family members, friends, romantic partners, or colleagues, can help you gain insights into your communication styles, boundaries, and challenges, and develop healthier ways of relating to others.

3. Mental Health Symptoms

If you're struggling with mental health symptoms such as anxiety, depression, or mood swings, therapy provides a safe space to discuss them. Your therapist can help you identify triggers, explore coping strategies, and develop a treatment plan to manage your symptoms.

4. Childhood and Past Experiences 

Our past experiences, including childhood experiences, can shape our thoughts, emotions, and behaviors in the present. Talking about your past experiences in therapy can help you gain insights into how they may be impacting your current life, and work through any unresolved issues or traumas.

5. Coping Skills 

Coping skills are essential for managing stress, anxiety, and other challenges. Discussing your current coping strategies in therapy can help you identify healthy coping skills and develop new ones to better manage stress and challenges in your life.

6. Self-Esteem and Self-Worth 

Many individuals struggle with self-esteem and self-worth issues. Talking about your self-perception, beliefs about yourself, and any negative self-talk in therapy can help you develop a healthier self-esteem and cultivate a positive self-image.

7. Goals and Aspirations 

Therapy is a great space to discuss your goals, dreams, and aspirations. Your therapist can help you clarify your values, set realistic goals, and develop a plan to work towards achieving them.

8. Decision-Making and Problem-Solving Skills 

Decision-making and problem-solving are important life skills. Discussing any challenges or difficulties you may face in making decisions or solving problems in therapy can help you develop effective strategies to tackle them. This is great if you have a big decision to make and would like a third-party to assist you in working out your thoughts and feelings about the situation.

9. Self-Care Routine 

Self-care is crucial for maintaining good mental health. Talking about your current self-care routine, including activities such as exercise, sleep, nutrition, and relaxation techniques, in therapy can help you develop a personalized self-care plan that supports your mental well-being.

10. Boundaries and Assertiveness 

Setting and maintaining healthy boundaries is essential for healthy relationships and self-care. Discussing your challenges with boundaries and learning assertiveness skills in therapy can help you establish and maintain healthy boundaries in your personal and professional life.

11. Communication Skills 

Effective communication is key to building healthy relationships. Discussing your communication styles, challenges, and strategies in therapy can help you develop better communication skills, such as active listening, expressing yourself assertively, and resolving conflicts in a healthy manner.

12. Spirituality or Beliefs 

Spirituality or beliefs can play a significant role in some people's lives. Discussing your spiritual or belief system, exploring its impact on your mental well-being, and addressing any conflicts or questions you may have can be a meaningful topic to discuss in therapy.

Conclusion

Therapy provides a safe and non-judgmental space to discuss a wide range of topics. The topics you can discuss in therapy are vast and varied, and they can be tailored to your unique needs and experiences. From your thoughts and feelings to your relationships, coping skills, self-esteem, and beyond, therapy offers a safe space to explore the depths of your inner world. Reflecting on the questions and topics discussed in this article can serve as a starting point for meaningful conversations with your therapist. 

Remember, therapy is a collaborative process, and it's important to communicate openly and honestly with your therapist about what you want to discuss. So, embrace the opportunity to engage in self-reflection and open up about the areas of your life that you want to explore in therapy. With the support of a trained therapist, you can gain insights, develop coping strategies, and work towards positive change in your life.