Therapy For Success: Achieving Your Goals With Mental Health Support

While talk therapy can be a critical aspect of improving and maintaining mental health, it can also benefit those looking to achieve better personal and professional outcomes. A licensed therapist can be a valuable source of support, advice, and accountability as you chart a path and overcome obstacles in pursuit of your goals. 

Therapy for success: How therapy can help you achieve your goals

Professional therapy can help you improve your overall mental well-being, but counseling psychology can also help you set and achieve life goals, no matter how large or small. There are numerous ways that therapy may help you achieve your goals, whether that be through habit formation, improved communication skills, enhanced self-esteem, or any other skills. In many cases, a licensed therapist can offer valuable guidance and evidence-based strategies for improving your situation and reaching your full potential. Below, learn more about therapy for success and how to achieve your goals through therapy.

What does success in therapy really mean?

Many people may define success as achieving financial independence, graduating from college, or purchasing a home, but personal success can mean something different for everyone, especially when it comes to therapy. Some people may seek support from a therapist for help overcoming difficult life issues, while others might want to focus on improving their overall mental well-being.

Defining success beyond productivity

Therapists can help clients identify productivity goals and develop plans for meeting them, but success can also be related to increasing self-awareness, stabilizing emotional health, or developing a healthier relationship with one’s body. Whether you need help with healing and recovery or planning your next big career move, success in therapy may be different for everyone.

How therapy supports goal achievement

Therapy can be a powerful tool for supporting your success and helping you achieve your goals in various areas of life. A professional trained in counseling psychology can provide therapy services to help you define your goals and stay accountable. From helping you create therapy goals to learning how to stay accountable to yourself, therapy can help you reach success in many ways.

Goal setting frameworks used in therapy

There has been extensive research on the positive effects of setting goals: one of the major concepts in this area is Locke’s theory of goal setting, which suggests that setting specific, challenging goals can improve performance. Establishing what you want to achieve and defining specific benchmarks along the way may make your longer-term aspirations more attainable. 

One way goal-setting is used in therapy may be by integrating SMART goals into the cognitive-behavioral model. SMART goals are: 

• Specific
• Measurable
• Achievable
• Relevant
• Time-bound

Cognitive-behavioral therapy teaches clients how to identify and challenge negative thoughts and behaviors, and SMART goals can provide the structure needed to change them and make measurable progress. 

For example, if the behavior you want to change is your habit of procrastinating, a SMART goal might be, “I will load the dishwasher after dinner before 7 pm every day for the next week,” or, “I will spend 15 minutes before 9:30 am every work day responding to at least three work emails.”

What makes therapy effective for long-term success

A primary reason therapy can be effective is the professional and personal experience of therapy providers. Therapists are highly educated and have gone through years of training to understand various approaches to treatment and how to help clients meet their goals.

Therapist education and training

While the exact qualifications to practice vary depending on the type of provider and their training, most therapists have a minimum of a master’s degree and have to maintain state licensure, which may involve constantly studying and staying up-to-date on the latest research.

Therapeutic relationship and approach to treatment

The quality of the therapeutic relationship can have a significant impact on whether treatment is successful. Therapists can learn to take a compassionate, caring approach as they support individuals as they work through their unique challenges.

Therapy for success across mental health challenges

Many people may begin therapy for support with various mental health disorders. Some may be experiencing symptoms of conditions like anxiety or depression, while others may be living with more difficult diseases to treat, like eating disorders.

Finding success: Supporting individuals with eating disorders and disordered eating

Eating disorders, which may sometimes be mistakenly referred to as weight disorders, can be difficult to treat. Eating disorders are serious mental illnesses that cause severe disturbances in eating behaviors and a fixation or preoccupation with food intake and how one’s body looks. Disordered eating patterns, like restrictive or compulsive eating, are not the same as eating disorders, but they can increase someone’s risk of developing one.

Types of eating disorders therapy may address

There are several types of eating disorders that therapy can help address, including: 

• Anorexia Nervosa, an eating disorder characterized by self-starvation and weight loss, has the highest mortality rate of any mental illness except opioid use disorder.
• Bulimia Nervosa, in which people alternate strict dieting with periods of bingeing, or eating large quantities of “forbidden” foods in a short period of time. Bingeing is typically secretive and associated with shame or embarrassment. Binges occur at least weekly and are followed by compensatory behaviors to prevent weight gain, like compulsive exercise, vomiting, or using laxatives.
• Binge eating disorder, in which people experience the same loss of control over eating and engage in episodes of binge eating without the use of compensatory behaviors. 

Therapy can be an effective way to treat disorders like those listed above, but to achieve success, people with these conditions may require more intense levels of care.

Therapy settings and levels of care

There are various levels of care for people with eating disorders. The type of care that is appropriate can depend on what each person needs to be successful in treatment. Some options may include: 

• Outpatient settings: In outpatient treatment, individuals live at home and attend weekly sessions with therapy providers. To participate in this type of treatment, individuals must be medically stable. 
• Intensive outpatient programs: These are more intense outpatient settings where individuals attend treatment about two to three times a week for at least three hours each session. 
• Partial hospitalization: This treatment approach is more intense, with individuals attending day treatment for eight hours a day, five or six days a week. Participants are medically stable, but they require more intense support to meet their treatment goals.
• Residential treatment: This type of treatment provides 24/7 care and supervision for people who are medically stable but still engaging in eating disorder behaviors. These programs include multiple weekly sessions of individual and group therapy, family therapy, nutrition counseling, and more.
• Intense hospital inpatient settings: Inpatient treatment can be necessary for people who are not responding to a lower level of treatment or who are at risk of self-harm. Medical management may also be necessary for people who are experiencing physical complications or co-occurring disorders that require more intense treatment.

Who can achieve success in therapy

Therapy can support individuals and families experiencing a number of challenges, including daily stress and anxiety or complex mental health conditions. 

Supporting children, adolescents, and adults

People of any age can find success in therapy, but age-appropriate therapy goals can be essential. 

For example, therapy goals for children may include focusing on meeting developmental milestones, but children can also learn healthy coping skills, resilience, and independence. While these skills can also be part of therapy for adolescents, adults, or families, therapy for children focuses on learning these skills through play.

Co-occurring mental health challenges

People with co-occurring mental health challenges may need additional support to achieve success. With an evidence-based approach and a strong therapeutic relationship, people who are coping with symptoms of conditions like substance abuse or other diseases that impact mental and physical health can get the help they need to find success.

Staying accountable with therapy goals

Regular therapy sessions can be a powerful tool for staying accountable to your goals. Through regular sessions, you can reflect on your progress, discuss any challenges or barriers you may be facing, and receive guidance on overcoming them. Your therapist can help you set realistic milestones, track your progress, and adjust your strategies as needed. 

Therapy approaches used to build independent lifestyle

There are several types of therapy that can be beneficial for those seeking success in various areas of their lives. Different therapists may use different approaches depending on an individual’s needs, situation, and goals, but below are some common types of therapy that may be useful for supporting personal growth and helping clients accomplish independent lifestyles:

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a widely used therapy approach that focuses on identifying and changing negative thought patterns and behaviors. It can help individuals challenge self-limiting beliefs, develop positive thinking patterns, and learn effective problem-solving skills. CBT can be particularly helpful in addressing concerns such as performance anxiety, perfectionism, and self-sabotaging behaviors that may hinder success.

Solution-focused brief therapy (SFBT) and setting goals

Solution-focused brief therapy is a goal-oriented therapy that emphasizes identifying solutions rather than dwelling on problems. Therapists using this approach can help individuals envision their desired future and explore their strengths and resources to work towards achieving those self-determined goals. SFBT can be useful in clarifying objectives, creating action plans, and maintaining focus on the steps needed to achieve success.

Psychodynamic therapy

Psychodynamic therapy explores the influence of past experiences, unresolved conflicts, and unconscious processes on present behaviors. By delving into the underlying causes of emotional patterns and behaviors, individuals can gain insight into themselves and make conscious choices that support their success and align with their goals. 

Skills for daily functioning and decision making

Though therapists can use a number of approaches, some common skills that people learn in therapy may include setting boundaries, learning effective coping mechanisms, and having self-trust. These skills can be beneficial for healing and recovery and lead to increased overall well-being.

Finding a licensed professional counselor or therapist

To find a therapist who can help you as you work toward your goals, you can search for a local therapist near you for in-person sessions, or you can connect with a licensed therapist online through a platform such as BetterHelp.

How BetterHelp helps people achieve success through therapy

If you are busy trying to accomplish an array of personal and professional goals, it may feel challenging to make time for something like therapy on a regular basis. But with online therapy, you can connect with a licensed therapist when it is convenient for you, eliminating the need for a commute, which may make it easier to fit counseling services into hectic schedules.

Accessible therapy that fits real life

With BetterHelp, you get online flexibility and therapist matching. Providers provide therapy services for a wide range of conditions, and you can change therapists at any time until you find one who you feel comfortable working with.

Who BetterHelp therapists work with

Therapists on the BetterHelp platform have extensive training and are qualified to treat and support individuals with a number of mental health disorders, including anxiety and depression. Plus, research has demonstrated the effectiveness of online therapy for a wide range of concerns, including those relevant to success and achieving goals, such as self-esteem. For instance, one such study published in Psychiatry Research found that internet-based interventions were effective in improving self-esteem and empowerment.