What To Do When Therapy Makes You Feel Worse?

There will be times in therapy when you feel worse before feeling better, there’s no way around that, but there are things that you can do to get through those difficult moments.

The first thing to do is to accept that there will be challenging times that are uncomfortable, it's just part of the therapeutic process. When we fight against acceptance it can lead to things feeling much more difficult or worse than what it actually is. There is no doubt that throughout the therapeutic process there will be times when you feel worse, however, by accepting that fact before times become challenging in therapy, you can help alleviate some of the negative feelings. Acceptance can provide a lot of comforts when you don't fight against the process.

If at any point in therapy it becomes too much to bear and you are not able to properly function, it's imperative to let your therapist know immediately. A well-trained therapist will understand if you let them know the discomfort that you are experiencing. It could be a simple fix like slowing down the therapeutic process or discovering new ways to help you cope between sessions. Communication in this situation will be key. The therapist will want to know how you are doing and how you are coping with the uncomfortable feelings that may arise from sessions.

Once you communicate how you are feeling and what is feeling worse the therapist will start to create a new treatment plan that may involve using a different treatment modality, new homework assignments, or changing treatment goals altogether. This is not a bad thing, actually, it's a really good thing because it is what is needed to keep the therapeutic process moving forward while alleviating the distress that you may be feeling.

It's important to note that there is no failing in therapy. If therapy starts to make you feel worse, there are things that can be done to help those feelings improve. It may be starting over with a new therapist that you can relate to better, it made look like trying new approaches, or it could be as simple as learning new coping techniques to help in between sessions. Don't give up, be open and honest with your therapist, and continue on the path to wellness!