How Often Should You Go to Therapy?
A guide from Bridget Moore, LCSW. General information, not medical advice.
The Short Answer
I offer 45-minute individual therapy appointments weekly or every other week. We discuss frequency in relation to your concerns, goals and the practical demands of your schedule. There is no number of visits I can promise will solve a problem. The plan can be revisited as we learn what you are bringing to sessions and what happens between them.
Start With the Current Concerns
At the 60-minute intake, I ask about your history and what you want to work on. Frequent worry, a major transition or difficulty following through on ordinary tasks can shape that conversation. I also ask what ongoing appointments would require in your week. The schedule needs to make sense alongside your goals, not replace them.
What Weekly Meetings Can Offer
Weekly appointments give us a regular place to review recent situations and practice responses. For example, we might return to a thought you noticed at work and discuss what happened when you answered it differently. I would not treat coming every week as proof that you are doing therapy correctly. We talk about why that rhythm might be useful for you.
What Every Other Week Can Mean
Every-other-week meetings leave more time between conversations. We can discuss how you would remember what to practice and what you want to bring back. That spacing may fit some plans, but it is not automatically enough for every concern. Tell me if the gap makes it difficult to keep track of what feels important.
The Work Between Appointments
I may suggest noticing a thought pattern, trying a small action or practicing a skill in a specific situation. We review how it went without expecting a perfect week. Quick updates and scheduling changes can be sent by text between sessions. Texting is not emergency care and does not turn the days between appointments into additional therapy sessions.
I want a rhythm we can discuss, not a calendar you feel stuck with.
Bridget Moore, LCSWRevisit the Schedule Out Loud
A new job, exam period or change in family responsibilities can affect both the concerns and the calendar. Tell me if the current rhythm feels difficult to maintain or if you want to discuss it again. I keep weekday daytime hours, with no evening or weekend appointments. We coordinate changes rather than assuming the original plan must stay unchanged.
When More Immediate Help Is Needed
If you are thinking about harming yourself, call or text 988, or call 911. Waiting for the next therapy appointment is not a crisis plan, and my practice does not provide crisis care. This guide is general information, not medical advice about how often you personally need treatment. Ask a clinician about your circumstances rather than deciding from a schedule alone.
Related Questions
How Long Is an Ongoing Appointment?
I offer 45-minute individual sessions after the 60-minute intake. We use that time to work on agreed goals.
Can You Promise a Finish Date?
I cannot promise a timeline. We revisit your goals and discuss what continuing or ending would mean.
More to Read
All Guides
Talk About a Schedule You Can Keep
My Anxiety and Stress page describes the kinds of skills we might practice between meetings. Ask about weekly and every-other-week daytime availability in a free 15-minute consultation before choosing an intake date.
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