What Should I do After Therapy?

Three reflection questions to ponder after a therapy session.

It’s common to leave a therapy feeling emotionally raw, vulnerable, or even heavy. In the important work that’s done in therapy, a lot of emotions can be stirred up. However, the stirred up emotional state can make it difficult to transition from therapy to whatever’s next in your day, be it a Trader Joe’s trip to stock up for meal prep or off to your next shift at work.

But it’s in this emotionally raw place where we can find a lot of growth, so we want to maximize it while also containing it. In the following, I’ll describe a 5-minute rhythm you can incorporate post-therapy to make the most of your session and transition well into the next thing.

First, make sure you’re in a comfortable space, start with self-gratitude.

Turn on the car’s air conditioning, lean the seat back, place your left hand over your heart, your right hand over your belly and take three deep breaths. When you exhale, breath out of your mouth as if you were breathing into a straw, notice the sound of your breath.

Inwardly, acknowledge yourself for the courage it takes to show up to therapy and do the hard work of growth. Say something of gratitude for your willingness to be vulnerable.

Next, consider the following three questions.

1. What felt most valuable from today’s session?

   Is there a topic that was discussed, insight that was gained, a new strategy you learned, or connection that was made? Was there a moment in therapy that felt significant to you? What is your takeaway?

   Sometimes what’s most valuable is:

   • A moment in session when you felt understood, seen, affirmed, challenged

   • A new concept you weren’t previously aware of

   • A grounding technique you learned about or tried

   • New self-awareness or clarity

2. Is there anything actionable I want to implement?

   Is there anything that today’s session leads you to want to do, change, add or remove in the next week? Was there a topic brought up or a book mentioned that you’d want to explore more?

   Consider ways you can incorporate what’s been most helpful and meaningful in therapy into your week.

   This may look like:

   • Setting a reminder in your phone to practice something you learned in session

   • Scheduling time to sit with your feelings a little longer and process what comes up

   • Reading that book

   • Having that hard conversation you’ve been avoiding

3. What am I feeling and needing right now?

   Can you label the emotion you’re noticing right now? Do you feel at ease, unsettled, grateful, unsure, hopeful, curious, supported, etc.? Check out a Feelings Wheel for more ideas on specific emotions.

   What do you need right now before transitioning to what’s next?

   This may be:

   • Just a few more deep breaths

   • Making a note of things you want to spend more time on in the next session

   • A grounding practice to help you feel more grounded or contained

   • A hug from a loved one

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Creating a post-therapy rhythm can help you translate the growth happening in session to life outside of session.

Using the the three questions above, you can identify what was most valuable, what you what to implement, and what you need as you transition into what’s next.

It’s especially useful to have a journal or note in your phone dedicated to therapy that you can reference back to before the next session. See my blog post on How to Prepare for Therapy Sessions to incorporate your post-rhythm reflections into your therapy routine.