Deciding to pursue therapy can feel like stepping into uncharted territory, and knowing what to expect can ease much of the uncertainty. One of the first questions many newcomers have is, “How long is a therapy session?” This practical consideration can significantly influence your decision to start therapy and how you integrate it into your life.
Therapy sessions vary in length, typically ranging from 45 to 60 minutes, depending on various factors including the therapy approach, the issues being addressed, and your personal therapy goals. This guide will help you understand the standard session durations and how to align them with your mental health needs, ensuring you are well-prepared for your first step toward personal growth and healing in a supportive, structured environment.
Typical Duration of Therapy Sessions
While there is no rigid rule regarding how long therapy sessions should be, there are some typical ranges based on the type of therapy you seek. This flexibility ensures that your therapy journey can be tailored to your specific needs and circumstances.
Individual therapy
On average, most individual therapy sessions last 45 – 60 minutes. This time frame is ideal because it allows ample time for a therapist to guide you as you explore issues related to your goals. It also leaves time to discuss the period since your last session, develop strategies, and set future therapy goals. Session frequency can be longer or shorter depending on individual needs.
Couples counseling or family therapy
Therapy sessions for couples or families might be longer than individual sessions. This is often necessary, so there’s enough time for everyone to share their concerns, thoughts, and perspectives while the therapist mediates to promote optimal outcomes.
Group therapy
On average, group therapy sessions last 90 – 120 minutes. Because multiple participants are engaged in this type of therapy treatment, sessions are usually extended so everyone has an equal opportunity to make meaningful contributions to discussions.
“The average individual therapy session is about 30-60 minutes in length. Sessions for couple/family therapy are typically 45-60 minutes depending how many members in the family. The larger the family, the longer are the sessions. For group therapy, the sessions usually are from 60-90 minutes in length.”
How Long Are Talkspace Therapy Sessions?
Talkspace offers a flexible approach with online therapy. Talkspace clients generally engage in video or text-based sessions with live video sessions ranging from 30 minutes to 1 hour and text-based sessions allowing you to text as long or as little as you’d like.
Factors That Determine Session Length
Several factors help determine the appropriate and most effective length of therapy sessions. Knowing them will help you prepare for your experience, which can reduce any anxiety about therapy and allow you to get the most out of your sessions.
Therapeutic approach
Different therapy methods require different time commitments. For example:
- Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) generally uses structured exercises that can be done in 50-minute sessions.
- Psychodynamic therapy dives deeper into past experiences and unconscious patterns you might not be aware of. Because of the nature of the work in each session, you might benefit from longer therapy sessions that allow you to fully explore complex issues.
- Rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT) is a type of psychotherapy that’s usually used short-term. Like CBT, REBT helps you identify and change unhealthy thought patterns and behaviors. Sessions tend to range from 45 – 60 minutes but can depend on your needs and the therapist’s recommendation.
Goals and needs
Personal therapy goals and mental health care needs will always be a guiding factor in determining session lengths. Processing trauma or working through a complex, intense mental health condition might require longer sessions, whereas you may benefit from shorter but more frequent weekly sessions if you’re going to therapy to learn coping skills or work toward a short-term goal.
Session type
The type of session you’re at can affect the length, too. Intake or first sessions are used for assessment purposes and are often longer — it’s not uncommon for them to last up to 90 minutes since they involve the therapist getting background information from you.
What to Expect During a Therapy Session
Most therapy sessions, regardless of their length, follow a similarly structured format. This can provide a sense of security and guidance so you know what to expect from therapy.
“Each therapy session has a beginning, middle, and ending phase. The beginning is typically a check-in with the client to explore new concerns or feelings they are dealing with. The middle or core discussion focuses on the purpose of the session and discusses ways of coping with the issues the client is facing. Lastly, the ending phase is used to summarize the session, discuss the next steps, and in some cases assign homework.”
A therapy session typically includes:
- Initial check-in: Your therapist will start each session by checking in with you. They’ll ask how you’ve been since your last meeting and discuss what progress you’ve made toward your goals. This is also the time you can talk about setbacks or new concerns that have come up since your last meeting, like if you’re feeling worse after therapy.
- Core discussion and activities: Your therapist will guide the core discussion of your sessions, ensuring time is spent effectively as you discuss past experiences, engage in therapeutic exercises, and learn coping skills.
- Conclusion and wrap-up: As each session concludes, your therapist will usually share insights from your time together, set goals for you to work toward before your next session, and possibly give you some homework to reinforce the progress you’re hoping to make.
Adjusting Session Length Over Time
Therapy needs can change over time, and your therapist is there to help you navigate these shifts. They will assist you in adjusting the length of sessions based on your growth and progress, ensuring you always feel supported and understood.
- During a crisis or when a major life event occurs: If you’re in crisis, anticipating a big change, or going through a significant life transition, you might need more frequent or longer therapy sessions so you can fully process the complexity of your situation and navigate the challenges in healthy ways.
- Maintenance phase: Once you start to make progress on your therapy journey, your session frequency might decrease and become shorter. Known as the maintenance phase, the focus during these sessions can be on sustaining the growth you’ve worked for and maintaining the healthy place you’re in. You also might continue to address lingering concerns during this phase of ongoing therapy.
Transitioning out of therapy: As you prepare to transition out of the need for regular therapy sessions, it’s important to adjust how long therapy sessions are or how often you go to treatment. Working closely with your therapist during this time is essential to ensure you feel supported as you continue to grow and prepare for the conclusion of your therapy journey.
Online Therapy Tailored to You
Therapy can change your life. It’s been proven effective in research and can help you successfully navigate even the most difficult phases of your life. Online therapy — like Talkspace offers — can make the therapy process simple, accessible, and affordable. Talkspace allows you to work with an experienced, qualified, licensed mental health professional through audio, video, or text messaging, so you can choose the format and length of sessions based on your comfort level and availability.
Whether you’re looking for shorter and more frequent check-ins or prefer longer video sessions, Talkspace can offer you effective therapy that works for you.
If you’re ready to take the first step on your therapeutic journey and like the idea of convenient, affordable online therapy, reach out today to get started. Talkspace will match you with a professional therapist skilled in your area of need so you can seek help right from the comfort of your home.
