Therapy Goals: Why They’re Essential and How To Set Them

Therapy is what you make of it. If you want to squeeze the most out of your therapy sessions, you’ll want to pay attention, be introspective, and most importantly of all, set goals.

You likely had one goal going into therapy, whether that be better managing your anxiety or gaining a more positive outlook on life. But setting smaller, more specific goals throughout your therapy sessions can make it easier for you to track your progress and give you a sense of accomplishment. Let’s take a closer look at what makes therapy goals so important to your growth and help you set some of your own.

Why are Therapy Goals Essential?

What makes a list of goals so important to the therapeutic process? Here are some of the reasons you should have a list of goals going into each session, whether they’re small, larger, broad, or specific.

• Provides direction and focus: Setting therapy goals gives you direction and focus for your therapy sessions. It helps you stay on track and gives meaning to the work you do with your therapist.
• Motivates you to take action: Goals can provide motivation for you to actively participate in your own healing process. By having a clear idea of what you want to achieve, it can give you the push needed to take action towards making positive changes in your life.
• Measures progress: Having set goals allows you to measure how far you’ve come from where you started. This can be a great source of encouragement and help remind you that you’re on track even if progress seems slow at times.
• Creates accountability: Setting goals can also create a sense of accountability for yourself. When you have a specific goal in mind, it’s easier to hold yourself accountable for taking action and making progress towards that goal.
• Builds confidence: As you achieve your goals and make progress, it can boost your self-confidence and self-esteem. This can be beneficial in the healing process as it helps strengthen your belief in yourself and your abilities.

Without clear goals to aim for, therapy can feel aimless and without direction. You may feel like you’re just going through the motions without any clear purpose. Even a single, small goal, such as getting out of bed and taking a shower every day, will give you and your therapist something to discuss, work on, and celebrate together each session.

Setting Therapy Goals: How To Do It

You now understand the importance of having focused therapy goals, and are ready to make your own personal list! Check out these tips to create goals that are doable and relevant to you.

Start With Your Values and Priorities

Think about what is most important to you in life—the things that bring you joy, fulfillment, and a sense of purpose. These values and priorities can serve as guideposts for your therapy goals.

Identify Areas of Improvement

Take an honest look at different aspects of your life—relationships, work/school, mental health, physical health—and identify areas where you would like to see growth or change.

Be Specific

Therapy goals should be specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-bound (SMART). This means that your goals should be clear and precise, able to be tracked and measured, realistic and meaningful for your personal growth, and have a specific timeline in which you aim to achieve them.

Instead of creating broad goals like “be happier” or “improve relationships,” break them down into smaller, more specific goals such as “practice positive self-talk daily” or “schedule weekly date nights with partner.”

Prioritize

Once you have identified areas of improvement and specific goals, prioritize them based on what is most important to you at this moment in your life. This will help focus your energy and efforts.

Make it Measurable

In order to track progress, make sure your goals are measurable. For example, if one of your goals is to improve physical health, a measurable goal could be “go for a 30-minute walk three times a week.”

Set Realistic Expectations

Set achievable goals rather than setting yourself up for disappointment or failure by creating unrealistic expectations. Be honest with yourself about what you can realistically accomplish within a certain time frame.

Stay Accountable

One effective way to stay on track with your goals is by finding an accountability partner. This could be a friend, family member, or even a professional coach who will hold you accountable for your progress and provide support and encouragement.

Be Flexible

While setting specific goals is important, you should also remain flexible as life can often throw unexpected challenges our way. If circumstances change, don’t be afraid to adjust your goals accordingly.

How Many Goals Should You Have At A Time?

There’s no magic number when it comes to how many goals you should have at one time. Some people may find it more manageable to focus on one or two big goals at a time, while others may thrive with multiple smaller goals.

However, don’t overwhelm yourself with too many goals at once. This could lead to feelings of stress and burnout and decrease your chances of achieving any of your goals.

If you do decide to take on multiple goals at once, make sure they’re aligned with each other and don’t conflict or compete for your time and resources. Also, be prepared to adjust and prioritize as needed.

But What if You Fail at a Goal?

Some people may hesitate to set goals in fear of not accomplishing them and disappointing themselves or their therapist. It helps to remember that failure is a natural part of the goal-setting process. In fact, setbacks and challenges can provide valuable learning experiences and growth opportunities.

If you do fail at a goal, be kind to yourself and recognize that it doesn’t define your worth or abilities. Instead of dwelling on the failure, take time to reflect on what went wrong and how you can use that information to improve in the future. Was your goal unrealistic? Did you encounter unexpected obstacles? Were your actions not aligned with your values and priorities?

Using this information, you can adjust your approach and set more realistic and meaningful goals in the future. Your therapist can help you with this process and provide support as you work towards your new goals. Over time, you’ll get better at setting and achieving goals, and you’ll develop a better understanding of yourself and your capabilities. This can be incredibly empowering and can lead to positive changes in all areas of your life.

If you’re looking for a kind, compassionate telehealth psychologist that will help you set, achieve, and celebrate your goals, reach out to the team at MindRx Group. We’re a mental health collective based in Oregon and Washington that provides personalized, evidence-based therapy and coaching services through secure video conferencing. Our goal is to help you become the best version of yourself and live a life filled with purpose, balance, and joy. Reach out today and see how we can help you on your journey toward better mental health.