therapy goals

Practical Goal Setting for Therapy: Your Action Plan for Mental Wellness

Practical Goal Setting for Therapy: Your Action Plan for Mental Wellness

Oct 11, 2024

Oct 11, 2024

Ready to make the most of your therapy? Let's cut to the chase and dive into practical, actionable goals that will supercharge your mental health journey.

5 Types of Therapy Goals That Actually Work

  1. Symptom Reduction Goals

    • Action: List your top 3 most distressing symptoms.

    • Example: "Reduce panic attacks from 3 times a week to 1 or fewer."

  2. Behavioral Change Goals

    • Action: Identify one behavior you want to change or adopt.

    • Example: "Practice deep breathing for 5 minutes daily when feeling stressed."

  3. Emotional Regulation Goals

    • Action: Pick an emotion you struggle with most.

    • Example: "Learn and apply two new strategies to manage anger outbursts this month."

  4. Relationship Improvement Goals

    • Action: Choose one relationship to focus on.

    • Example: "Have a calm, non-defensive conversation with my partner once a week."

  5. Personal Growth Goals

    • Action: Reflect on an area of your life you want to develop.

    • Example: "Try one new self-care activity each week for a month."


Practical Tips for Success

  1. Start Today: Pick one goal right now and take the first step immediately after reading this.

  2. Use Reminders: Set phone alerts or stick post-its to your mirror.

  3. Celebrate Small Wins: Did you face a fear today? Treat yourself to something nice!

  4. Review Weekly: Every Sunday, look at your goals. What worked? What didn't? Adjust accordingly.

  5. Share with Your Therapist: Discuss your goals in your next session. They can offer tailored strategies.


Overcoming Obstacles

  • If You Miss a Day: No problem. Start again tomorrow. Consistency beats perfection.

  • If a Goal Feels Too Big: Break it down. Turn "overcome social anxiety" into "say hi to one new person this week."

  • If You're Not Seeing Progress: Give it time. Mental health changes often start small. Trust the process.


Your Action Plan Starts Now

  1. Choose one goal from the list above.

  2. Write it down using the "How to Turn These Into Action Plans" steps.

  3. Decide on your first action step.

  4. Do it within the next 24 hours.

  5. Schedule a weekly review in your calendar.

Remember, therapy is a team effort. You're not just a passenger—you're the co-pilot of your mental health journey. By setting and working towards practical goals, you're taking control and maximizing every session.

Ready to transform your therapy experience? Pick that goal and take action now. Your future self will thank you!

Ready to make the most of your therapy? Let's cut to the chase and dive into practical, actionable goals that will supercharge your mental health journey.

5 Types of Therapy Goals That Actually Work

  1. Symptom Reduction Goals

    • Action: List your top 3 most distressing symptoms.

    • Example: "Reduce panic attacks from 3 times a week to 1 or fewer."

  2. Behavioral Change Goals

    • Action: Identify one behavior you want to change or adopt.

    • Example: "Practice deep breathing for 5 minutes daily when feeling stressed."

  3. Emotional Regulation Goals

    • Action: Pick an emotion you struggle with most.

    • Example: "Learn and apply two new strategies to manage anger outbursts this month."

  4. Relationship Improvement Goals

    • Action: Choose one relationship to focus on.

    • Example: "Have a calm, non-defensive conversation with my partner once a week."

  5. Personal Growth Goals

    • Action: Reflect on an area of your life you want to develop.

    • Example: "Try one new self-care activity each week for a month."


Practical Tips for Success

  1. Start Today: Pick one goal right now and take the first step immediately after reading this.

  2. Use Reminders: Set phone alerts or stick post-its to your mirror.

  3. Celebrate Small Wins: Did you face a fear today? Treat yourself to something nice!

  4. Review Weekly: Every Sunday, look at your goals. What worked? What didn't? Adjust accordingly.

  5. Share with Your Therapist: Discuss your goals in your next session. They can offer tailored strategies.


Overcoming Obstacles

  • If You Miss a Day: No problem. Start again tomorrow. Consistency beats perfection.

  • If a Goal Feels Too Big: Break it down. Turn "overcome social anxiety" into "say hi to one new person this week."

  • If You're Not Seeing Progress: Give it time. Mental health changes often start small. Trust the process.


Your Action Plan Starts Now

  1. Choose one goal from the list above.

  2. Write it down using the "How to Turn These Into Action Plans" steps.

  3. Decide on your first action step.

  4. Do it within the next 24 hours.

  5. Schedule a weekly review in your calendar.

Remember, therapy is a team effort. You're not just a passenger—you're the co-pilot of your mental health journey. By setting and working towards practical goals, you're taking control and maximizing every session.

Ready to transform your therapy experience? Pick that goal and take action now. Your future self will thank you!

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Track your mental health and get support between sessions with Verba

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Track your mental health and get support between sessions with Verba

Learn more

Track your mental health and get support between sessions with Verba

Learn more

Advait Naik

Advait is the founder of Verba and is working at the intersection of psychology, design and technology to create Verba, an app that helps us be more self aware through clarity and communicate our life in therapy