How Therapy Works: Process, Duration, and Expected Outcomes

75-80% of people who seek therapy benefit from it positively

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Ever felt like therapy works for everyone else, except for you?  

Maybe you’re wondering how therapy works in the first place, thinking that your problems are too hard to fix, or perhaps you’ve tried opening up before, but all your issues seem trivial when you’re actually sitting on the therapy couch.  

Your feelings could be more common than you realise. People often wonder if they’re ‘doing therapy wrong’ – and let’s be honest here, the process itself may not be wrong, but you might be missing some important steps that could contribute to your overall progress and growth.  

After all, happiness and resilience are skills that can be cultivated. And all it takes to make it work is knowing whether you’re talking to the right therapist and showing up in a way that helps therapy do its job.  

Ahead, we’ll walk through what makes therapy effective from both sides of the couch.  

How Therapy Works

How therapy works depends on a few things.  

Firstly, you may need to be ready to engage in the process of therapy actively. Active engagement could mean asking questions, being honest, addressing all your issues, and developing a healthy relationship with your Singapore Therapist.  

Therapy is a great way to deal with several mental health problems. For example, research indicates that cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is a top recommended treatment option for generalised anxiety disorders.  

At TYHO, you will find several Therapists who are experts in therapeutic approaches such as CBT, DBT, and ACT.  

Moreover, recent research also says that starting therapy in Singapore early can help people feel better, especially with issues such as grief.  

Secondly, you may ask questions such as, ‘Does online therapy work?’. Studies from 2014 say yes. Online therapy in Singapore is just as effective as in-person therapy.  

The key to progress in therapy is to find the right Therapist in Singapore.

What’s the first step in looking for a therapist?

If you are looking to start therapy in Singapore, the first step is to find someone who truly understands you.  

Start by asking yourself some questions, such as:

• What am I looking for in a Therapist? ( eg Friendliness, cultural preferences, languages etc.)
• Do I need to find someone who has the same ideologies as me?  
• Do I prefer a particular gender?  
• What issues do I need help with?  
• What qualifications or experience am I looking for?  

Visit our Singapore Therapist page to look for our Therapist.  

75% of those who seek therapy are better able to function in their lives

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Guide to the Therapy Process

To get started with therapy in Singapore, visit this link.  

Here, you can browse the list of all TYHO Therapists and their profiles.  

In a Therapist’s full profile, you can review several details such as:

• Qualifications
• Therapeutic expertise
• Therapeutic approaches they use
• Issues they can help with
• General background
• Languages they can speak
• Personal hobbies and interests

Furthermore, you can also watch each Therapist’s short video to judge if you like their style and personality.  

Make sure to write down your therapy goals before you begin your search. Referring to your goals can help you pick someone who suits your needs.  

Remember that finding a Therapist can take some time and effort. Try not to give up! It is a long process, but the results may also be vast and valuable.  

You can also change your Therapist if you are not as comfortable with them.  

If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to us at [email protected] or click the WhatsApp icon to chat with us!  

3 Counselling Skills Therapists Use to Make Therapy Work

Have you ever been to a hot pot gathering? One person might bring the broth, and the other might bring all the raw ingredients. It’s the combination of both that makes for a great, wholesome feast.  

In some ways, the process of therapy is like going to a hot pot event. You bring your lived experiences to the table, while your therapist brings a toolkit of clinical skills, which is the ‘broth’ that helps you create the life you want to live.  

But just like with a hot pot, having the ingredients alone isn’t enough. You both need to agree on how to combine them to create something meaningful.  

In this section, let’s focus on the therapist’s role and the skills they use to make therapy work.

1) Listening and Communication Skills

Good therapists in Singapore will use the following listening skills during sessions:  

• Focus entirely on what the client is sharing without interrupting the conversation  
• Summarise the information shared by the client in an objective and neutral way  
• Share reflections on the information without missing any key details or adding judgments  
• Work actively on indicating the right body language and emotional expressions during the conversation  
• Remain comfortable with silence and allow space for clients to process their thoughts  

Similarly, good verbal communication skills are also essential to make therapy work. For example, a therapist who successfully uses these skills may say statements like, ‘I understand what you’re saying’ or ‘I can see that you’re struggling with this issue.’  

Verbal communication skills include:  

• Using appropriate language based on the situation and information discussed  
• Being in tune with what’s being said and about whom (ie knowing the context well in advance)  
• Recognising the duration and depth of the information said and encouraging clients to open up more or take breaks, depending on the situation  
• Using less confrontational and more engaging ways of speech  

2) Reflection Skills

Reflection is a complex skill. Therapists who make therapy work have considerable reflection skills to communicate with the clients that they are striving to understand and that the pace of therapy is going in the right direction.  

Some of the essential reflection skills in therapy include the following:  

• Reflect and rephrase the therapist’s version of the client’s story  
• Use declarative statements when the therapist is sure of the context (eg ‘You’re not overreacting. This situation genuinely hurt you.’)  
• Keep reflections concise and thorough  
• Focus on the core aspect of the entire conversation and not drift away from it  
• Accept feedback and corrections from the client on what they’ve said or reflected on  
• Interrupt a client’s conversation with a reflection only when the therapist genuinely feels like the reflection helps the client in a positive and unbiased way  
• Use reflection skills to encourage the client to be honest and open about their problems  

3) Helping Skills

Helping skills in therapy help form an effective and ongoing dialogue between the therapist and the client. These are also referred to as microskills.  

Some of the essential microskills therapists may use include:  

• Asking open-ended questions to help the client elaborate on their internal frames of reference (ie makes sense of the client’s own experiences from their point of view)  
• Being aware of ‘big emotions‘ that the clients may be experiencing and showing that they are in tune with the client (ie empathic attunement)  
• Interpreting the meaning behind what the client says on a surface level  
• Using directive counselling skills to help the clients set realistic and achievable goals in their personal, relational and professional lives 

2 Ways To Make Therapy Work As a Client

Now, let’s look into what you, as a client, can do to make therapy work.  

1) View Therapy As Collaboration

How therapy works is simple; it’s not a spectator sport. Imagine being on the ground, playing the game, and actively contributing towards winning – that’s how therapy should feel.  

Once you’re in a therapy session, your path to achieving your goals is a team effort. While your therapist may guide you, you must travel to the desired location.  

How do you show up as a collaborative client? Here’s what you can do:  

• Share what you want from therapy honestly. You may not know how to set expectations right away, so try not to limit yourself to goals that ‘seem’ okay to have.  
• Share feedback as and when required. For example, if focusing too much on past events doesn’t work out for you, bring it up during sessions. You can say something like, ‘I prefer focusing on my work issue right now rather than exploring my past trauma.’  

2) Be Honest During Therapy Sessions

You can talk about whatever you want during therapy.  

People may hesitate to share certain aspects of their lives due to the fear of judgment. Sometimes, you may be unsure if the topic is even ‘allowed’ to talk about.  

However, there are no off-topic discussions during therapy in Singapore. You can bring up anything that’s making your life difficult. However, remember that honesty and boundary-setting go hand in hand.  

If you or the therapist feel uncomfortable with a discussion, it’s okay to pause and reflect. With open dialogue, your therapist may find a middle ground and steer the conversation in a direction that makes both of you feel comfortable.  

If you’re not sure how to be honest, below are some dialogues you can use:  

• ‘I’m scared to talk about this. Could I perhaps send a text of what I’m thinking?’  
• ‘I don’t think I’m ready to change this aspect of my life. But I also feel like it’s holding me back. What do I do?’  
• ‘This exercise/approach makes me feel too anxious. Can we explore an alternative?’  

📝 Reflection Prompt

What’s one thing you haven’t said in therapy yet because it feels too vulnerable? What would help you feel safer saying it?

Changes You May Notice Through Therapy

Now, you may ask, what kind of changes can I expect to see in my life after I start therapy? The types of changes you may see and effectiveness of therapy depend on a variety of factors including:

• The mental health issues you’re facing/want to address  
• Your extent of participation in therapy  
• Choosing the right therapist  
• Your therapeutic relationship with your therapist  
• Choosing the right type of therapy services  
• How regular you are with sessions  

It is thus virtually impossible to list every type of change that someone may see in their life upon seeking therapy. However, the following are some common outcomes and changes noted by therapy-goers:

• Improved emotional awareness  
• Ability to notice and monitor negative thought patterns  
• Increased resilience towards life changes and adversities  
• Better self-compassion and self-love  
• Reduction in symptoms of mental health problems such as anxiety and depression  
• Ability to set healthy boundaries in relationships  
• Better communication in relationships  
• Development of healthy coping mechanisms  
• Enhanced self-esteem and self-confidence  
• Clearer goal-setting and identification of life values  
• A greater sense of purpose

How Therapists Support These Changes

During therapy sessions, you and your therapist may choose to focus on one of two broad goals. These are: presenting problems and personal growth.  

Presenting problems refer to any specific mental health issue or disorder that you may be facing in life.

Personal growth refers to the goal of working towards becoming your best self. You may seek to better understand yourself and improve your mental resilience and your quality of life.  

Based on your broad goal, your therapist may create a personalised therapeutic plan to help you realise the changes you wish to see in your life.

Conclusion

So, how does therapy actually work?

It’s not a magic pill. Not a secret solution. But therapy works when there’s consistent effort and mutual collaboration.

It’s about having an honest discussion with someone who understands you (even when it’s awkward) and actually implementing skills in real life.

Book a session with one of our expert Singaporean Therapists if you’re ready to start your journey. Trust us, therapy really does work!

Frequently Asked Questions

1) What makes therapy effective?

Below are some simple things that make therapy effective:  

• A strong belief that the therapeutic approach will work  
• A healthy relationship with the therapist  
• Clear and realistic goals and a timeline for achieving them  
• Willingness to practice therapy skills during sessions and in real life  
• Being proactive and honest during sessions  

2) What are 4 things that can happen in therapy?

A lot of things can happen during therapy. For example:  

• Your relationships may become healthier  
• You may become more assertive at work  
• You may learn skills to manage or reduce work-related stress  
• Issues like low self-esteem or low confidence can be addressed  
• You may find joy and happiness in life  
• You may reduce symptoms of depression or anxiety  

The things that can happen may depend on your therapy goals. Hence, it’s important to have clarity on what you want to work on and what you want your life to look like after seeking professional support.  

3) Does therapy work if you are self-aware?

Yes, therapy works even if you’re self-aware.  

Many self-aware people may also struggle with problems such as:  

• Overthinking  
• Performative vulnerability  
• High self-expectations  
• Difficulty asking for help  

4) Does therapy change the way you think?

Yes. In many cases, therapy helps change negative thought patterns and replace them with helpful ones (a technique often used in CBT).  

The new and positive way of thinking can change how you:  

• Relate to the world  
• Build and maintain relationships with others  
• Approach difficulties and stress in life  
• Make the best out of life possible