Therapy – Master Your Mental Health

7 Signs You’re Done With Therapy & It’s Time to Graduate

By Hayden Finch, PhD January 31, 2021

If you're in therapy (yay!), you can use the strategies on this website to make even more progress. At some point, though, it'll be time to graduate from therapy and move on. But how do you know when it's time? There isn't an actual "graduation," and your progress can be so gradual that it's hard to know when to stop (just like it's hard to know when to put down the Doritos...). In this week’s article, discover: - 7 signs you're done with therapy and it's time to graduate - Things to keep in mind as you decide when to end therapy - Tips on how to maximize the effectiveness of your therapy sessions Dive in here!

10 Things Your Therapist Is Really Thinking During Session

By Hayden Finch, PhD January 24, 2021

Part of what made my first therapy experience less successful than it could have been was my concern about what my therapist was thinking. Now that I'm a therapist, I have a pretty good idea of what's going through the mind of a therapist. So, if fear of judgment or rejection is making you nervous about going to therapy or being honest with your therapist, here are 10 things I'm thinking during session as a therapist. In this week’s article, discover: - Whether your therapist is judging you or thinks your decisions are dumb - 10 things your therapist IS thinking about during session - A bunch of things your therapist NEVER thinks - Resources to get started with therapy - Free worksheets to maximize your therapy sessions Dive in here!

5 Reasons Therapy Didn’t Work For Me – A Psychologist’s Perspective

By Hayden Finch, PhD January 17, 2021

In my early twenties, before I ever became a therapist, I went to therapy for the first time. And lemme tell you, it was a failure. My "failed" experience with therapy and becoming a psychologist have taught me a lot about what makes therapy work and what makes it not work. In this week’s article, discover: - 5 reasons therapy didn't work for me (at least at that point in my life) - Mistakes I made as a client in therapy - What you can do differently to make therapy work for you - Resources to maximize your therapy sessions Dive in here!

First-Time Therapy Questions: What To Ask At Your First Therapy Appointment

By Hayden Finch, PhD October 11, 2020

I hear from many of you that you want to go to therapy, but you’re scared. Being prepared makes you feel more confident going into the appointment, so this series is intended to help you get over those first-time therapy jitters. Last week, you discovered what happens at the first therapy appointment and a series of questions you’ll likely be asked. Once you’ve made it to the appointment and you’ve answered all the therapist’s questions, there’s just one more thing that makes people nervous: The dreaded, “Now, do you have any questions for me??” In this weeks’ article, I’ll prep you with a list of questions to ask so you’ll navigate the end of your session like a pro. In this week’s article, discover: - 7 questions to ask your therapist at your first appointment - Why each question is important Dive in here!

First-Time Therapy Questions: What You’ll Be Asked At Your First Therapy Appointment

By Hayden Finch, PhD October 4, 2020

Last week, I shared 8 factors to consider when you’re choosing a therapist. Today, let’s talk about those first-time therapy jitters. If it’s your first time going to therapy, there are certain questions your therapist will likely ask you. Being prepared for these questions can make you feel more confident going into the first appointment. Today, let’s dive into the questions you should be prepared to answer at your first therapy appointment. In this week’s article, discover: - What to expect at your first therapy appointment - 9 questions most therapists ask at the first appointment - The rationale behind some of the more uncomfortable questions (like about your trauma history and drug use…) Dive in!

I Want to Go to Therapy but I’m Scared: How to Choose the Right Therapist

By Hayden Finch, PhD September 27, 2020

Each week, I bring you evidence-based strategies for mastering your mental health...the same strategies I teach my own clients in therapy. Through these articles, you’ve learned skills like How to silence your inner critic How to Stop Overthinking How to Rewire Your Anxious Brain But as solid as these strategies are, they can’t replace the personalized care of a licensed mental health professional. If you’ve been wanting to go to therapy, but you’re scared or not sure how to choose the right therapist, this article will teach you how to choose the right therapist. Inside, discover: - 8 things to consider as you’re choosing a therapist - What to look for on the therapist's website - Questions to ask the therapist before your appointment - The only 2 things that matter in choosing a therapist

Mindfulness: Explained

By Hayden Finch, PhD August 30, 2020

If you’ve spent any time Googling about your mental health, you’ve probably run across the concept of mindfulness. It’s got great research support as an intervention for a variety of mental health conditions, ranging from depression to anxiety to insomnia to stress and many more. But what is it really, how is it useful, and how does it impact your health? In this week’s article, I’ll share with you 8 things you need to know about mindfulness How mindfulness impacts your physical health, mental health, and relationships Resources for getting started with your mindfulness practice Dive in here!

3 Lessons Learned from Acceptance & Commitment Therapy

By Hayden Finch, PhD March 16, 2020

Recently, we’ve been talking about how to get the most out of your therapy sessions, and I shared with you three of the main takeaways from one of the most powerful psychological treatments - Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. I also mentioned that a newer treatment is gaining momentum and filling in for some of CBT’s weaknesses. This treatment is called Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and the research on it in helping people transform their thinking and find freedom from anxiety, stress, depression, and lots of other mental health problems is super impressive. You’ve probably never heard of ACT (pronounced as the word “act” rather than by its letters), so I’m here to tell you the main takeaways from this incredible treatment approach. If you’ve tried CBT and felt like it left you hanging, then definitely check out this post because ACT is an interesting extension with different ideas about how to master your mental health.

3 Lessons Learned from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

By Hayden Finch, PhD March 15, 2020

Cognitive-behavioral therapy is the most widely researched therapy intervention, and for most of the most common mental health conditions it is the absolute best therapy approach. You might not know much about CBT, though, so today I’ll tell you 3 of the main lessons that underlie how CBT works. If you’re not in therapy, these lessons might help you know where to focus your energy in overcoming your own mental health struggles; and if you are in therapy (even CBT), these lessons should help you consolidate what you’re learning. Let’s get into it.

14 Ways to Get the Most Out of Your Therapy Sessions

By Hayden Finch, PhD March 8, 2020

So you’ve gone through all the steps of getting a therapist -- it wasn’t easy, but you did it! Congratulations! Now you want to make sure you get the most out of your therapy sessions. In today’s post, I’ll tell you what to do before each therapy session, what to do during therapy sessions, what to do after therapy sessions, and what to do between your therapy sessions to make sure you’re squeezing every ounce of juice out of your therapy that you can. Plus, I put together a worksheet to help you organize it all and maximize your therapy sessions.