Category: Therapy and Treatment Approaches

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Maximize Your Therapy Investment

April 18, 2025 | Kiki Leonard, AMFT

Maximize Your Therapy Investment

Ah, tax season. This time of year, finances are front-and-center in our focus. Money is one of those funny topics that can stir up many feelings (namely: fear and anxiety) because it’s closely tied to our sense of security. It can be a sacrifice to invest financially in your mental health! For this reason, I thought it would be helpful to provide some tips on how to maximize your investment in your healing journey, so that you can be sure your money is being used wisely and effectively!

The Fit of Your Therapist

Research shows that one of the biggest determinants of therapy outcomes is the therapist themself. Each therapist has their own unique style of therapy, and there are tons of different approaches and techniques. This variability means that not every therapist is going to work well with you! Sometimes people just clash or don’t “vibe” well, which makes it difficult for you to be open and vulnerable – a central component for making progress on your mental health journey.

Tips for determining fit:
1. Shop Around

If you’re just starting your journey, don’t be afraid to “shop around” for a therapist or counselor with whom you genuinely feel comfortable! Most therapists offer free consultations, which are a great opportunity to get a feel for how well (or not) you can work together. Try a few on for size to find the best fit for you before committing!

  • Check out our checklist of suggested questions to ask when interviewing potential therapists.
2. Offer Feedback

If you’ve been working with a therapist and you’re not seeing the progress you want, or if there are some things about their style that rub you the wrong way, try having a transparent conversation with them. Most therapists will welcome the feedback. We would rather know directly that something feels off to you so we have a chance to address it. After all, your healing is our ultimate goal, and we want to help facilitate that journey, not get in the way!

3. Find a Better Fit

If you feel like your therapist just isn’t the one for you and having a conversation with them hasn’t helped, then it might be time to find someone who better fits your needs. While it can be intimidating to start with someone new, it’s better in the long run to have a therapist you work well with! Try asking your current therapist or another trusted source for referrals; this can give you a head-start in the “shopping around” process.

Consider the Frequency of Your Sessions

Meeting weekly, especially at the beginning of therapy, can really jump-start your healing journey. Because the relationship with your therapist is so critical for therapy outcomes, establishing good rapport and trust early on in the process makes for faster, more effective work in the long run.

Also, if you’re working through trauma, you might consider altering the frequency of your sessions – if you need to meet every other week instead of weekly, you can do that! Make sure you have the time and energy to do the work in session when you have to move toward hard things. Be willing to take the risk and move toward the difficulty – the only way out is through! And that takes effort. It might be helpful to set aside some energy according to the difficulty level.

Set Clear, Achievable Goals

One great way to get the most out of your therapy dollars is to set clear goals. Your therapist should help with this process – it’s best if it’s collaborative! And knowing what you’re both working towards is incredibly helpful for keeping therapy on track so you don’t waste time (and money) exploring topics that don’t relate to your goals. Having clear goals also helps you to monitor the progress you make, so you can really see the effects your time, money, and effort have on your life and relationships.

Communicate Openly with Your Therapist

Transparency with your therapist is key to getting what you want out of therapy. If your therapist doesn’t know what’s really going on, then they can’t help you address it. To really get the most out of your therapy investment, try being honest about what you’re experiencing, what you’re wanting out of therapy, and how therapy is going.

Of course, sometimes we aren’t ready to talk about things – and that’s okay. If you’re curious about how to move forward in therapy when vulnerability is a barrier, take a look at Louise’s blog post, “What If I Don’t Want to Talk About It?”

Actively Engage in and Out of Sessions

When you genuinely participate in the therapy process, you increase the impact and value of your therapy investment. One way to do this is to write down thoughts and feelings beforehand or throughout the week as they come up. That way, you can walk into your session with an idea of what you want to address that day, or how your previous session has affected you.

Another great way to actively participate is to take notes in session. Then, review them later. If you’re working through deep or poignant issues, you might even keep a journal about your therapy experience. This is another helpful way to see how things have changed throughout your healing journey. You can also choose to share what you’re learning with a trusted friend or partner.

Apply What You Learn Outside of Sessions

Let’s say I wanted to learn how to play guitar. I go out and buy a pretty little acoustic, I make sure I have all the accessories I might need (picks, a strap, a tuner, a capo, etc.), and I even sign up for lessons. But then, the only time I actually play the guitar is during my lessons with my instructor once a week. You can probably imagine how slow my progress would be! Wouldn’t it be so much more effective if I were to practice outside of lessons? Even two to three times a week would get me so much further along.

The same concept applies to therapy. Research shows that another critical determinant of therapy outcomes is how diligently you apply what you learn in therapy to your everyday life. Just like with any skill you learn, practicing it for only an hour every week or two probably isn’t going to get you very far. This is why some therapists assign “therapy homework.” Homework provides structured opportunities to export what you talk about and build it into your life!

Be patient and persistent

Healing can take time. This is especially true when you’re addressing deep, long-standing wounds or trauma. Or when you’re unlearning patterns of behavior that have been part of your life for a long time. Borrowing wisdom from our old friends The Tortoise and The Hare, “slow and steady wins the race.” Be patient with yourself and with the process. And if you stick with it – staying engaged, transparent, and with the support of a trusted therapist to walk with you – your investment in therapy can reap remarkable changes that will stay with you for a lifetime.

Ready to Start Investing?

If you’re interested in starting your therapy journey, take a look at our therapists’ bios to see who you’re most drawn to.

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If you’re unsure who would be the best fit for you or your family, fill out the form below, and someone from our team will be in touch with you.

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To help you assess who is or isn’t a good fit for you, download our Questions to Ask Potential Therapists checklist.

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Kiki Leonard, AMFT

Kiki Leonard brings passion and compassion to her role as a Marriage and Family Therapist Associate. She graduated from Richmont Graduate University with a Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and a Certificate in Marriage and Family Therapy. She is trained in Brainspotting, Internal Family Systems (parts work), Attachment-Based Family Therapy, and Emotionally Focused Therapy (Externship). Kiki loves helping individuals and couples to heal and break free from unhealthy patterns. She also helps families grow closer and overcome obstacles through Waystone’s Whole Family Healing approach. In her spare time, Kiki enjoys reading, going to fan conventions, and doing aerial silks. She also loves spending time with her people as well as snuggling and playing with her dog.

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What If I Don’t Want to Talk About It?

March 31, 2025 | Louise Finley, LPC, OMC

What If I Don't Want to Talk About It?

What Vulnerability in Therapy Looks Like, and Alternatives to Talk Therapy

I was recently chatting with an acquaintance about mental health, and an interesting question came up. The query was: “How do you do therapy if you don’t want to talk about what happened?” I suspect this is a more common thought than people admit, even though we are socially more open to talking about mental health and engaging in what most call “talk therapy.”  

In my experience and observation, the mental hurdle of going into an office and opening up to essentially a stranger is daunting. It requires a ton of vulnerability! So, let’s consider what appropriate vulnerability looks like when starting therapy. Then, for situations when talking is not a good fit, let’s explore a couple of talk therapy alternatives that focus more directly on the brain.  

What If I Don't Want to Talk About It?

How Vulnerable Should Therapy Be?

Especially for those who haven’t experienced therapy before, it can be helpful to understand what the intake process looks like. Your first therapy session will likely involve discussing:  

  • A variety of assessment approaches, depending on the therapist  
  • What you came there to talk about  
  • Anything the therapist noted that they would like to ensure they fully understand (these topics can be sensitive)  

However, let’s be clear: this does not require you to share every detail of your life history if you are not ready. Honest answers to questions are important (they are necessary to keep you and the therapy room safe), but you can take your time getting comfortable. You are allowed to feel out who the person on the other side of the room is. You’re allowed to start with building rapport. That way, when you open a topic that feels overwhelming, you can focus on the safety of your relationship with your therapist, rather than the discomfort of sharing with a stranger. 

Please be honest if you are in a crisis, but we can unpack the emotional tangle when you are ready. If building trust at your own pace is a new concept for you, this could even be a good starting point for your therapy journey. Trust-building could be the focus of your initial conversations as you are getting to know your provider.  

You get a say in how much you say

If you are someone who struggles with power structures due to your history, therapy may seem particularly vulnerable.  It can be important to remember that a healthy therapist will support your autonomy as a client.  Generally speaking, you should:

  • Be an active participant in deciding the pace  
  • Know you have a choice whether you continue with that therapist
  • Have the ability to give feedback if an intervention is not benefiting you  
Don't Want to Talk Talking

That being said, you should feel (in time) that this is someone who you would accept influence from. If you find yourself questioning your therapist consistently, then it may be a good time to talk with your therapist about the source of those questions. It may be something you just need to process, or it may be that the therapist is not a good fit—and that is okay.    

When to Look Beyond Talk Therapy

You may be thinking, “Okay, so I don’t have to open Pandora’s box immediately. I have autonomy… but what if I shut down when I try to talk about it at all?”  This is part of why the therapy field has been consistently growing in the area of “brain-based interventions.”  These are alternatives to talk therapy that address healing on a deeper level. Typically, I toss EMDR, Brainspotting, Neurofeedback, and (sometimes) other interventions like Somatic Experiencing and Hypnotherapy into this conversation. 

For this post, I’ll speak primarily to Brainspotting and Neurofeedback as those are the two interventions I know best.  Now, the question may come up, “Why not EMDR?” For many, EMDR is a beneficial intervention to assist in trauma resolution. However, it requires active, clinician-guided reprocessing in session, so if your goal is not to reprocess openly, then this is not your best starting point. 

The key thing about all of the brain-based interventions is that they appear to be tapping into direct brain functions to help calm the nervous system, promote trauma resolution, and/or healthy formation of new habits. I tend to begin recommending a client explore one of these talk therapy alternatives when:  

  •  We have reached the end of things to talk about, but symptoms are not improving
  • When I have someone reach out who finds talk therapy too daunting   
  • The list of symptoms spreads beyond most common mental health diagnoses into areas that have strong physiological impacts such as sleep, chronic pain, traumatic brain injury (TBI), and panic
  • There are multiple diagnoses or symptoms that are impacting daily life 
  • There are clear indicators that trauma resolution needs to be the focus  
Don't Want to Talk Neurofeedback

Brain-Based Interventions

For someone who wants to reap the benefits of symptom improvement without having to constantly process externally, Neurofeedback (NF) provides a route forward. Neurofeedback is a form of biofeedback where you watch a movie or other visual feedback. Simultaneously, electrodes collect and transmit information regarding the electrical activity in your brain. If you wish to sit in silence, chat about the weather, or discuss the latest book you read, we can do that—even while your brain is learning and processing this information. 

Your job in the session is to watch the screen, listen to the audio feedback, and periodically check in about what your body and mind are experiencing. As you go along and the nervous system calms, the idea of exploring your internal world and thoughts may even become less daunting. If that occurs, we can shift to more trauma-focused NF work, where you can internally process those events while in a relaxed, sleep-like state called Alpha-Theta. 

For someone who is okay focusing on the event or the associated emotions and physical sensations, Brainspotting may be a beneficial option. This intervention involves focusing your gaze on a spot in your visual field and observing your internal response, both physical and emotional. Brainspotting is a very client-led approach, allowing your autonomy to shape the pace and focus of your sessions. 

This technique may surface uncomfortable memories; however, you are the gatekeeper. You can choose not to share your experience with your therapist – you can talk as little (or as much) as you want! The only time it’s necessary to let your therapist know what you’re experiencing is if you become overwhelmed. Even then, you don’t need to discuss the content – your therapist can help you ground and regulate without knowing any details. 

Don't Want to Talk Brainspotting

Moving Forward with Talk Therapy Alternatives

So, what do you think? Would therapy be less intimidating to consider if you knew you could set the pace for vulnerability and have non-talk therapy options? At Waystone Therapy, we are all providers of at least one brain-based intervention, including Brainspotting and EMDR. Want to understand what these interventions might look like for you? I (Louise!) am a Neurofeedback provider.  Beth, Karis, and Kiki all provide Brainspotting, and Beth and Karis provide EMDR. The Waystone team is always happy to talk you through deciding what interventions are a fit for your needs. Wherever you are in your therapy journey, I hope this helps you conceptualize your path forward! 

Learn more about how eye position can affect how you feel and tap into the brain’s natural healing functions with Brainspotting. 

Brainspotting

Learn more about how Neurofeedback can help with a wide range of symptoms by informing the brain how it’s performing.

Neurofeedback

Louise Finley, LPC, OMC

Louise Finley provides talk therapy for individuals who are 18+ and Neurofeedback from ages 4+. A seasoned clinician in both traditional therapy and neurofeedback, Louise has worked with many diagnoses and presentations over the years. She specializes in anxiety, ADHD, trauma, job and career transition work, and understanding relationship patterns. With all of these areas, Louise’s goal is to help clients “move the baseline,” whether that means reducing symptoms, increasing satisfaction with work or life, or greater clarity in interpersonal relationships.  

As an Atlanta native, Louise loves having the opportunity to work in the Roswell community. Her client approaches have been shaped by early career experience in HR, her years working in a PHP setting, and as a therapist at a non-profit center. Louise loves to educate on the topic of neurofeedback and believes every client should have access to as many therapy tools as possible to aid their recovery.