How Do I Know If Therapy Is Actually Working?

**The problem:** You've been going to therapy for a while and you're not sure whether it's making any difference. **The answer:** Progress in therapy is often non-linear and subtle, which makes it genuinely hard to evaluate. Here's what to look for: **Signs it's working:** - You notice your own patterns more — why you react a certain way, what triggers certain feelings - You recover from difficult moments faster than you used to - Conversations that used to derail you feel more manageable - You're making small but consistent changes in behaviour — not all at once, but cumulatively - You have a clearer sense of what you want, even if you're not there yet **Signs it might not be the right fit:** - You feel worse after sessions consistently, with no sense of movement - You're not being honest in sessions because you're managing the therapist's reactions - You've been going for 3+ months and nothing feels different at all **What to do if you're unsure:** Say it directly in session. *"I'm not sure this is working — can we talk about that?"* A good therapist will welcome it. That conversation itself is often a breakthrough. Therapy is a collaboration. You get to have an opinion about it.