Therapy Prompts for Sessions When You’re Not Sure What to Talk About
Throughout the talk therapy sessions you attend, you and your therapist might cover a wide range of topics—from trauma and mental health to relationships and self-discovery. However, there may be sessions when you aren’t quite sure where to take your journey next. You may have just finished processing some intense childhood trauma and need an emotional break, or you may be in a good place but still eager for further steps toward self-actualization.
You might use them as a jumping-off point for a discussion with your therapist or as journal prompts for expressive writing exercises on your own. Either way, you may find them helpful on the road to deeper self-knowledge.
General therapy prompts for self-reflection
The following prompts can be used to gain better insight into who you are as a person and to promote personal growth. You might bring them up in your next therapy session or use them to inspire a journaling or expressive writing practice—which research suggests may help promote increased self-awareness and reflective thinking. Consider the following therapy or journaling prompts:
- What are 10 words that you would like to use to describe yourself? Brainstorm a few strategies you could use to make those 10 words a reality.
- Take some time to explore a few past experiences that shaped who you are today.
- What’s an opinion that you held in the past but have since changed? What made you change your mind?
- What are three things about yourself that you want other people to know?
- What are three things that bring you joy?
Therapy prompts for exploring personal relationships
Research suggests that social connectedness can predict mental health and that loneliness can lead to a variety of physical and mental health challenges. So while close personal relationships can be beneficial and fulfilling in many ways, they’re not always easy or simple. This next set of prompts can help you explore your current relationships and identify what you want and need from others:
- What does trust look like in a relationship for you?
- What are three general boundaries for you when it comes to relationships?
- What does love look like in a relationship for you?
- What are three things that you bring to the table in a relationship?
- Name three positive things about a current romantic relationship or close friendship. What are three things that you feel you need to work on?
- How can you show the people you love how you feel about them?
Therapy prompts for personal and professional goal setting
It can be easy to get so involved in the busyness of daily life that we lose sight of our long-term vision for ourselves. It can help to sit down and really think about what our values are, how we can apply them to live the way we want, and what we’re aiming to achieve in our personal and professional lives. Here are some prompts for therapy or for your favorite journaling techniques to get the conversation started regarding life goals:
- Write a letter to your future self. What do you hope for them, and what do you see their life looking like?
- What are three obstacles you face to living the way you want to? Brainstorm a few potential solutions to overcome each one.
- Do you enjoy the work you do? What aspects of a job or career do you feel you’re missing?
- What are your strengths when it comes to the workplace? How do they help you fulfill your job responsibilities?
- How do your boss and colleagues show you that you’re valued at work? How do you wish they did?
- What motivates you?
- Write down three long-term goals for your life. How are they the same or different from the goals your past self had five years ago? 10 years ago?
Therapy prompts for self-acceptance
Although research suggests that self-compassion may help promote both physical and mental well-being, many people find it difficult to put into practice. If accepting yourself or practicing self-compassion is challenging for you, here are some prompts to help you direct your love inwardly:
- What are the three aspects of your personality that you like best?
- What part of your body do you think is the most beautiful? Why?
- What is a kind thing that you can do for your body today?
- What does “outside your comfort zone” mean to you? Talk about a time in your life when you stepped outside your comfort zone and how it shaped you, or brainstorm ways to do so now.
- What are three limiting beliefs you feel get in the way of being your best self? Try to reframe these beliefs into empowering statements.
Therapy prompts to improve mental health and physical health
Establishing and maintaining healthy lifestyle patterns can be key to cultivating overall mental and physical health, from getting enough sleep to exercising regularly. If you’re looking to implement some of these habits into your regular routine, you might consider prompts like these for journal writing or therapy:
- What is your ideal morning routine—one that makes you feel ready to take on the day?
- What is your ideal evening routine—one that makes you feel relaxed and ready to get some sleep?
- What are three hobbies or activities that make you feel fulfilled?
- How do you prioritize self-care in your life?
- What’s one small thing you can do every day to improve or support your physical health?
- What’s one small thing you can do every day to improve or support your mental health?
- Write down one or two barriers to the two previous answers and ways that you might remove or reduce them.
Getting the most out of therapy
While therapy can be an effective treatment for many mental health conditions, it can offer lots of additional benefits as well. For many, it can be a safe space to feel heard and understood and gain greater self-awareness. It can be an opportunity to check in on yourself and your relationships in the present moment or to get perspective on your life. Evidence-based modalities like cognitive behavioral therapy can also offer tools and strategies to help you manage stress, improve communication, and improve life satisfaction.
If you’re not currently in therapy, speaking with a licensed provider could help you address areas of your life where you may need support or help you on the path of self-discovery. Or, if you’re looking to get a new perspective by working with a different therapist, you might explore online therapy. With a platform like BetterHelp, you can get matched with a licensed provider based on your answers to a brief questionnaire. Instead of being limited to the in-person therapists in your area, you’ll be able to connect with the right counselor for you regardless of location.
Research suggests that online therapy can be as effective as in-person sessions in many cases, but it allows more flexibility with scheduling and can be engaged in from the comfort of home. If you ever feel that you aren’t moving forward with your current BetterHelp provider, you can change therapists at no additional cost.
Takeaway
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