Life Change Blog. 1st March 2010.

A recent guest observed that one of the things that really helped him make some important realisations and changes is the pattern of therapeutic sessions on our change holidays. The expression he used was sessions “back to back” and most wonderfully later on in the conversation referred to them as sessions “cheek to cheek”; perhaps he had other things on his mind. Or perhaps he was affected by the magical setting of the Puripunn Hotel as the hundreds of fairy lights reflected in the ornamental pools.

I do agree with him though. The way the sessions are laid out is quite deliberate enabling us to get through large amounts of material during extended individual sessions interspersed with important thinking time.  It was a counselling colleague of mine who always used to maintain that the most therapeutic time in counselling is the time between sessions; “that’s when the real therapy happens” he used to say. I know what he means; it’s often the case that we will go back over things in our mind, we’ll replay the important conversations, go over salient points and focus on things that stand out.

The balance between therapeutic work and the pre planned “time out” excursions is important. Too much or too little of either will take away from the overall experience.

I have often felt that the problem with the standard pattern of weekly therapy or counselling sessions available to most is not helpful. It may well fit nicely into a working week or therapist’s diary but often there is too much thinking space in between sessions for real progress to be made. I guess it would be similar to writing a book or painting a picture whereby you only have an hour a week. It just doesn’t feel enough.

Having a regular therapeutic routine is important. Having extended individual time on a daily basis is vital, we really do condense 4 months of standard counselling into one week. It’s not a gimmick or trick, it just makes sense as a way to really get to grips with problems and sort things out.

This is all backed up by 12 weeks online follow up counselling and coaching support . This is often when big changes happen, when change plans, carefully put together whilst on holiday are put to the test. This is always an exciting and tense time, when things are shifting and changing and people are actually living their change plans.

So if the weekly routine of counselling, life coaching or therapy sessions are not quite doing it for you, you might like to try change therapy sessions back to back, or more poetically perhaps “cheek to cheek”.