Goals in Therapy
Setting goals in therapy is important, as they help us stay motivated and bring us closer to success. The science tells us that setting goals in general and, in particular, in therapy increases the chances of success and is associated with confidence and self-efficacy. Setting measurable goals in therapy makes it easier to track the progress and see the desired outcome. However, it is important to remember that goals should have meaning for you and should not be too broad. In the 1980s, corporate business created such an acronym as S.M.A.R.T. It stands for specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. For example, instead of telling yourself that you want to become happier, it is more effective to break down this broad goal into small objectives. Every person may have a different understanding of happiness; for some, it will be spending more time with family and doing less work; for others, it may look like achieving a certain career level. You should set time frames for achieving small goals after you've given them personal meaning. The frequency of your actions and specific time frames may also help you get closer to your goals. For example, you may say that you will go out for a family dinner once per week, attend the gym three times per week, or complete your homework assignment by a specified due date. Therefore, you become accountable for your goals and responsible for your progress.
While the person in therapy has their own personal agenda, the therapist also has overarching goals for this person so that they can increase their functioning and quality of life. These goals, to name a few, are promoting behavioral change, improving self-efficacy and resiliency, improving a person’s ability to cope with negative emotions, and improving the ability to maintain relationships with others. Goals help us maintain our focus on creating "a new us." Concentration on the concrete goals may reduce the stress and anxiety associated with having broad themes and not knowing what you want to achieve. By the way, having broad goals is not always a negative thing. Very often, people come to therapy without knowing what they want the end result to look like. In this case, identifying a broad theme can be helpful; for example, such a theme as "I want to become happy," mentioned before, or "I want to become a better person." Therefore, do not hesitate to discuss your goals with your therapist, and do not forget that behind each therapy there is a science that helps you achieve your desired results faster and more efficiently.
February 9, 2023