3 Things to Do Between Therapy Sessions

March 25, 2026

Therapy is an hour a week. The other 167 hours? That's where the real work happens. What you do between sessions has a significant impact on how much progress you make — not because you need to be constantly processing your feelings, but because change is built through repetition.

1. Write It Down

Between sessions, things will come up — moments of anxiety, old patterns showing up in new situations, something your therapist said that lands differently two days later. If you don't write them down, there's a good chance you'll forget by your next appointment. The act of writing also helps you process — putting an experience into words activates a different part of your brain than just feeling it.

2. Practice What You're Working On

Whatever skills or concepts you're exploring in therapy, look for opportunities to apply them in real life. If you're working on boundaries, notice the moments this week when a boundary would have been useful. If you're using thought records, try filling one out when you notice a strong emotional reaction. This is where the shift from "knowing" to "doing" happens. Insight without practice tends to stay insight.

3. Notice Your Patterns Without Judgment

One of the most valuable things you can do between sessions is simply pay attention. Not to fix anything — just to notice. When do you feel most anxious? What situations tend to bring up the feelings you're working on? What coping strategies do you reach for, and do they actually help? This kind of self-observation builds the raw material your sessions run on. The more specific and honest you can be with yourself, the more productive your time with your therapist becomes.

If you're looking for a structured way to build these between-session practices, workbooks designed specifically for use between appointments can help bridge the gap — giving you a consistent format for reflection, skill practice, and self-tracking so the work doesn't stop when the session ends.