Choosing the best length and frequency for counselling sessions

Not sure how often you want counselling? Perhaps feel that 50 minutes is too long - or too short? I often get asked as part of the initial consultation whether a client should have weekly sessions or fortnightly and I would usually roll out the same standard line of "…I’d usually suggest we start with weekly sessions…" but more recently, I have adapted my response to enquire what the client feels they are drawn to doing and we discuss the pros and cons on each to be able to make an informed decision.

I’m a big advocate for flexibility and client autonomy. Having recently been challenged by a client with chronic fatigue on why sessions are 50 minutes, I think it’s important to consider what would work for you and balance this with your priorities. When I attended counselling, I knew I needed an element of accountability to start with, I knew I had a tendency to run away from my challenges and I knew I needed the focus weekly. However, after an initial six sessions, I moved to fortnightly and I felt it provided me then with a good foundation to put in the work myself between sessions.

There are, of course, pros and cons of the choices so let’s have a look at what some of these could be:

Regularity of sessions - weekly vs fortnightly

Weekly counselling can help with maintaining a consistent relationship with your counsellor and maintain momentum with progress. It might mean it will feel easier to build a relationship with your counsellor and it is considered that it leads to more significant progress over time.

I often find the main driver for fortnightly sessions is cost, which makes sense, especially with money feeling ever so tight through this cost-of-living crisis. However, fortnightly sessions also lend themselves to those who have busy schedules, prefer the time between sessions to process what has been worked through, or those who have been attending weekly for some time and have less need to do regular ‘work’ in counselling.

Length of sessions - 50 minutes vs 30 minutes

Counselling sessions are usually 50 minutes long which is for a few reasons such as allowing enough time for the counsellor to take a quick break between clients, time for the client to emotionally recover after the session and it's often the time insurance companies will pay for. However, the timing can vary with the type of therapy and the approach. 50 minutes usually provides enough time for ‘the work’ in the sessions; checking in, working on your specific goals and time to wind down.

30-minute sessions could provide convenience and reduced cost. It may work well if, as in the example above, 50 minutes feels too physically or mentally overwhelming. The amount of ‘work’ you have the time to do in sessions is of course reduced, so it might mean you reach your desired goal later. You even find that having started in 30-minute sessions, the time whizzes by and you realise it isn’t enough time for you.

The are other options depending on the type of therapy such as 90-minute sessions.
 
Ultimately, it will be a choice depending on your personal circumstances and needs and something you can talk through with your chosen professional. All counsellors will also have preferences for how they work which will be based on some similar considerations but also those that suit the needs of their business.