How to Set Goals for Therapy Success

Updated 08/13/24

Therapy can help you see tremendous growth as a person, but it’s critical that you clearly define what you want to work towards. Setting therapy goals will give you a sense of direction. Having effective goals in place also makes tracking progress easier for you and your therapist. Studies show that realistic goals can be highly motivating, even for people living with depression or other mental health conditions. Read on to learn how to set goals for therapy and get the most out of your therapy sessions.

What Are Therapy Goals?

In therapy, a goal is an outcome that you’d like to achieve. Don’t worry if you don’t have a clear goal in mind going in. Your therapist can help you identify a specific goal(s) and create a treatment plan, so you achieve the outcomes you’re looking for.

Setting attainable short-term and long-term personal goals for therapy will help you imagine a better future for yourself. It’s unfortunate, but motivation is something many people struggle with in life. Setting goals is beneficial because it can give you the strength to challenge yourself and course correct when you need to. Ultimately, the goal-setting process can be instrumental in getting the most out of each therapy session and improving your life.

14 Goals You Can Achieve in Therapy

Treatment goals are personal, and what to work on in therapy can differ for everyone. If you’re stuck or unsure where to start when creating your first therapy goal, the following examples might be helpful. Keep reading and see if you these examples of therapy goals resonate with you.

1. Healthier habits

It can be tough to break a habit, even if you know something’s unhealthy. With the help of your therapist, you can work to change your thoughts and behaviors, replacing them with more positive ones that better your life. 

Habits are often unconscious behaviors. It’s the cues in our environment that usually trigger them, according to research. Your therapist can help you become more aware of destructive or harmful behavior patterns so you can create more positive routines (and stick with them).

2. Effective communication

Effectively communicating your wants and needs is a common struggle for many people. This can lead to feeling frustrated, depressed, or dissatisfied. Finding better ways to communicate will allow you to express your feelings authentically. Improving communication is something that can help in all aspects of life. From professional to personal to social interactions, enhanced communication skills can be hugely rewarding.

3. Self-compassion

Some people have endless compassion for others but struggle to be kind to themselves. If you’re too hard on yourself, you may want to make self-care a therapy goal. Your therapist can help you learn to avoid negative self-talk and put yourself first. This is often a first step towards becoming confident in your life decisions and relationships while achieving greater internal peace. 

4. Strengthened relationships

Studies show that having strong social support can make you happier and more resilient to stress. One way to do this is by broadening your social circle. In a therapy session, you can focus on establishing and improving interpersonal relationships. One of the many benefits of therapy is that you can learn how to communicate in a relationship in order to strive towards any potential relationship goals you might have. Whether you join a club, take a class, reconnect with people you haven’t seen in a while, or branch out into new social circles, positive relationships can enrich your life.

5. Enhanced coping strategies

There’s no way to avoid types of stress and anxiety altogether, but you can make it your specific goal to change how you react to and manage the difficult times you face. For example, you might want to focus on the following in therapy:

• Practicing relaxation strategies
• Setting boundaries with parents, friends, family, and at work
• Learning when to ask for help 
• Learning how to release anger in healthy ways
• Learning how to deal with trauma

New coping techniques can make it easier for you to deal with the ups and downs of life. You can also work to avoid unhealthy mechanisms you’ve been using, like impulsive spending or isolating yourself from others, for example. 

6. Improved sleep quality

Sleep and mental health are heavily correlated. Not only can a lack of sleep put you at risk for serious health problems, but it can also take a toll on your mental health. Practicing good sleep hygiene will allow you to get the rest you need each night to be as physically and mentally healthy as possible. Some therapy goals examples surrounding sleep habits might include: 

• Making (and sticking to) a sleep schedule
• Building a bedtime routine
• Avoiding electronics before bed
• Creating a peaceful, inviting sleep environment in your room

7. Emotional regulation 

Our emotions affect many aspects of our lives, from our decisions to how we perceive and react to events. 

Learning to identify and accept your feelings can help you deal with challenging emotions in healthier ways. You can work with your therapist to improve your emotional vocabulary, so you’ll know how to share your feelings with others in an effective manner. 

“These questions at the beginning of therapy are intended to set goals before or during the first session. What would you like to accomplish with therapy? What would you like to get from therapy? What would you like to work on or discover? All of these are great questions, and your goals can change as therapy progresses.”

– Talkspace therapist Dr. Karmen Smith LCSW DD

8. Behavioral change

Therapy offers a structured environment to identify and modify unwanted behaviors. Whether it’s procrastination, aggression, or withdrawal from social interactions, setting a goal to change these behaviors can be transformative. Your therapist can assist in developing a treatment plan that includes specific steps and coping strategies to help replace detrimental habits with healthier ones.

9. Stress relief

Stress can undermine both physical and mental health. A common goal in therapy is to learn how to manage stress effectively. This might include practicing mindfulness, improving time management, or learning relaxation techniques. As you build these coping skills, you’ll find that your day-to-day anxiety levels may decrease, enhancing your overall well-being.

10. Processing past trauma

Unresolved trauma can influence current behaviors and emotional responses. Therapy can help you process these experiences safely and constructively. Setting a goal to work through past traumas can lead to significant breakthroughs in how you feel and interact with the world, freeing you from the burdens that hold you back.

11. Establishing boundaries

Establishing personal boundaries is crucial for maintaining healthy relationships and self-esteem. Therapy can help you define what these boundaries should look like for you and how to communicate them effectively. Learning to set and maintain boundaries is a valuable skill that will contribute to your overall mental health treatment.

12. Overcoming your fears

Confronting fears directly can be a daunting but rewarding therapy goal. Whether it’s fear of failure, intimacy, or the unknown, therapy can provide you with the tools to face these fears head-on. By reducing the power that fear holds over your life, you can move towards a more empowered and fulfilling existence.

13. Reduced symptom intensity

For those dealing with symptoms of mental health conditions, one of the primary therapy goals can be symptom reduction. Through various therapeutic techniques and possible adjustments in the treatment plan, you can work towards lessening the intensity and frequency of symptoms, leading to a more manageable daily life.

14. Overcoming specific obstacles

Therapy can be tailored to help you overcome particular challenges or obstacles that impede your personal or professional growth. This might include working on communication issues, self-doubt, or specific phobias. By setting clear, achievable goals related to these obstacles, you can measure your progress and make meaningful changes.

Tips for Goal Setting in Therapy

The following tips are great ways to ensure you’re setting the right goals and getting the most out of therapy. 

Be honest

When you talk with your therapist about setting goals for therapy, it’s essential to be truthful from the very first counseling session about what you want and where you currently are in life.

“Being honest and authentic with yourself is the best way to set goals during counseling. Wanting improved relationships and better ways of communicating can begin as a general goal, but as you begin to know yourself better, the goal can shift. You can learn how to control feelings of anger and shame, which hinders your ability to connect with others.”

– Talkspace therapist Dr. Karmen Smith LCSW DD

Resist the temptation to withhold information, and don’t be afraid to speak up about any concerns or fears you might have. If you communicate openly from the start, your therapist will be able to help you work through your main objective right away since you’ll be going into each session with common effective goals in mind.

Keep it simple

Treatment goals can give you a sense of direction, but they shouldn’t be vague or overly complex. They must be specific and easy to identify and work towards. Otherwise, achieving them will be challenging. Focus on setting clear, attainable objectives that you can track and measure. Try breaking things down into several smaller milestones if you’re working towards something big.

Create a plan of action  

Once you’ve set a treatment goal, you should start thinking about what you’ll need to go through in and out of therapy in order to achieve it. Many people give up before they make any real progress. If you have treatment plans in place, you’ll be able to take steps that bring you closer to achieving your goals, which can serve as motivation.

Track your progress

Progress often happens gradually, and this can make it hard to see how much is actually being accomplished. 

One way to ensure you’re seeing growth is by setting daily quotas or goals and then checking in at the end of each day. Writing about your progress by journaling for mental health is an effective tactic. Keeping track of your progress can help you stay motivated, especially when things get tough.

Don’t be afraid to make changes

You don’t have to stick with the same therapy goals forever. It’s normal to shift or adjust plans over time. Therapy can give you more insight into what you want out of life, and as you progress, you may discover new goals you want to work on. Don’t be scared to change or add to your goals. You’ll constantly be changing throughout your life. Embrace this, instead of fearing it.  

Speaking of making changes, don’t hesitate to consider different types of therapy or even changing therapists if your current approach isn’t meeting your needs or if your needs evolve.

Achieve Your Therapy Goals with Talkspace

Therapy can help you make positive transformations in your life, but change takes real effort. When you set goals in treatment, you can actively work towards the differences you want to see in your life. Goals can be highly motivating, especially when a therapist is there to hold you accountable and help you recognize your growth.  

If you’re ready to work towards a better life, Talkspace can be a valuable source of support. Talkspace is an online therapy platform that makes it easy to connect with mental health professionals. Finding a therapist online through Talkspace can be the first step towards accomplishing your goals and changing your life for the better, forever. The benefits of online therapy await you. 

Learn how to start therapy with Talkspace today.