When we think of homework, we usually think of the school or university days when we’re given a page of math problems, or a giant essay about a topic we really would wish to forget about.
When you’re struggling, it can take courage to reach out for help when you need it, including seeking out psychotherapy.
We don’t normally associate homework with counseling or psychotherapy, but there really is such a thing as ‘psychotherapy homework.’
If you’re not sure what these words mean, let’s help you. In this guide you’ll learn what this ‘homework’ can look like, what the benefits are, and how doing your psychotherapy homework can help you move forward on your path to recovery.
A Note on the Usage of “Homework” and Terms in This Guide
While the terms “psychotherapy homework” and “homework” in therapy are terms we use throughout this article, it’s important to note that many therapists tend to not use these terms. This is to avoid any negative connotations that clients may have associated with such language.
Terms like ‘activities’ tend to be preferred for the most part. These activities can include journaling, filling in worksheets, creating lists, meditation, practicing visualization, thought monitoring, or any other activity recommended by the therapist that will take place outside of the session. The main aspect of such activities is they’re designed to reinforce encouraging changes in the client, ultimately leading to seeing improvements in their life.
For the sake of clarity, we’ve decided to move forward with using the term ‘homework’. Feel free to inquire with our staff about these terms if you have any questions or would like to keep the conversation about these terms going.
For now, let’s continue.
Do I Need to Do Homework When Going for Psychological Counselling?
To answer this question, we can start by looking at how psychotherapy works.
Psychotherapy believes in two major systemic approaches to change. The first is the belief that through repeated exercises, a new thinking or behaviour pattern can be created using more familiar behavioural therapies such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), dialectical behavioural therapy (DBT), etc.
Because these treatments require complete practice of some skills, it will usually require long-term practice to master these skills in order to form new habits. For example, to be good at any kind of sport, it requires continuous training to keep your body sharp and master the skills required to participate in your chosen sport. Therefore, it’s common in these therapies for your therapist to give you homework.
The second systemic approach believes that people can change the original mental health issues (those that prompted therapy sessions to start initially) through different methods. For example, emotionally focused therapy (EFT) allows us to reshape our view of ourselves or others by changing the interaction patterns with ourselves or those with whom we have close relationships.
Through dialogue with various parts of ourselves, we can pay attention to the needs of various parts of our whole being; child-centered play therapy gives clients new experiences through the interaction of therapies in the process of psychological counseling. The growth of these experiences occurs during psychotherapy, and homework outside psychotherapy is usually only used for support.
Rounding back to our question of “Do I need to do homework when going for psychological counseling?” The answer depends on what therapeutic tools your therapist decides to use in helping you change.
What Psychotherapy Homework Can Look Like
What is psychotherapy homework? For someone who may never have experienced therapy before, it is a curious question. As already mentioned, the short answer is, “it depends.”
Psychotherapy homework can be influenced by the type of therapy your therapist uses and their experience with a particular issue. The choice of homework given is strongly established in the needs of the client.
Examples of psychotherapy homework may include:
- Forms of self-reflection, such as journaling
- Readings either from book excerpts or written essays
- Written or body-based exercises (relaxation training, for example)
- Trying new things, to engage in new experiences, which can include social or leisure options
- Structured therapy exercises such as establishing boundaries
- Having conversations with certain people or rehearsing important conversations
- Lifestyle changes such as increasing physical activity, addressing physical health needs, and changing dietary choices
- Expanding community involvement or volunteering
- Researching specific topics or community resources and following through
Why Do Therapists Give Homework?
Many of us don’t have fond memories of receiving homework when in school or university. We may associate these memories with obligation, work, or worse, create feelings of failure or perfectionism. So why would a psychotherapist want to send this person into such a potentially chaotic mental territory?
Only a small percentage of personal change occurs in your therapy session, to be honest. Clients undergoing psychotherapy can greatly speed up their progress by “trying out” what’s being learned in counselling sessions into their daily lives.
Types of Homework
You may be a person who responds well to any type of homework given to you, or you might struggle with completing your assignment or struggle with finding the benefits of doing the assignment.
To get the most benefit from doing the homework, stepping out of the comfort zone is important. For example, it’s fundamental to learn to challenge our unwanted thoughts and increase our understanding of our feelings and emotions, especially if you struggle with expressing your emotions. The likelihood of success depends on ensuring the right type of homework is tailored for each individual person.
There are different types of therapy homework. When you’re asked to practice breathing exercises when you’re feeling anxious or stressed, that’s homework. When we journal the thoughts that upset us and ways in which to challenge them, this is also homework.
Some may do well with a different assignment each week, while others may have a more difficult time with certain types of homework. For example, if you’re more artistic, you may not get much out of written exercises. You might prefer to sketch or illustrate your mood, feelings, or reactions during the week. In other cases, those who struggle with or dislike reading may feel challenged with even basic language articles.
Now that we know there are different types, what benefits do we get from doing therapy homework? Knowing this can assist us in understanding why we recommend doing it in the first place.
Benefits of Doing Homework
You may wonder why your therapist is assigning you psychotherapy homework. The main reason is there are benefits to doing homework assigned in therapy, such as putting things you’ve learned in session into practice outside your session. This helps you get used to using the new skill in your toolbox to work through the issues that come up for you in your daily lives.
This homework teaches us we can use these skills on our own when our therapist or other member of our support team isn’t actively coaching us or providing encouragement. Many other benefits include the following:
It Helps to Review Your Progress
The most important part of your psychotherapy homework is your follow-up discussion with your therapist at your next session. Time spent reviewing with your therapist how your time has been since your last session, if you completed your assigned homework, or why, if you didn’t, will give your therapist beneficial feedback on your progress and insight into how they are better able to support you.
It Gives Your Therapist Insight
Homework gives your therapist an inside look into your day-to-day life, which is sometimes hard to recap in a single session. Specific homework assignments will have you thinking consistently throughout your week about what you wish to share during your sessions, which gives your therapist chronological information to review and focus on.
It Helps in Empowering You
You gain a sense of empowerment when utilizing your new skills, being able to set new boundaries, and redirect your own cognitive distortions. This is something your therapist can’t give you in your therapy session, but rather something you give yourself. Completing your homework is how you come to recognize that you can do this, positive change is possible in your life.
Tips For Doing Your Psychotherapy Homework
So now we know doing psychotherapy homework can benefit us. How do we go about doing what our therapists assign to us? Let’s help you in moving forward on your path to recovery with these tips for doing your psychotherapy homework.
Set Time Aside Specifically for Your Homework
Make a specific time to complete your psychotherapy homework. The reason you are given therapy homework is to help you reflect on your progress and strive toward your goals in between therapy sessions. Use your homework time as a sacred space in which to invest in yourself, unleash your thoughts and emotions, just as you would in your therapy session.
Be Honest
Your therapist is not looking for you to give them what you think they want to read, or what you think you should be writing down. It’s best to be honest with yourself, and your therapist, about what you’re really thinking and feeling.
Put Your Skills into Practice
Completing logs and worksheets is important, however you also must be willing to put what skills you’ve learned into practice. Be open to allowing yourself to be vulnerable and open to trying new things and experiences so you can inform your therapist whether or not what you’re trying is working for you.
Remember that Your Homework is Intended to Help You
Therapy homework is given to you to help you maximize the benefits you get from therapy and get the most value out of the process.
Speak to Your Therapist if You Find Yourself Struggling
If you find yourself feeling like your psychotherapy homework has become tedious, speak with your therapist and let them know your challenges, particularly if you’re not finding it’s helping you. They will be able to re-tailor your assignments to your needs and preferences, explain the importance of the tasks, or completely change the course of treatment if needed.
As therapists, we may assign to our clients this homework based on what their needs are and the type of therapy that we feel is best for these needs. Doing psychotherapy homework honestly helps both us and you gain awareness into your emotional development and overall progress. It can help you acquire coping skills and put them into practice, which can feel empowering, can boost your confidence, and can make your overall therapeutic practice at home feel more effective.
Do you still have questions regarding this topic? Feel free to contact us today about our guide. Or, if you would like to discuss our psychotherapy sessions, assessments, or any other services that we offer, book a free 30-minute consultation.
by