7 Hacks for Making the Most of Your Session
Therapy, coaching, and consultation are excellent ways to make an investment in yourself, your relationships, and your business. While it’s possible to stumble on a stock or real estate purchase that yields a great return, it is more likely to pay off when you’ve done your research and laid the proper groundwork. Your investment in working with a consultant is similar. The benefit you receive is generally related to the energy you put in. I compiled this list from observing the components my own successful meetings with clients, as well as talking with other consultants about what makes their sessions productive. Once you’ve found the right person to help you, here are some essentials for making the most of your time together.
1. Show up on time for your appointment.
Give yourself a few minutes to pause, breathe, and think about your intentions for the meeting before the appointed time. If you’re rushing in late or at the last minute, you will spend the first part of your appointment getting settled and gathering your thoughts. Protect your investment by using every minute of the session to do the work you came to do.
2. Come to the session with specific ideas about what you would like to cover.
This is not an agenda set in stone, and unexpected topics may arise as you go. It is not your therapist’s job to generate the content of your time together. I generally start sessions by asking my clients what they would like to work on. Nothing sets the tone for a difficult meeting like a client who shrugs and says, “I don’t really know.” Think of therapy as a journey; your assignment is to have a destination in mind. This may be a skill you want to learn, a situation or relationship you want to improve, a behavior you’d like to change, or a way you want to feel. Don’t worry if getting there seems impossible or you don’t know how to accomplish the task. This part is the therapist’s job.
3. Take notes during your session.
Write down insights you gain, positive things your therapist tells you about yourself, items you want to work on, and any homework assignments the therapist gives you for next time. We always think we will remember things that seem important in the moment, but taking notes is one way to ensure we don’t forget salient takeaways. Looking back at your notes is also a great way to review what you’ve learned and measure your progress over time.
4. Take notes between sessions.
As you’re doing ongoing work with a coach, life events will inevitably bring up things you would like to address during your next meeting. Take a moment to write down what happened and any observations or feelings you had about the event. You may also experience insights, thoughts or ideas that would be helpful for your coach to know. Make a written note of these to include in your next session.
5. Do your homework and take the initiative for bringing it up in your next session.
Important work happens during meetings with your consultant. However, the bulk of your achievements will happen during the days and hours you are not in session. Your therapist often gives you specific things to work on between appointments so you can practice your skills, try on new behaviors, and continue to get more clarity about what you want to accomplish. Completing these assignments not only helps you grow; it helps your coach work more effectively with you. Sharing your homework at the beginning of each session indicates your willingness to succeed, and sets the tone for continued progress.
6. Make sure your payment process is smooth.
While this may sound insignificant, issues of payment can take up valuable session time. If you need to update your address, card details, or other payment information take the time to do so before your appointment. That way you can dedicate your entire meeting to the issues you’re working on instead of using the time for administrative tasks.
7. Share your learning with others.
One of the best ways to strengthen your knowledge is to share it with another person. Talking about your insights will reinforce the things you are learning in sessions and help you capitalize on your investment even after the meeting is over. This will also give those around you an opportunity to witness your growth because they are seeing a firsthand demonstration of your learning.
Use these hacks to maximize your time in sessions and reap the greatest benefit from your investment.