When you start therapy, your therapist will likely ask you what you want to work on in therapy sessions, or what you would like to see change as a result of therapy. This is something that I briefly discuss with my clients during the very first session, then dive further into during the second session.

Some clients come to session with a goal already in mind, some clients need to think about it for a minute or two, and some clients need even longer – that’s okay! Sometimes I’ve even suggested that clients take a week to think about it, and circle back at the next session.

Therapy goals can differ substantially between one client and the next. Sometimes clients feel as if they don’t have enough social support and just need a nonjudgmental, unbiased person to talk to. Another really common therapy goal is learning how to cope with feelings. Or working on communication with a coworker, child, spouse, or other family member.

It’s important for me to understand what my client’s therapy goal is, otherwise I risk being a “hammer” looking for a “nail.” It can be really easy for me, as a therapist, to hear “anxiety” and think “coping skills.” While learning coping skills is an appropriate and (probably) beneficial goal for someone experiencing anxiety, they may have something else they would like to accomplish.

There are two important things I’d like to note about therapy goals. One is that they can change – whenever you want them to. If you want to shift focus, this is a conversation to have with your provider. The second important thing is that it’s okay to have more than one therapy goal. However, if my clients identify more than one therapy goal, I usually ask which one they want to work on first. It’s not always feasible to work on more than one goal at a time, so you may have to prioritize them.

If you are having a hard time coming up with a therapy goal, here is a list of possible goals to get you started. However, please make sure you are picking a therapy goal that is relevant to what you want. If you see one here that only somewhat fits, tweak it a bit! Or create your own.

• Decreasing time spent worrying
• Processing a past situation
• Decreasing thoughts of harming self or others
• Coping with specific stressors
• Increasing confidence
• Identifying and expressing feelings
• Decreasing perfectionist tendencies
• Managing time more effectively
• Decreasing impulsive behaviors
• Improving relationships
• Increasing socialization
• Improving communication with someone
• Setting boundaries with others
• Communication assertively
• Increasing tolerance for mistakes
• Decreasing feelings of depression
• Decreasing feelings of guilt
• Grieving the loss of someone or something
• Learning parenting skills
• Managing irritability/anger
• Decreasing panic attacks
• Increasing self esteem
• Decreasing negative thoughts
• Learning coping skills
• Coping with toxic behaviors in relationships
• Talking about a difficult decision you have to make
• Decreasing specific fears
• Increasing the ability to regulate emotions
• Developing healthier habits
• Improving sleep quality

Finally, something to make you laugh to wrap up, because I love humor.

Disclaimer: I am a licensed independent mental health practitioner and certified professional counselor, but I am not your therapist. The information in this article is for general informational purposes only. This article does not create a therapist-client relationship. If you need specific recommendations based on your individual circumstances, please consult with a mental health practitioner near you.