43 Ways People Make Time For Therapy

We asked, you answered!

As the New Year approaches, it’s easy to become overwhelmed with thoughts of resolutions and goals. Here at MyWellbeing, we’re not interested in new year, new you - but we do want to help you put you first. We’re a little biased as a therapy matchmaking company, but we do believe that therapy is one of the best ways to prioritize yourself. But sometimes the idea of prioritizing therapy itself can be daunting. So we checked in with y’all on Instagram and found out how you make therapy work with your schedule!

1. I make it convenient and easy on my day off! Going to therapy is a relief I never knew I needed.
2. Phone calls! You can take them anytime, anywhere - in the car, at home, at a friend’s, at the office!
3. I’m a single mom in grad school and also have a job. I go to therapy bi-weekly to keep my sanity and support my son.
4. When I was looking for a new job (I’m a nanny!) I made my availability Monday through Thursday. Now Friday is my self-care day. I can’t be the best nanny I can be if I’m not healthy!
5. I schedule therapy at a regular weekly time so it’s an expectation/part of my routine.
6. I go every week on Saturdays. I think of it as part of my “Rest and Reset” time on the weekends.
7. Logistically: I set up an “out of office” calendar block in my work calendar for my weekly therapy slot (including the hour before and after!). This helps me prioritise therapy and avoid me cancelling my session for a work meeting. I prepare notes ahead of time on things that come up during the week that I may want to talk about. After my sessions, I also jot down the 3-5 things that stuck most with me. I like to them reflect on these and they help me feel like I’ve gotten something “tangible” from each session. It is a guaranteed hour each week when I can process my thoughts, emotions, insecurities and anxieties, with someone who has no biases and no overlap with my social circles. Put simply, it gives my thoughts and anxieties a dedicated time and space to breathe
8. I make sure my appointment is on a less busy day so I have time for myself before and after.
9. I make it work. I have to figure out the financial part along the way. I find that my finances shift every three months, but have learned that it will just continue somehow. The “why” is that I get exercises from my therapist I can do when I am faced with traumatic situations. It changed my life from feeling like a victim to feeling like a skillful survivor.
10. My girlfriend and I make a standing weekly appointment for couples therapy after work. Nothing is wrong, but we actually ENJOY getting to know each other this way.
11. Scheduled on my day off from work! Sometimes it is the only thing I do that day. I make it a priority because of how much it has shifted me and my life.
12. I go before I have class! It grounds me.
13. I go every Thursday before work because my job is to listen and help others and I need to do that for me too!
14. Sometimes my standing weekly appointment is the only hour I commit to all week.
15. I found a therapist who has Saturday morning hours.
16. I can’t get things done if I’m worrying. I have to make time for therapy - it’s necessary to function!
17. I make time for therapy even when I don’t feel like it because I want to be better to those who love me, and better to myself!
18. I go therapy on campus so I’m already there for appointments. It makes me feel so much better.
19. I treat therapy like going to my job or to the gym.
20. I asked my boss for a flexible schedule one day per week. I firmly believe the right employer will work with you to help you be your best self, which for me means therapy. I don't disclose anything to my boss; hell, I never even said the word therapy. I just asked to be able to attend an appointment once per week during work hours and that was that.  HR exists for a reason. Be empowered to know your rights as an employee of your company.
21. I stay consistent by using Facetime. Tuesdays at 9 am. Therapy helps me love me. I love me!
22. Therapy is the one hour a week that is just about ME and it keeps me sane (literally).
23. I book my whole month of appointment and then schedule my life around it!
24. My therapist is flexible with my schedule!
25. Without therapy, everything it takes to be a human wouldn’t happen.
26. I have to go or else I can’t accomplish everything else I want/have to do. It’s just a part of my life.
27. If you’re lucky enough, build it into your workday - like a lunch or a workout. I don’t think about it as optional.
28. Bi-weekly on Thursdays (therapy Thursdays!) after work. My Dad recently passed away and I knew I needed to prioritize therapy and be proactive with my mental health.
29. I block off time on my work calendar and am open with my co-workers about it being a priority.
30. I sit with myself and be very honest if I need it each week - like an agreement with myself.
31. My therapist lets me come in at 8 am before work!
32. My therapist offers video sessions which have been key for filming on location.
33. I take an hour lunch away from work once a week to go to therapy during that time.
34. It’s easier to go than cancel.
35. I know if I don’t go that I am more likely to have panic attacks.
36. I work my life around my appointment instead of working the appointment around my life. I change the frequency as I go!
37. I make time by going on a weekday right after work. This is time I would normally use for a yoga or fitness class, running errands, or meeting with a friend, etc., but I make time once a week. Therapy is my biggest form of self-care. It is an investment and it takes a lot of work but my personal growth and healing is so much better for it ❤️
38. I factor it into my schedule at the beginning of the school year and have it recurring in my planner/phone so I don’t see it as disposable! I say this as a therapist who had so much trouble prioritizing therapy for myself.
39. My therapist has hours outside of the typical 9-5 workday.
40. My high school has part-time counselors, so I see mine during study hall!
41. I found a therapist I connect with, so it’s something to look forward to!
42. I am a super busy almost-lawyer and I make time by booking evening video sessions!
43. I prioritize therapy because while it takes time, it gives me space back in my life and that’s worth it.

The hardest thing to do when our mental health is suffering is ask for help.

We know you have a busy life with lots of responsibilities. But we also want to remind you that you deserve to have help along the way. We hope this list is something you can refer to if you need a little extra push to prioritize therapy in the New Year.