How to Know If Therapy Is Working for You

So, you’ve been going to therapy for a while now, and you’re wondering... Is this actually helping?

Therapy isn’t like taking an Advil—where you pop a pill, wait 30 minutes, and boom, headache gone. It’s more like strength training. At first, it’s awkward, maybe even uncomfortable. You’re using muscles (aka emotional muscles) you haven’t used before. But over time, things start shifting.

But how do you know if you’re making progress? Here are some key signs that therapy is actually working—even if it doesn’t always feel like it.

1. You’re More Aware of Your Thoughts & Patterns

At the start of therapy, you might find yourself saying, I don’t even know why I feel this way! But over time, you start recognizing patterns. Maybe you notice that certain situations always trigger anxiety or that you fall into the same overthinking spiral every time you get an email with the subject line “Can we chat?” (👀 We’ve all been there.)

Therapy helps you build that self-awareness muscle, and once you see the pattern, you have the power to change it.

🧠 Therapy Progress Check:
✅ You catch yourself mid-thought and go, Wait… I always do this, don’t I?
✅ You’re recognizing your triggers before they take over
✅ You understand your reactions instead of feeling blindsided by them

2. You React to Stress Differently (Even Just a Little Bit)

Picture this: You’re in a situation that would have definitely sent you spiraling a few months ago. But instead of falling into the usual emotional black hole, you pause. Maybe you take a deep breath. Maybe you remember a tool from therapy. Maybe you don’t handle it perfectly, but you handle it better.

That’s progress. It’s not about never feeling anxious, overwhelmed, or upset again. It’s about handling those moments with more awareness, control, and self-compassion.

🧠 Therapy Progress Check:
✅ You pause before reacting instead of immediately spiraling
✅ You don’t stay stuck in emotional distress as long as you used to
✅ You feel more equipped to handle challenges (even if they still suck)

3. You’re More Comfortable Feeling Your Feelings

Let’s be honest—nobody loves feeling anxious, sad, or uncomfortable. But one sneaky way therapy works is by helping you tolerate all your emotions, not just the fun ones.

Instead of avoiding feelings (hello, procrastination and doom scrolling), you start noticing them, naming them, and letting them move through you. You don’t push them away as fast. And guess what? The more you allow yourself to feel things, the less power they have over you.

🧠 Therapy Progress Check:
✅ You don’t judge yourself as much for feeling “negative” emotions
✅ You can sit with discomfort instead of immediately trying to escape it
✅ You’re not bottling up feelings until they explode (progress, not perfection!)

4. Your Relationships Are Changing (for Better or Worse)

Here’s a big one: When therapy is working, the way you relate to people changes.

Maybe you start setting boundaries where you never did before. Maybe you’re no longer available for one-sided friendships. Maybe you communicate your needs instead of expecting people to just know.

Sometimes, this means relationships get better. Other times, it means you outgrow dynamics that were never healthy to begin with. Either way, it’s a sign that you’re evolving.

🧠 Therapy Progress Check:
✅ You’re setting (and enforcing) boundaries
✅ You feel more secure in relationships instead of constantly questioning them
✅ You’re noticing unhealthy patterns and choosing different responses

5. You Start Thinking, “What Would My Therapist Say?”

At some point, you’ll catch yourself mid-thought, channeling your therapist’s voice in your head. (Would I actually say this to my best friend? Probably not. Okay, self-compassion it is.)

This is a huge win! It means you’re internalizing the skills and mindset shifts from therapy. Instead of needing your therapist to tell you what to do, you’re guiding yourself. That’s the goal, after all—to make therapy work outside the therapy room.

🧠 Therapy Progress Check:
✅ You hear your therapist’s voice in your head (in a good way!)
✅ You ask yourself better, more self-reflective questions
✅ You’re catching unhelpful thought patterns and reframing them

What If I Don’t Feel Like Therapy Is Working?

Not feeling progress doesn’t always mean therapy isn’t working—it could just mean progress looks different than you expected. But if you’re feeling stuck, here’s what to do:

🔹 Talk to your therapist! Therapy works best when you’re honest about what is and isn’t helping.
🔹 Check your expectations. Are you expecting therapy to “fix” everything overnight? (Spoiler: It won’t, but it will help you navigate life better.)
🔹 Look for small wins. Even a tiny shift in awareness is a win. Therapy isn’t just about breakthroughs—it’s about slow, sustainable change.

Final Thoughts: Trust the Process

Therapy isn’t linear. Some sessions feel like epiphanies! and others feel like, Did I even say anything useful today? But over time, the pieces come together. The work you’re doing now might not show up as a big change until months later—but that doesn’t mean it’s not happening.

If you’re looking for a therapist for ADHD in Utah or ADHD therapy in Salt Lake City, I’d love to help. Whether you need clarity, tools, or just a space to figure things out, therapy can be a game-changer.

📩 Ready to get started? Let’s chat.