As much as we might want it to be, therapy is never a quick fix. It involves lots of work, effort and time. In fact, these things are imperative for therapy to be as successful as possible. As a therapist for new mums, I offer three different modalities (or forms) of therapy. These are:
- Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
- Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing Therapy (EMDR Therapy)
- Schema Therapy
For each of these, homework is a vital part of the process. In this article, I’ll run through what this looks like and why it’s so important if you want to supercharge therapy between sessions.
Supercharging CBT
Homework is a fundamental part of the CBT process. This modality focusses on learning new ways of thinking and behaving in order to help you break free from cycles of anxiety and depression. If homework isn’t set by the therapist or completed by the client between sessions, therapy is less likely to be effective and more likely to take longer. This means the client may struggle to achieve their therapeutic goals.
Learn more here >>> What is Cognitive Behavioural Therapy?
Supercharging EMDR Therapy
With EMDR Therapy there is less emphasis on homework because the whole basis of this approach is that your brain knows how to heal itself. When we experience trauma, this natural ability to heal goes offline. Essentially, EMDR Therapy uses bilateral stimulation to reboot your brain and kickstart the natural healing process.
However, there is some homework involved. It often includes self-soothing activities to help you cope with intense memories and emotions that can resurface during the trauma processing journey. You might also be asked to keep a record of things that typically trigger you. Doing this allows you to track any changes once trauma reprocessing has occurred.
Learn more here >>> All You Need to Know About EMDR Therapy
Supercharging Schema Therapy
Within Schema Therapy, there is more emphasis on homework, just like there is in CBT. This modality shares a lot of similarities with EMDR Therapy, but as well as examining past traumas it also looks at the cognitive and behavioural components of your life that are making you feel stuck right now. Like CBT, lots of the work in Schema Therapy involves breaking these patterns and creating new ones.
One of the most powerful exercises for creating deep emotional change is imagery. In Schema Therapy, this might look like imagining your therapist stepping into a triggering situation with you. This allows you to can draw upon their wisdom, confidence, compassion, and nurturing care to help you process difficult feelings between sessions and get your emotional needs met in a healthy way.
Learn more here >>> What is Schema Therapy?
Why is Homework So Important in Therapy?
It’s really important to complete your homework and work on new skills between therapy sessions. Doing so will help you practice more helpful ways of living, thinking, and responding. If we don’t try new things and reinforce them by repeating them, we can’t create new habits. We need to create new habits to facilitate emotional wholeness and health.
We know that those who complete homework tasks in between therapy sessions are more likely to experience therapeutic benefits in terms of how they feel. They are also more likely to recover faster and less likely to return to therapy in the future because they continue to do the work even after therapy has ended.
Find Out More
If you need more support to manage your mental health and you’re interested in working with me, reach out by booking a consultation here or subscribe to The Nurture Toolkit to receive free, actionable tips and prompts straight to your inbox. I also share lots of encouragement and support via Instagram.