Fit
Choose individual therapy when the problem does not stay in one box.
Continuity helps us understand why a difficulty returns, practise a different response, and revise the plan with real-life information.
- The same concern returns across situations or relationships.
- Several concerns affect one another, or the picture is still unclear.
- You want a private space and a pace shaped around you.
Process
The work develops in a sequence, not a script.
The approach varies, but the work usually returns to four tasks.
- 01
Clarify
Name what is happening now, what has already been tried, and what you want therapy to change.
- 02
Understand
Trace the situations, meanings, emotions, body responses, actions, and consequences that keep the difficulty going.
- 03
Practise
Use the session to prepare and rehearse a different response, then try it where the pattern actually happens.
- 04
Review
Look at what changed, what did not, and whether the goals, methods, pace, or level of care should shift.
Evidence
Psychotherapy helps many people, but it is not a uniform product.
Research describes averages; it cannot predict one person's response or timeline.
A 2024 review of 441 trials found that psychotherapy generally helped more than control conditions, but results varied by concern and the share who improved was modest. Progress should be checked, not promised.2
Routine-care research found no single useful session count. APA guidance therefore pairs evidence with clinical judgment, the person's goals and circumstances, and ongoing review.31
Tradeoffs
What the ongoing format gives you, and what it asks from you.
This format makes room for
- A plan tailored to one person rather than a shared curriculum.
- More time for complexity, context, and patterns that unfold gradually.
- Privacy for material you may not want to discuss in a group.
Things to weigh
- Repeated appointments require continuing time and financial capacity.
- A narrow question may not need an ongoing format.
- One-to-one work does not offer live learning from peers.
Practical fit
Plan for the real commitment before you begin.
- Time
There is no standard course length. Frequency and duration follow the concern, progress, and practical capacity, then are reviewed together.3
- Cost
Fee not published; confirm it before booking. Also ask about cancellation and billing before deciding what is sustainable.
- Coverage
Workplace and private health plans vary in what they cover, the percentage reimbursed, and annual limits. Check whether your plan covers services by a registered psychologist and what documentation it requires.4
Useful questions before deciding
- How often would we begin, and when would we review that pace?
- How will we know whether the work is helping?
- What is the current fee and cancellation policy?
Source trail
Research used on this page.
Primary sources for the research above.
- 01Policy statement on evidence-based practice in psychologyAmerican Psychological Association
- 02Absolute and relative outcomes of psychotherapies for eight mental disorders: a systematic review and meta-analysisPim Cuijpers et al., 2024
- 03The dose-response effect in routinely delivered psychological therapies: A systematic reviewLouisa Robinson, Jaime Delgadillo, and Stephen Kellett, 2020
- 04Health insuranceFinancial Consumer Agency of Canada