When we say, “interventions,” what do we mean? Before starting, a lot of clients like to know what interventions are like. Some want to know if they will be difficult or painful, but many just want to be able to think about them and
determine whether they would be helpful for their situation. Often this is because they want to be able to predict ahead of time whether the interventions will work. “Have I already tried something similar?” they might ask. Or, “Can I picture it working in my situation?”
Your Real Motives
Asking questions like these before even trying interventions can sometimes get in the way of getting better. This is especially true if you have been feeling very discouraged about your situation. In such cases you might actually be asking such questions to protect yourself from feared disappointment. If you are wondering what interventions might look like, first ask yourself your real reason for wanting to know. If it’s to avoid disappointment, you might need to take a step back from learning about counseling interventions and first work on developing a more positive attitude.
If you are reasonably sure of your motives for wanting to learn about some of the interventions, keep reading. If not, first discuss your fears with your therapist before reading further. If you might be reading these mainly to give yourself reasons not to try, be honest with yourself and face those reasons before you waste a lot of time working toward something you may not want or that you may not believe is possible.
In session Interventions
Thee are two general types of interventions: In-session interventions and between-session interventions. In session interventions are often designed to help you explore a different mental state that could help you face difficult things in your life or relationship.
Some examples of interventions to help you explore a different mental state might be asking you to describe a relaxing or a stressful environment or series of events, asking you to follow mindfulness or relaxation steps, or asking you to imagine or talk through a series of steps you can take to handle an anticipated or recurrent difficult situation.
Between-Session Interventions
If your work with your counselor or coach only helps you feel or function better during sessions it is not likely to improve your life much. Helpful counseling or coaching encourages you to also improve your life between sessions—where it really counts. Between-session interventions are usually designed to get you thinking, feeling, and behaving differently while you are away from your helping professional. An example of between-session interventions might be practicing the mindfulness or relaxation exercises you did in session at home, at work, or in your car.
Another example of a between-session intervention is following through with a task you are learning to face in sessions—such as saying hello to someone or having a conversation you need to have with someone. If such a step is too big to take at first, your therapist will help you start small with something achievable that will help you gain skills and confidence you need to eventually do the kinds of tasks or interactions that will improve your life in the ways you want.
These examples are far from exhaustive, and may be very different from the ones your helping professional will use with you. Your counselor or coach will have a variety of interventions to use with you that will be in line with your particular skills and abilities.
If you are curious about what you are doing, or what you might do in your sessions, just ask. Clients tend to do better when they understand why they are doing what they are doing.
