How Long Does It Take for Therapy to Work?

You've done the search. You’ve shortlisted a few therapists. Maybe you’ve even booked an initial consultation. But there’s one quiet question lingering underneath it all:

How long is this going to take?

It’s a fair question. Especially when you’re already stretched thin: emotionally, financially, energetically. You don’t want a never-ending process. But you also don’t want to feel like just another checkbox in someone’s system.

At The Farley, I work with adults who are often still functioning on the outside, but inside, something feels off: emotionally disconnected, flat, or quietly burning out. They’re not always in crisis. But they know something needs to shift.

There’s no single timeline - and that’s not a cop-out

In the therapy world, outcomes depend on many things: your goals, your history, the quality of the relationship between you and your therapist, and the approach being used. And even with all that, it can be hard to pinpoint a “typical” timeframe.

That said, research does give us some useful context.

A classic meta-analysis by Howard et al. (1986) found that about 50% of clients showed noticeable improvement by the 8th session, with more gradual gains occurring over time. Later work by Lambert & Ogles (2004) reinforced that change is often not linear. There are early shifts, plateaus, and deeper work that happens further in.

But these studies largely assess symptom reduction in short-term therapy. They don’t always capture the deeper shifts that many people come for: regaining a sense of self, feeling present again, building emotional resilience, learning to relate differently. That’s why, in longer-term relational therapies like person-centred, psychodynamic, or integrative work, the arc may look and feel different.

It’s not about how long therapy takes to “fix” you. It’s about how long it takes to feel met, and safe enough to really be yourself.

What makes therapy “work” in the first place?

Clinical studies consistently show that the quality of the therapeutic relationship is one of the strongest predictors of change. In fact, Wampold (2015) estimates that the relationship accounts for up to 30% of therapeutic outcome, more than any specific technique.

This matches my experience as a person-centred counsellor and psychotherapist. I’ve trained to listen beyond the words. To offer a space that isn’t diagnostic, rushed, or protocol-driven. A space where what’s happening in the relationship often says as much as what’s being talked about.

Therapy “works” when there’s safety. When you feel less alone in the room and in your life.

🧠 For more on how this plays out emotionally and relationally, you might want to read my post: What High-Functioning Burnout Feels Like

Time-limited models vs open-ended therapy

In short-term or structured approaches like CBT, you might be offered a set number of sessions - typically 6 to 12. These models are often goal-oriented, symptom-focused, and particularly useful for specific problems like phobias or mild-to-moderate anxiety.

In contrast, person-centred and relational approaches focus more on process than protocol. You don’t need to come in with a goal. You can show up unsure. What you’re working on might not even have words yet.

This doesn’t mean it takes forever. But it does mean we work at your pace, rather than rushing toward a solution.

Some clients feel a shift early on

For some, there’s a palpable sense of relief after just one or two sessions. Finally being seen. Naming something out loud. Realising they don’t have to perform here.

For others, it’s more gradual, especially if they’re used to coping by staying in their head or taking care of others. The pace isn’t slow for the sake of it. It’s slow because the work is real. There’s no fixed timeline for that kind of work.

What if it’s not working?

This is a crucial question. Therapy isn’t always the right fit the first time.

If you don’t feel safe, seen, or understood, it’s okay to say so. In fact, a good therapist will welcome that conversation. The BACP (British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy) encourages regular reviews to explore how therapy is landing, and whether adjustments are needed.

Sometimes, it’s the wrong approach. Sometimes, it’s not the right time. And sometimes, you’re on the edge of a breakthrough, and it just feels uncomfortable.

How will I know if I’m making progress?

Progress doesn’t always look like feeling better. Sometimes, it looks like feeling more.

Tears that weren’t there before. Anger that finally has a voice. A decision you didn’t think you had the right to make.

At The Farley, I don’t work from performance checklists. I offer a space to slow down, feel into what’s really there, and move forward with more clarity and self-connection than before.

Summary: So how long does therapy take?

There’s no single answer. But here’s what we know:

• Some feel a shift early. Others take longer. Both are valid

• The therapeutic relationship is central, often more than method

• Short-term therapies may offer quick relief. Longer-term work often allows for deeper change

• What matters most is how you feel in the space, and whether it allows you to be more yourself

If you’re wondering whether private therapy in Southampton or online therapy anywhere in the UK at The Farley might be a good fit, I offer a free 30-minute consultation.

You don’t need to be at breaking point. You just need to want something more than just coping.