How Do I Know if I’m Making Progress in Therapy?
You’ve been in therapy for a while now, and the question crosses your mind: “Am I making any progress?” It’s a natural thought—therapy is an investment in your time, emotions, and resources, and you want to feel like it’s making a difference. So how can you tell if the work you’re doing in therapy is helping you move forward?
Let’s start at the beginning:
Setting Guideposts for Therapy
When starting therapy, one of the first things I like to do is work with you to identify what brought you here. What specific issues or experiences are you hoping to address? How are these challenges affecting your life, and most importantly, how do you want to feel or grow as a result of our time together?
Having these guideposts helps us map out a clear path. It ensures that we both know where we’re headed and allows us to track progress along the way. Therapy is not about perfection, but about growth, healing, and resilience.
Using the F.I.D.O. Framework to Measure Progress
To help track progress, I use a simple acronym called F.I.D.O. which stands for:
Frequency
Intensity
Duration
Onset
This framework helps us evaluate how the challenges you’re facing evolve over time. Let’s break it down:
1. Frequency
When we first start therapy, I’ll ask how often you’re experiencing your symptoms. For example, if you’re dealing with anxiety or panic attacks, how frequently are they happening? Is it every day, several times a week, or once a month? A key indicator of progress is whether the frequency of these symptoms decreases over time.
2. Intensity
Next, we’ll explore how intense your symptoms feel. On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being mild and 10 being unbearable, where would you rate your experience? Alternatively, we might categorize it as mild, moderate, or severe. Over time, the goal is for these numbers to drop, allowing you to feel more in control of your emotions.
3. Duration
How long do your symptoms typically last? This includes two parts:
How long have you been dealing with the overall issue?
How long does each episode or symptom last when it happens?
For example, when you experience a panic attack, does it last 10 minutes? 30 minutes? An hour? As therapy progresses and you gain new tools, you’ll likely notice these episodes becoming shorter and easier to manage.
4. Onset
Finally, we’ll identify what triggers your symptoms. Do they come out of nowhere, or are they tied to specific situations, places, or memories? Progress might look like recognizing and understanding these triggers or even noticing that previously overwhelming triggers no longer have the same impact.
Checking In: Are You Making Progress in Therapy?
Now, let’s return to the big question: How do you know if you’re making progress in therapy? By using the F.I.D.O. framework, you’ll have concrete ways to track your improvement.
For example, if you were initially experiencing daily panic attacks rated at a 9/10 intensity that lasted for an hour, and now they occur once a week at a 5/10 intensity for 20 minutes, that’s significant progress! Even if you’re still experiencing some symptoms, the changes in their frequency, intensity, duration, and triggers are clear signs of growth.
What If You Feel Stuck in Your Therapy?
Sometimes, clients feel like they aren’t making any progress because the symptoms haven’t completely disappeared. If this happens, it’s important to revisit your “before and after” information. Have any of the F.I.D.O. factors changed? Are there areas where you feel stronger or more capable?
If it seems like no progress has been made, don’t hesitate to bring this up with your therapist. Therapy is a collaborative process, and discussing your concerns can open the door to new strategies or adjustments to your approach.
Celebrate the Small Wins
Progress in therapy isn’t always linear. There will be highs and lows, and that’s okay. Healing takes time, but every small step forward—every reduced panic attack, every moment of calm, every insight gained—is a victory worth celebrating.
By tracking your progress with tools like F.I.D.O., you can feel empowered to recognize how far you’ve come. Therapy is about transformation, not perfection, and every bit of growth brings you closer to the peace and resilience you deserve.
Take the Next Step in Your Healing Journey
Recognizing progress in therapy can be a deeply empowering experience, reminding you that your hard work and dedication to yourself are paying off. By setting clear goals, using tools like F.I.D.O. to track your growth, and remaining open to adjusting your approach as needed, you’re building a foundation for lasting change and resilience.
Growth in therapy may not always be easy to measure day to day, but when you take a step back and look at where you started compared to where you are now, the shifts can be remarkable. If you’re feeling uncertain about your progress or ready to take the next step in your healing journey, you don’t have to navigate it alone.
If you’d like to explore how therapy can support your goals and well-being, let’s connect. Reach out today to schedule a complimentary consultation. Together, we can determine how to help you feel more empowered, balanced, and ready to embrace the changes you’re seeking.
Christy Garcia is a licensed trauma therapist specializing in helping adult survivors of childhood trauma find healing and relief from anxiety, panic attacks and other mental health challenges. With over a decade of experience, Christy uses compassionate, trauma-informed approaches to guide her clients toward lasting growth and emotional well-being. Christy’s mission is to empower individuals to reclaim their peace and live more fulfilling lives.
