Supporting Your Mental Health Between Therapy Sessions: Why It Matters and How to Do It

Therapy can be a powerful space for healing, growth, and self-discovery, but the real magic often happens in the days and weeks between sessions when you take what you’ve learned and begin weaving it into your daily life.

If you’ve ever wondered how to keep that momentum going, read on to find out:

• Why what you do between therapy sessions matters

• What to expect from therapy vs. what happens outside of it

• How to support your mental health between therapy sessions

• Where to get more ideas about what to do in between sessions?

Why What You Do Between Therapy Sessions Matters

Therapy is powerful, but it’s only one hour out of the week. The other 167 hours are where so much of the real change happens. While your therapist can help you process, plan, and guide you toward your goals, the day-to-day practice of mental health happens outside the therapy room.

Think of therapy as a gym for your mind: attending a session is like working with a personal trainer, but a lot of the progress comes from all of the things you do in between workouts. Without those between-session habits, it’s easy to feel stuck or like therapy “isn’t working,” when in reality, it’s just missing the follow-through.

For most people, therapy is just one chapter in their story, not the whole book. What you do between sessions helps you strengthen the skills and confidence you’re building in therapy, so that over time, you feel ready to navigate life without weekly support.

What to Expect From Therapy vs. What Happens Outside of It

Therapy can provide:

• A safe, judgment-free space to unpack what’s been on your mind.

• Tools, insights, and strategies tailored to your needs.

• Gentle challenges and questions to help you see things differently.

• Occasional “aha” moments that make you feel like you’ve just solved a decade-old mystery.

Outside of therapy, you’re in the “the real world laboratory” where you can:

• Test out those tools when life throws you a curveball.

• Notice patterns and triggers in the wild (a.k.a. Sunday evenings, family gatherings, re-runs of America's Next Top Model).

• Practice small shifts in thinking or behavior that you explored in session.

• Learn what works, what needs tweaking, and what might deserve a return trip to the therapy “lab.”

Therapy gives you the blueprint, but your everyday life is the construction site. The more you intentionally apply what you’ve learned outside of the session, the more progress you’ll see...sometimes even faster than you expect!

How to Support Your Mental Health Between Therapy Sessions

This is actually the whole premise of my podcast, In Between Sessions: the actions, skills, and ideas that help you keep growing when you’re not sitting across from your therapist. Because while we do a lot in the therapy room, real change happens in the moments when you’re living your life.

Here are some practical (and enjoyable) ways to give your mental health some love between sessions:

1. Journaling for Clarity and Processing

Writing down your thoughts can help you process emotions, spot patterns, and track progress over time. You might try keeping a dedicated therapy journal where you:

• Reflect on session takeaways

• Note challenges or triggers you encounter in the world

• Write questions you’d like to bring to your next appointment

  
  

2. Engage in Creative Activities

Creativity isn’t just for artists! It’s a proven way to reduce stress, boost mood, and foster self-expression. You might:

• Draw, paint, or collage

• Play an instrument or sing

• Experiment with photography or creative writing

  
  

3. Nourish Your Body with Good Meals

Your brain is part of your body, and what you eat can affect your mood and energy levels. Supporting your mental health includes:

• Feeding your body regularly (i.e. listening to the cues your body is sending you)

• Staying hydrated

• Being mindful of how different foods make you feel physically and emotionally

  
  

4. Foster a Sense of Community

Isolation can make challenges feel heavier, and connection can lighten the load. Consider:

• Reaching out to friends or family for a quick chat

• Joining a local group or class. Start by looking up groups that focus on your interests (such as Table Top Role Playing Games).

• Participating in online communities with shared interests

Now What?

Therapy is the spark, what you do in between sessions is the fuel. Building intentional habits between sessions helps you turn insights into lasting change.

If you’re looking for more ideas and gentle encouragement for supporting your mental health between appointments, I encourage you to check out my podcast, In Between Sessions, where I chat with guests about practical ways to care for your mind and body during the 167 hours when you’re not in therapy.

In Between Sessions podcast

And if you're looking for a new therapist to support you during session, I offer free 15-minute consultation calls to explore whether we’d be a good fit for therapy.