What are your goals in therapy?

Anyone mind sharing a list of their specific goals in therapy, or goals people in general may have, so that I have a template of what can be considered goals in order to grow and live a better quality of life? I have some things in mind but not sure if they’re unusual, too general, etc.

My therapy for the last 5 months has been very explorative, which is great and the approach I prefer. Talking helps. However, as this is what it’s mostly been, identifying what specifically to work on, how to work on it and monitoring progress has been difficult for both myself and my T. We discussed this today and agreed to both go away and think about what specific goals I’d like to work on in therapy. I’m struggling a little - both coming up with specifics and being totally comfortable with being honest about what I need to work on in order to grow and live a better quality of life.
My therapy focus has been around low mood, general and social anxiety - perfectionism, overworking, isolating, worrying about what others think, not feeling good enough, not opening up/being vulnerable etc

One goal we do have is being able to speak to T face to face and make eye contact whilst talking about difficult stuff (as we now currently sit side by side).
T did say that using therapy as a safe place to be vulnerable is something to work on, but not sure how to word this into a goal?
We are working on challenging my negative thoughts to reduce anxiety.
I know I want to improve my low self-esteem issues and be able to manage my mood better so that I socialise more rather than ruin my relationships, as I have been.
I also don’t want problems in life to trigger my mood so easily.

I’d like to write a list down, so any examples would be greatly appreciated.

P.S - also starting an anti-depressent next week, which is new and scary. 🤯

Im just starting out with a new therapist and im working on some goals for therapy with her. One goal is to work through my past abuse with my Grandpa. He dies six years ago and it's confusing my life i have this hate/love going on all the time. Also i know this goal is going to be overwhelming at times so i hope she can break it down to smaller goals for us to work through.


Anxiety is a goal we have already set. This is a good thread i am not that good with goals so i will be following.

1. Build tolerance for difficult emotions.
2. Work on expressing needs without fear/shame.
3. Continue to explore and process trauma.

Those are the ones we have discussed.

On a personal level, I would also like to develop a sense of safety that endures beyond that hour a week. I would like to be able to make eye contact with her when talking about difficult stuff, because not being able to look at her makes me feel alone.

The first two I can really relate to. Especially the second - not wanting to appear needy. Though I also probably need to learn/understand what it means to ask for what one needs. Thanks for sharing!

A few that come to mind:

1) examine the costs and benefits of having an actual job versus working independently as a consultant; consider making big work related change
2) understand the effects of a childhood with CSA
3) reduce/eliminate symptoms of PTSD
4) mourning/grief for parent & spouse
5) reduce stress of difficult work
6) become more supportive and empowering as a parent
7) explore whether ready for new intimate relationship

understand the effects of a childhood with CSA - this one makes me slightly curious as this was a childhood experience of mine, however, as far as I can tell, though it was a significant childhood experience, I didn’t feel, nor do I feel any trauma related effects. Have never brought this up with T or discussed with anyone really. I wonder if it plays any role in my mental health even though it isn’t an experience that I found necessarily traumatic. Just simply prefer not to think about.

I think two things: 1) not all CSA is traumatic; kids can certainly have experiences in childhood and everybody can define them for themselves whether it's CSA and/or whether it's traumatic. But 2) I have found that dealing with anything I'd prefer to avoid (and I am a big avoider) provides benefits as opposed to continuing to avoid it, no matter what the thing is.

But my childhood CSA was definitely traumatic to me, so I see my own experience within that lens.

Goals (in order of importance)

1. Develop enough resilience and confidence to set goals
2. See goal no.1
3. Consider alternative strategies in the face of the inevitable failure of goals no.1 and no.2
4. Explore my ability to individuate and not conform to standardised goal setting
5. Berate therapist for not understanding irony

My main goal was to figure out what was supposed to be useful about therapy and if that usefulness would help with what I wanted helped.
The woman seemed to think her goal was to tell me about me despite her being wrong all the time, her not listening and not paying attention, and me not looking for that at all.
The clash of goals was a constant battle until my person got sick and then all I used it for was to talk about that and even the therapist couldn't **** that up.

Learn what safe is/feels like
Learn to trust
Learn to ask for what I need/want
Then onto:
Processing trauma
Letting go of shame
Being good enough
Not being too much

1. Stop SH-ing
2. Develop other healthy coping mechanisms and utilize them
3. Practice Self Compassion
4. Process Trauma
5. Recover