PathWell resource

Making Adult Therapy Goals Easier to Discuss

Prepare to discuss therapy goals by describing concerns, asking how progress will be assessed, and clarifying what to revisit with a professional.

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Goals for outpatient mental health therapy are a topic to discuss with a mental health professional. This discussion aid is for adults in Manassas and Prince William County. It offers conversation prompts—not a symptom score or a treatment plan.[2]

Describe the concern behind a goal

The National Institute of Mental Health recommends being specific with a provider about symptoms: when they started, how severe they are, and how often they occur. It also recommends preparing a list of questions and concerns.[1]

For a goal-setting conversation, keep that preparation focused on explaining the concern:

  • Describe what you have noticed and when it began.
  • Describe how severe it feels and how often it happens, without assigning yourself a score.
  • Note what you want to ask the professional about that concern.
[1]

Turn the concern into a question

Use this optional discussion framework: concern, descriptive details, then a question. The purpose is to prepare a conversation, not choose a treatment goal on your own.

These original prompts put that framework into words:

  • Concern: “There is a concern I would like to discuss.”
  • Details: “I would like to explain when it began, how severe it feels, and how often it happens.”
  • Question: “How could we discuss therapy goals related to this concern?”

Ask how goals and progress will be discussed

NIMH identifies therapy goals and progress assessment as topics to ask a therapist about. Two direct questions are:[2]

  • “What are the goals of therapy?”
  • “How will progress be assessed?”
[2]

Asking these questions is different from selecting your own treatment plan. NIMH states that choosing a treatment plan depends on individual needs and medical circumstances and should take place under a mental health professional’s guidance.[2]

Clarify what to revisit

NIMH also suggests asking what happens if you or the therapist feel you are not starting to improve. That question belongs alongside questions about goals and progress—not a self-selected deadline for improvement.[2]

An additional discussion prompt is: “What should we revisit if the goals or the way progress is discussed still feel unclear?”

Keep the conversation centered on explaining the concern, understanding how progress will be assessed, and clarifying what to revisit with the professional.

Sources

  1. National Institute of Mental Health: Tips for Talking With a Health Care Provider About Your Mental Health (opens in a new tab)
  2. National Institute of Mental Health: Psychotherapies (opens in a new tab)

For general education. Discuss personal care questions with a qualified clinician.