How Long Is a Therapy Session?

Most therapy sessions last about 50 minutes. Not an hour like you might expect. This is sometimes called the “therapeutic hour” or “clinical hour” and it’s pretty standard across the industry.

If you’re trying to figure out how to fit therapy into your schedule, plan for about an hour of your time. The session itself will be 45 to 55 minutes, and you’ll want a few extra minutes on either end to get settled and collect yourself before heading back to work or wherever you’re going next.

There’s actually a good reason therapy sessions aren’t a full hour. Your therapist needs time between clients to write notes about your session, use the bathroom, grab some water, and mentally prepare for the next person. Those 10 minutes matter.

Think about it from their perspective. If a therapist sees eight clients back to back with no breaks, they’d be exhausted and unable to give anyone their full attention. That buffer time helps your therapist show up fully present for you.

The 50 minute standard also has roots in how insurance companies structure their billing codes. Most plans are set up around sessions that fall between 45 and 53 minutes, which is why this length became the norm across the industry.

While 50 minutes is standard for individual therapy, not every type of session follows the same format.

Individual counseling sessions typically run 45 to 55 minutes. This gives you enough time to check in, work through what’s on your mind, and wrap up without feeling rushed.

Couples therapy sessions are usually longer, often 60 to 90 minutes. When two people are in the room, both need time to share their perspective. Your therapist also needs time to help you practice new communication skills together.

Family therapy sessions can run 60 to 90 minutes as well, sometimes longer depending on how many family members are involved. More people means more voices that need to be heard.

Group therapy sessions typically last 90 minutes to two hours. With multiple participants sharing and responding to each other, the extended time makes sense.

A typical therapy session has a natural flow to it. The first few minutes are usually a check in. Your therapist will ask how you’ve been since your last session and what’s been on your mind. This helps you both figure out what to focus on that day.

The middle chunk of the session is where the real work happens. You might talk through something that’s been bothering you, practice a new skill, or process an experience from your past. This is the meat of the session.

The last few minutes are for wrapping up. Your therapist might summarize what you talked about, suggest something to think about or try before your next session, and make sure you’re in a good headspace before leaving.

Some therapists do offer different session lengths depending on their practice and what works for your needs.

Shorter sessions around 30 minutes can work for medication management appointments or brief check ins once you’re in a stable place. But for actual therapy work, 30 minutes usually isn’t enough time to get anywhere meaningful.

Longer sessions around 75 to 90 minutes might be helpful when you’re working through trauma or doing specific types of therapy like EMDR that benefit from extended time. Some people also prefer longer sessions if they can only come every other week instead of weekly.

Fifty minutes goes by faster than you think. Here are some ways to make sure you’re using that time well.

Show up a few minutes early so you’re not spending the first five minutes catching your breath and getting settled. If you’re doing online therapy, log in early and make sure your tech is working.

Think about what you want to talk about before your session. You don’t need a formal agenda, but having a sense of what’s been weighing on you helps you get into the work faster.

Don’t save the important stuff for the last five minutes. If something big happened or you’ve been struggling with something all week, bring it up early so you have time to actually work through it.

Be honest when your therapist asks how you’re doing. “Fine” wastes time. If you’re struggling, say so. That’s what you’re there for.

We offer in-person therapy in Philadelphia and Haddonfield, with online sessions available throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

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