Not Feeling Better After Starting Therapy? Here’s What to Know

Feeling stuck after starting therapy? You’re not doing it wrong. You’re just doing something new—and new is hard.

If you’ve recently started therapy and feel like nothing has shifted yet, take a deep breath—you’re not alone. It’s normal to wonder if things are “working,” especially when you’re showing up, doing the work, and still not feeling relief.

Sometimes it takes a while to even name what hurts, let alone heal it. If you're not feeling better yet, it doesn’t mean therapy’s not helping. It might just mean you're still in the messy middle. And that’s okay.

What Our Therapists Say

We asked Jasmine and Carla, two of our therapists here at Honest Hour, what they'd say to someone who's doubting therapy. Here’s their take:

 "Let your therapist know how you're feeling..."

We know, it sounds scary, but most therapists want you to feel better and actually welcome that kind of honesty.

For example, if you want a therapist that gives you homework after every session, then share that and see if your therapist can offer that and if not, they can help you find a therapist that does.

Jasmine assured us and said a good therapist, "won't get offended, this is your time to get what you need so go ahead and ask for it!"

"Reflect on how long you’ve been feeling this way..."

At the beginning, therapy can often make us feel worse before helping us feel better as we’re starting to talk about really difficult and emotional topics. It's also important to remember that therapy is a process, and we may have expectations in our head about how long things will take to feel better so having a conversation about realistic expectations with your therapist can be so helpful.   

You’re Not Failing — You’re Rebuilding It’s easy to wonder, “Shouldn’t I feel better by now?” But the truth is, healing doesn’t follow a straight line. The fact that you’re even asking the question means you’re doing the work.

Be patient with your pace. Give yourself grace. And don’t be afraid to advocate for what you need.

Ultimately, it’s important to remember that your therapist has your best interest at heart. Therapy is a journey and with time you and your therapist will reach your goals.

Support That Gets It

At Honest Hour, we offer virtual therapy for individuals in New York and New Jersey. We’re in-network with Aetna, UMR, and UnitedHealthcare.

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