Fitting Therapy Into a Full-Time Schedule: Is There Time for That?

Therapy is important. It has benefits for both personal and professional life. How does a person fit therapy into the busyness of life and full-time work, though? It is possible. It just requires some creativity.

In the twenty-first century, there are many options for therapy. These include local, in-person services, as well as telehealth options. Some individuals find that they can fit in a therapy session over a lunch hour when the office is close to their work location (Rehman, n.d.; Tobin, 2020). Other clients prefer telehealth, where they can simply log into an online session from a secure environment and complete their sessions that way. This allows individuals to work and have their therapy, too.

Some individuals, due to preference or type of occupation, are not able to fit therapy into their work days. There are options for these individuals, too. Some therapists offer early or late appointments that allow individuals to go to therapy outside of work hours. Other individuals can flex their work schedule (eg working more hours one day and less the next to allow for an appointment) (Trillium Counseling, 2021). Some counselors offer weekend appointments to accommodate working professionals. The key to working and going to therapy is to look for options and find out what works best.

Therapy appointments are technically medical appointments, so it may be necessary to ask an employer for sick time to attend these appointments. It is not necessary to tell an employer why the individual is seeking therapy, though individuals may choose to do so (Torres, n.d.). Individuals with ample paid time off may also choose to use an hour or two for each therapy session they attend (Rehman, n.d.). Individuals have choices when it comes to how they fit therapy into work.

Attending therapy while working full-time can have benefits for work. It can help individuals become better team players, improve communication, set boundaries, and more (Petersel, 2020). Coping strategies can help individuals cope not only with work stress, but with managing personal stress that may affect work performance (McCloud, n.d.). Individuals who choose to talk about attending therapy at work can help normalize mental health struggles and seeking support for them. This may improve the working environment overall.

Fitting therapy into a busy work schedule is challenging, but not impossible. It just may require some exploration, flexibility, and self-disclosure. Prioritization makes time for what is important, and therefore, if therapy is important, there is time for it.