From One Session to the Next: How a Therapist in Connecticut Helps You Stay Grounded During the Wait
You might feel a little lighter after therapy; you get to open up and unpack your thoughts and emotions you’ve carried. But what happens when you notice the sadness start creeping back in and you’re troubled with more thoughts that weigh you down? Sometimes, what might feel like a lift from a session can descend into more confusion and sadness. Therapy is not just supposed to make you feel better, but it often opens doors that seem locked and protected for many years. So in those days you’re waiting to see your therapist, you feel like you’re unraveling and maybe even decompensating.
It’s okay to start having more emotions and thoughts. It’s also important to recognize that the deeper lodged and buried emotions and thoughts will inevitably surface and you can find ways to stay grounded.
As a psychodynamic therapist in Connecticut, I understand that healing doesn’t just happen in the therapy room—it continues in the quiet moments in between. My approach focuses on helping you explore the deeper patterns and unconscious conflicts that shape your emotions and relationships. This means the time between sessions is not just about coping—it's also an opportunity for growth, reflection, and staying connected to the insights we uncover together. Whether you’re feeling overwhelmed, numb, or disconnected, there are gentle, grounded ways to support yourself until we meet again.
Why the Time Between Sessions Can Feel So Difficult
Therapy is not easy. Opening up to a stranger can evoke all kinds of feelings. You feel like your therapist doesn’t care, thinks you’re awful, wrong, etc. You make up all kinds of interpretations about them. You feel exposed after revealing a part of yourself that you hid and were afraid to share. After you unpack, the feeling you get after you leave the therapy space can feel raw and uncomfortable. You might start to feel uneasy and unsure that you opened up your therapist. You can also feel isolated and sad that you now have to survive a whole week until you meet your therapist again. The feelings and thoughts can feel intense and overwhelming.
All of these feelings are okay and not unusual. Some of the most common challenges clients face between sessions include confusion and worry that they won’t be able to handle the challenges without their therapist. They are afraid they don’t have the tools or the capacity to withstand any storm life tosses at them. Some people are scared that another person now knows a part of themselves that felt shameful or bad. They worry if their therapist will think negatively of them. It’s okay to feel uneasy and untethered between sessions.
The Psychodynamic Perspective: Understanding What’s Beneath the Surface
Psychodynamic therapy helps you uncover unconscious patterns that continue to impact your present life in ways you might not not even know. It’s understanding yourself on a more honest and deeper level where you aim to be truthful.
You get to gently examine recurring themes—such as feelings of worthlessness, fear of abandonment, or perfectionism—that often stem from early life experiences. These patterns can silently influence how you relate to yourself and others, especially during times of stress or depression. Through insight and reflection, we bring these hidden dynamics into awareness, allowing you to respond to life more intentionally rather than reacting from old wounds. Over time, this process creates space for emotional clarity, self-compassion, and lasting change.
Create a Grounding Ritual Anchored in Self-Compassion
When you feel overwhelmed between sessions and the emotional start to escalate, there are some grounding activities you can engage in to find stability. The most effective and accessible way is deep breathing. Allowing yourself to take a deep inhale and hold for 7 seconds and exhale using your mouth or even a loud exhale, can activate your parasympathetic nervous system also known as the “rest and digest” which helps you slow down. You can quickly feel a release in tension and overwhelm. You might also find some relief and stability in mindfulness. Taking some time to notice and observe what is around you by merely describing what is in front of you, taking in the sight, sound, smell, and maybe even the taste can bring you in the here and now and not get lost and tangled in your thoughts.
Healing is rarely—if ever—linear. It’s not a straightforward journey. Sometimes, you might feel worse before you feel better, and progress may take longer than expected.
Whatever your experience, your journey is unique and meaningful. The ups and downs, the emotional turbulence you feel during therapy—it's all part of the process.
Trusting the path toward lasting change and healing isn’t easy. Therapy can feel like a long, winding ride, filled with bumps and unexpected turns. At times, it may seem like you’re not even on the road you thought you’d take. But with the support of your therapist and your own inner wisdom, you can move toward greater clarity, understanding, and growth.