How Long does Psychoanalytic Therapy take?
There is no time limit on psychoanalytic therapy. Some patients may have benefits in a short period of time (six months or less), and others may wish to continue treatment for some years. The average patient remains in therapy for a minimum of two years. Staying in therapy longer is neither a sign of excessive dependence nor severity of illness. It takes a lifetime to develop the attitudes and character traits that contribute to emotional stress, and generally, although not always, time is required for change. A therapist of any persuasion who promises change in a specified period of time is not being completely honest.
