The Limits of Short-Term Therapy: Why 8 Sessions Often Isn’t Enough

In the UK, Talking Therapies (formerly IAPT) often offers a starting package of 6 to 8 sessions, usually based on a cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) model. For some, this may be a helpful introduction to therapy. But for many others, especially those with more complex emotional or relational histories, this brief model may not be enough.

Short-Term Therapy Can Be a Start — But Not Always a Solution

It’s common to believe that a short burst of therapy can fix a problem. And sometimes, especially in moments of acute distress, a few sessions can offer relief, coping tools, or validation. But meaningful and lasting change usually takes more time, especially when symptoms are rooted in longstanding patterns, early life experiences, or unresolved emotional conflicts (Leichsenring & Rabung, 2011).

Emotional Complexity Can’t Be Rushed

Depression, anxiety, and relational difficulties are rarely surface-level issues. Often, they stem from deeper experiences: developmental trauma, insecure attachment, grief, shame, or learned coping mechanisms that no longer serve us. These patterns aren’t undone in eight sessions. They need space, relationship, and time (Otte et al., 2016).

Psychotherapy isn’t like taking a pill. It’s not about symptom suppression. It’s about learning to understand yourself in a new way — and that takes repetition, exploration, and integration (Prochaska & Norcross, 2018).

Why Fixed Session Limits Can Be Harmful

Shedler (2021) warns that imposing artificial limits on therapy can be harmful, especially for people with a history of relational loss or abandonment. Ending therapy too early can re-enact these wounds, reinforcing the idea that closeness is short-lived or unsafe. A system built for throughput and cost-efficiency may miss this.

While brief interventions can have value, therapy is most transformative when it meets people where they are — not when it assumes everyone fits the same model (Norcross & Wampold, 2018).

Therapy Works Best When It’s Responsive and Relational

Effective therapy is responsive, not rigid. It adapts to the person, not the protocol. While CBT in 8 sessions might work well for some, others may need a different pace, a different modality, or simply more time. Depth work, like psychodynamic therapy, often unfolds slowly and organically. The relationship itself is part of the healing process.

Working Together

I work with people who are looking for something more than quick fixes. If you’ve tried short-term therapy and found it helpful but limited, or if you’re ready to go deeper, psychodynamic therapy may be a good fit. There’s no rush. No fixed script. Just space to explore, reflect, and gradually shift the patterns that hold you back.

You're welcome to get in touch for an initial conversation.

References

Clark, D.M., 2018. Realizing the mass public benefit of evidence-based psychological therapies: The IAPT program. Annual Review of Clinical Psychology, 14, pp.159-183.

Lambert, M.J., 2013. The efficacy and effectiveness of psychotherapy. In M.J. Lambert (Ed.), Bergin and Garfield's handbook of psychotherapy and behavior change (6th ed., pp. 169-218). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.

Layard, R. and Clark, D.M., 2014. Thrive: The power of evidence-based psychological therapies. London: Penguin.

Leichsenring, F. and Rabung, S., 2011. Long-term psychodynamic psychotherapy in complex mental disorders: Update of a meta-analysis. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 199(1), pp.15-22.

Norcross, J.C. and Wampold, B.E., 2018. A new therapy for each patient: Evidence‐based relationships and responsiveness. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 74(11), pp.1889-1906.

Otte, C., Gold, S.M., Penninx, B.W., Pariante, C.M., Etkin, A., Fava, M., Mohr, D.C. and Schatzberg, A.F., 2016. Major depressive disorder. Nature Reviews Disease Primers, 2(1), pp.1-20.

Prochaska, J.O. and Norcross, J.C., 2018. Systems of psychotherapy: A transtheoretical analysis. Oxford University Press.

Shedler, J., 2021. The Personality Syndromes. In R.E. Feinstein (ed.) Personality Disorders. Oxford University Press, pp. 3-32.