How to cope between therapy sessions for a calmer mind

Learning how to cope between therapy sessions is one of the most valuable skills you can develop on your healing journey.

When therapy is going well, you can leave the room feeling lighter, clearer, and more hopeful. But there can come a time between those days or weeks before your next session when it can feel hard to stay grounded and hopeful.

I recently spoke about this topic with Winnie Akadjo, founder of Aeli Health. Her work focuses on helping people and therapists create better continuity of care between sessions. Winnie highlighted that what happens outside the therapy room is just as important as what happens inside it.

Therapy opens the door, but you do the walking, and understanding how to cope between therapy sessions helps you keep moving forward.

Here are some simple ways you can support yourself and cope better between therapy sessions:

1. Give yourself time to process
After therapy, emotions can linger. Instead of pushing them away, try giving yourself space to sit quietly and notice what’s coming up. I find that journalling can help untangle your thoughts, even if you just write a few lines about what felt important in the session. This kind of reflection helps you understand how to cope between therapy sessions with more clarity and compassion.

2. Use grounding techniques
When you feel overwhelmed, grounding brings you back to the present moment. Try focusing on your senses, name five things you can see, four you can touch, three you can hear, two you can smell, and one you can taste. It’s a gentle way to remind your body that you’re safe here and now. Grounding is one of the most effective ways to learn how to cope between therapy sessions when emotions rise.

3. Replace unhelpful coping habits
I know how easy it is to fall into habits like overworking, drinking, or scrolling endlessly to numb feelings. Instead, try small changes like taking a walk, breathing deeply, or message a trusted friend. These little acts help you manage rather than avoid your emotions, an essential part of knowing how to cope between therapy sessions in a healthy way.

4. Check in with your therapist if needed
If a session feels especially heavy, it’s okay to reach out. Many therapists will offer a quick check-in or suggest tools to use until your next appointment. Understanding how to cope between therapy sessions also means recognising when to ask for support.

5. Be kind to yourself
Healing takes time. You’re learning new ways to think, feel, and respond, and that’s courageous work. Celebrate the small wins: showing up, reflecting, choosing healthier ways to cope. Every time you practise self-compassion, you strengthen your ability to cope between therapy sessions with confidence and care.

My mission has always been to make therapy accessible to everyone, always. Through my podcast, “Don’t Get a Therapist Yet”, my blogs, and the resources on my website, I want to help you bring these tools into everyday life.

You don’t have to wait until your next session to keep growing, you can start right now, with small, kind steps towards calm.

If you’d like to hear more about this topic and Winnie’s story, listen to our full conversation on the podcast, and explore more tools and reflections.