That's the internal dialogue behind the question I get from new clients when they ask, "How long will this take?". I can see it in their eyes, the sadness, unease, utter confusion and disillusionment. They come into my office in a dither, or wringing their hands, or slump down into my (super comfy) couch and let out a deep sigh. All signs pointing to a soul carrying too much on their shoulders. As they unload their baggage, I listen, giving them the precious time they need to release and unwind and then I go to work. With many just the opportunity to share their burden allows for a softening and they look instantly lighter for it. For others its clear there is much deeper work to be done. So, as the conversation shifts and our time winds down I smile gently as they look up and ask the question that's weighing on their mind, "how long will this take?".

It's not an easy or straight answer, though there are some general trends for my practice that I can apply.

For most single issues my clients often work with me between 4 to 6 times.

More complicated and deep seated issues can require an additional 4 to 6 weeks.

Once my clients have found success I am happy to see them head off on their own. Though sometimes I have clients return to address new challenges or work on new goals years after our initial appointments. Ultimately my goal is to hand off the tools they've learned so that they can utilize them throughout their lives.

Now, it may seem amazing, even fantasy to think that most if not all of your current problems or goals can be addressed in as little as one month and unless you've walked in my shoes (or those of my successful clients) your doubt is understandable. Still, I promise if you show up and do the work, anything is possible.

So, how can you be sure? How can you know how long it will take, for you? Maybe a better question is, how long has it been since you didn't have this sense of sadness, confusion, unease, and disillusionment? What would it be like if every day you carried a little bit less of the world's problems on your shoulders? How long would you be willing to give yourself to be free of that weight for good?