What to Do After Your Therapy Session: A Complete Self-Care Guide
You've just finished your therapy session. Now what?
Whether you've had your session in-person in Elsternwick or Malvern East, or via telehealth from the comfort of your home, the time immediately after therapy can feel surprisingly disorienting. You might feel raw, emotional, exhausted, or unexpectedly energized. All of these reactions are completely normal.
Many clients tell me they don't know what to do with themselves after a session ends. They jump straight back into work, rush to pick up the kids, or scroll through their phone trying to distract from the emotions that surfaced.
But here's the truth: what you do after your therapy session matters almost as much as what happens during it.
Let me share why post-session self-care is crucial and give you practical strategies to help you integrate your therapeutic work into lasting change.
Why Post-Session Care Matters
Therapy isn't just the 60 minutes you spend in the room (or on the screen for telehealth clients). The real transformation happens in how you process, integrate, and apply what emerged during your session.
During your session, you're stirring up emotions, memories, and insights that may have been buried or avoided. You're examining patterns, challenging beliefs, and exploring vulnerable parts of yourself. That's deep work—and it doesn't just stop when the session ends.
What happens after your session:
Your nervous system may still be activated
Emotions continue to surface and process
Insights deepen and integrate
Your brain is making new connections
You're more vulnerable than usual
This is why rushing straight back into demands and distractions can feel jarring—and why intentional post-session care helps you get the most from your therapeutic work.
Common Post-Therapy Session Feelings
First, let's normalize what you might be experiencing:
Emotional: Raw or tender, sad or tearful, angry, relieved, anxious, vulnerable, hopeful, or numb
Physical: Exhausted or drained, restless energy, tension, headache, heaviness or lightness in your body
Mental: Clarity or insight, confusion, racing thoughts, mental fog, continued processing
All of these are normal. Therapy brings things to the surface, and your system needs time to settle and integrate.
Immediate Self-Care: The First Hour After Your Session
1. Don't Rush Back to Demands
If possible, give yourself 30-60 minutes of buffer time.
For in-person therapy in Elsternwick or Malvern East:
Don't schedule back-to-back commitments
Build in travel time plus transition time
Consider grabbing a coffee and sitting quietly before heading home
Take a walk around the local area before getting in your car
For telehealth/online therapy:
Block out 30 minutes after your session in your calendar
Don't jump straight into work meetings or emails
Close your laptop and step away from screens
Change your physical space if possible
2. Ground Yourself
After stirring up emotions and memories, your nervous system may need grounding.
Quick grounding techniques:
5-4-3-2-1 Sensory Grounding: Name 5 things you can see, 4 you can touch, 3 you can hear, 2 you can smell, 1 you can taste
Physical Grounding: Feel your feet on the floor, press your hands together, hold a cold or warm drink, splash water on your face
Breathing: Box breathing (in for 4, hold for 4, out for 4, hold for 4) or deep belly breaths
3. Hydrate and Nourish
Emotional work is physically draining. Drink water, have a small snack if you're hungry, and avoid immediately reaching for alcohol or substances to numb feelings.
4. Move Your Body Gently
Movement helps process emotions that get stuck in the body.
Good options: Gentle walk, stretching or yoga, dancing to music you love, simple physical tasks
Avoid if it doesn’t feel right: Intense workouts that suppress emotions, or sitting completely still if you feel restless
5. Allow Emotions Without Judgment
If tears come, let them. If anger surfaces, acknowledge it. If you feel nothing, that's okay too.
Remember: Emotions aren't "good" or "bad"—they're information. Your job isn't to fix or stop them, just to allow them to move through you.
Extended Self-Care: The Rest of Your Day
Journal or Reflect
Writing helps integrate insights and process emotions that surfaced.
Helpful prompts: What came up for me today? What felt most significant? What am I noticing in my body? What insights am I making?
You don't need to write a novel—even a few sentences help.
Be Gentle With Yourself
Think of yourself as recovering from emotional surgery.
This might mean: Saying no to social obligations, asking for help, lowering productivity expectations, going to bed early, choosing comforting activities.
Avoid Numbing or Escaping
It's tempting to immediately distract yourself from uncomfortable feelings.
Watch out for: Hours of mindless scrolling, binge drinking or substance use, overworking, compulsive shopping or eating, picking fights
Instead, try: Sitting with discomfort for even 5 minutes, calling a supportive friend, engaging in mindful activities (cooking, gardening, creating art), gentle self-soothing (warm bath, cozy blanket, favorite tea)
Connect (If It Feels Right)
Some people need solitude after therapy. Others need connection. Know your needs and honor them.
Special Considerations for Telehealth Therapy
Online therapy offers incredible convenience and accessibility, but it requires extra intentionality around post-session care.
Challenges: You're in your home/office, surrounded by normal responsibilities. There's no transition time or drive home to decompress.
Solutions:
Create physical transition: Move to a different room, go outside for 5 minutes, change your clothes, open a window
Use ritual to mark the end: Light a candle at the start and blow it out at the end, have a specific post-therapy tea, play a particular song
Protect your time: Put "DO NOT DISTURB" on your door, set expectations with housemates/family, block your calendar for buffer time
Leverage the comfort of home: Change into cozy clothes, wrap yourself in a soft blanket, spend time with pets, move to your most comforting space
What to Do If You Feel Worse After Therapy
This is normal, especially in the beginning. Therapy often feels worse before it feels better because you're facing things you've been avoiding and feeling emotions you've been suppressing.
When to reach out to your therapist: If you're experiencing suicidal thoughts, self-harm urges, overwhelming distress that isn't settling, or feeling unsafe.
Most therapists (including myself) welcome check-ins between sessions if you're struggling.
Between Sessions: Ongoing Integration
The work doesn't stop when you leave the therapy room.
Continue processing: Notice patterns in your daily life, apply insights to current situations, practice skills discussed, journal about what comes up
Practice new behaviors: Small steps matter—setting one boundary, trying one new coping strategy, noticing one trigger before reacting
Track your progress: Note how you're feeling week to week, situations that triggered you, moments of progress or insight
Be patient with yourself: Healing isn't linear. You'll have good days and hard days, breakthroughs and setbacks. All of this is normal.
Creating Your Personal Post-Session Ritual
Everyone's self-care needs are different. Consider: Do I need solitude or connection? What helps me feel grounded? What soothes my nervous system?
Sample rituals:
The Gentle Transition (30 minutes): Deep breathing, walk around the block, journal key insights, hydrate and have a snack
The Cozy Integration (45 minutes): Change into comfortable clothes, make tea, sit somewhere comfortable and just be, journal or doodle, gentle stretching
The Active Processor (1 hour): Walk in nature, voice memo your thoughts, stop for coffee, journal when you get home, shower or bath
Experiment and adjust until you find what works for you.
Self-Care Resources in Elsternwick and Malvern East
If you attend in-person therapy, consider:
Walking in local parks and gardens
Sitting in a quiet cafe
Finding a peaceful bench or green space
Treating yourself to something small and comforting
The beauty of these suburbs: There are quiet, accessible spaces to process and decompress nearby.
Final Thoughts: You're Doing Hard Work
If you're in therapy, you're doing one of the hardest, bravest things a person can do: facing yourself honestly and working toward change.
That deserves care, respect, and gentleness.
Post-session self-care isn't indulgent or optional—it's essential. It's how you honor the vulnerability of the work, support your nervous system, and integrate insights into lasting change.
Remember:
Therapy stirs things up—that's the point
Feeling tender after a session is normal
Your job is to create space for integration
Healing takes time and patience
You deserve care and support
Whether you're seeing a therapist in person in Elsternwick or Malvern East, or connecting via telehealth from anywhere, please give yourself the gift of time and gentleness after your sessions.
Your future self will thank you.
Ready to Start Your Therapy Journey?
I'm Indi Bruch, an integrative psychotherapist offering both in-person therapy in Elsternwick and Malvern East and telehealth sessions across Australia for adults navigating anxiety, depression, trauma, relationship challenges, and life transitions.
What you can expect:
Trauma-informed, compassionate care
Flexible approach tailored to your needs
Safe, non-judgmental space
Support for post-session integration
Currently accepting new clients for both in-person and online/telehealth sessions.
📧 Book your free consultation: www.indibruch.com.au
You don't have to do this alone. Let's talk.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long should I wait before returning to normal activities after therapy? Ideally, give yourself 30-60 minutes of buffer time. At minimum, 15 minutes of grounding and transition time can help.
Is it normal to feel worse after therapy? Yes, especially in the beginning. Therapy brings difficult emotions to the surface. This usually means the therapy is working. However, if you feel unsafe or overwhelmed, contact your therapist.
What if I can't take time off work for therapy? Consider telehealth/online therapy during lunch breaks or early morning, schedule sessions at the end of your workday, or use personal time for therapy appointments—your mental health is health.
Can I contact my therapist between sessions if I'm struggling? Most therapists welcome appropriate between-session contact, especially if you're experiencing a crisis or significant distress. Check your therapist's policy.
