While healing is important, some may be hesitant to go to therapy, whether for cultural reasons or fear of what the sessions will uncover. Now, there’s a solution called micro-therapy. Micro-therapy is brief, targeted therapy sessions that focus on addressing specific concerns in a short amount of time. According to therapist Rikki McCoy, sessions can range from 10 to 30 minutes rather than the traditional hour-long sessions. This approach is designed to be accessible, solution-focused, and flexible, making it appealing to people with busy schedules or those who need quick support rather than long-term therapy.
Is Micro-Therapy Helpful?
According to McCoy, she believes micro-therapy can be helpful in the following ways:
- Crisis Support: It offers immediate tools and coping strategies for short-term distress.
- Workplace & Corporate Wellness: Employees can receive quick stress-management techniques.
- Maintenance Between Sessions: It provides support between traditional therapy sessions for ongoing clients.
- Accessibility & Affordability: It can be a lower-cost alternative for those who may not afford full sessions.
Is Micro-Therapy Ethical?
McCoy says micro-therapy can be as ethical as traditional therapy. However, some of the following need to be considered to keep therapy ethical for all, regardless of the length of sessions:
- Clear Scope & Limitations: Clients must understand that micro-therapy is not a substitute for traditional therapy, particularly for deep trauma work.
- Licensing & Boundaries: Therapists must stay within their licensed scope and avoid offering services that require long-term care.
- Informed Consent: Clients should be fully informed about what micro-therapy can and cannot provide.
Is Micro-Therapy Beneficial?
She believes micro-therapy can be very beneficial. “It’s great for stress management, mindfulness, workplace wellness, and short-term problem-solving. It can be harmful and shouldn’t be used to replace long-term therapy, especially for more profound issues. It isn’t a replacement for long-term therapy when clients need in-depth trauma processing, ongoing mental health treatment, or crisis intervention,” she says.
However, there are downsides to micro-therapy to be mindful of:
Limited Depth
- Micro-therapy focuses on short, solution-based interventions, which may not be sufficient for deep emotional processing, trauma healing, or complex mental health issues.
- It can offer temporary relief but might not provide long-term transformation without follow-up.
Ethical Considerations
- There’s a risk of blurring boundaries between coaching and therapy, especially if clients expect long-term healing from short sessions.
- Informed consent is crucial—clients must understand the limitations of micro-therapy and when a whole therapy session is needed.
- Some mental health conditions, like severe depression, PTSD, or personality disorders, require more comprehensive treatment.
Lack of Continuity
- Since sessions are brief and often solution-focused, she believes therapists may not have enough time to build deep rapport with clients. Without consistent follow-ups, clients may struggle to maintain progress between sessions.
Potential for Over-Reliance
- According to McCoy, micro-therapy might make clients depend on quick sessions instead of more in-depth therapy when necessary. Alternatively, organizations offering micro-therapy may see it as a quick fix for employee wellness rather than investing in a long-term mental health strategy.
