Research studies consistently show that the most important thing in a relationship with your psychologist is not the theoretical orientation or intervention used, but the quality of the relationship.  If you do not like and trust your psychologist on a basic level, the help is going to be ineffective.

With that said, as a patient or client, most of what happens in therapy depends on you. You are hiring your therapist to help you change things in your life. It is important to be completely honest with your therapist. He or she can’t help you if you withhold important information. At times, the counselor may invite a family member or significant other into the session with you to get another perspective.

Take some time after the session to review what was said and to think about how to act on it. A therapy session usually lasts under an hour, but you have many more hours in the week to follow-up on what was said. Be sure to do any homework that you were asked to do. Not all therapists assign tasks to do between sessions, but when they are assigned they are important to the process.

Pay attention to your thoughts and emotions between sessions. Let your therapist know about any patterns that you feel or observe, especially anything out of the ordinary.  Make notes and take them to the session.  Journaling can be very helpful.

Your relationship with your psychologist is a partnership. It is always most effective when you are an active partner.