Therapy Practice Between Sessions in Massachusetts

A practical guide to choosing, tracking and discussing between-session practice for co-occurring disorders.

Practicing therapy skills between sessions in Massachusetts should feel connected to your care, not like treating yourself alone. For adults with co-occurring mental health and substance-use concerns, a small, clearly defined practice can give the next session useful information about what helped, what felt difficult and what needs to change.

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A starting point

Practicing therapy skills between sessions can support outpatient care when the activity is specific, manageable and reviewed with a clinician. It might involve noticing a pattern, rehearsing a coping response or recording a question rather than trying to manage co-occurring disorders independently. The right activity depends on the person, current risks and treatment plan. Learn how MVBH approaches care for co-occurring disorders and what to expect from individual therapy. MVBH provides adult outpatient care in Amesbury, MA and is not an emergency or detox service. Call 911 for immediate danger or 988 for urgent crisis support.

Define Useful Practice

What makes between-session therapy practice useful?

Between-session activities should be considered as part of care, not as self-treatment. In co-occurring disorder treatment, discuss how mental health symptoms, substance use, cravings and relapse risk may interact. Individual therapy offers a setting to discuss what is appropriate for you.

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Connect to a goal

The activity should explore one treatment goal and provide relevant information for the next session.

Keep it manageable

Clarify a reasonable stopping point so practice does not become an open-ended test of willpower or endurance.

Know when to stop

Ask your treating professional which activities may be unsuitable for your symptoms, substance use, cravings, relapse risk or other circumstances.

Why guidance matters

The National Institute of Mental Health describes psychotherapy as treatments intended to help people identify and change troubling emotions, thoughts and behaviors. Any activity between appointments should be discussed with your treating professional.

Ask how an activity relates to your care and what to do if concerns arise. The appropriate activity and boundaries depend on individual circumstances.

Compare Practice Types

Types of between-session therapy practice

Between appointments, a treating professional may discuss observing patterns, practicing a selected response or preparing for a conversation. Group therapy and outpatient care may address skills differently. For co-occurring concerns, discuss how mental health symptoms and substance use affect each other rather than treating them separately.

Observe a pattern

A possible observation topic is whether mental health symptoms, substance use, cravings, triggers or consequences appear together.

Rehearse a response

A possible rehearsal topic is a coping response previously discussed with your treating professional.

Prepare to communicate

A possible preparation task captures a short question or example to discuss rather than solving it alone.

How categories differ

Possible topics include patterns you have noticed, coping responses you have discussed, or concerns you want to raise at your next appointment. For co-occurring concerns, include relevant connections among mental health symptoms, substance use, cravings, triggers and consequences.

The appropriate focus depends on your circumstances and care plan. Ask your treating professional what, if anything, to observe or practice and how it should be discussed afterward.

Review What Happened

How should progress, difficulty or new risk be brought back to care?

Review between-session activities with your treating professional. An adult admissions conversation can explain the path into care, and Full Day Treatment describes a more structured outpatient option. New safety concerns need prompt, direct help.

Continue and review

Continue when the purpose is still clear and the experience provides useful information, with limits reviewed before another attempt.

Adapt or replace

Another possibility is simplifying or replacing a practice that is confusing, burdensome or poorly matched to daily circumstances. Difficulty is worth discussing and does not need to be hidden.

Pause and seek help

Pause when the agreed boundary is reached or a safety concern appears. Immediate danger calls for 911; urgent crisis support is available through 988 rather than MVBH’s callback form.

Discuss the outcome

Tell your treating professional whether you completed the activity and raise any questions or concerns. They can discuss what the experience means for your care and whether anything should change.

MVBH is not an emergency service. Call 911 for immediate danger. Call or text 988 for suicidal thoughts or emotional distress.

Plan Before Practice

What should be clear before practicing a skill?

Before practice begins, discuss its purpose and any questions about limits, review or safety. For Half Day Treatment, ask how any activity would relate to your individual care. The MVBH callback option starts a contact request. Enter contact details only, not symptoms, diagnoses, medications, records or other clinical information.

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Plan before starting

Before starting an activity, discuss its purpose and any questions about privacy, safety or fit with your treating professional. Individual circumstances may affect what is appropriate.

Practical fit matters too. SAMHSA’s appointment guidance includes available days and times among care considerations. MVBH admissions can explain current schedules. Eligibility, insurance and personal costs are determined individually.

Use a Clear Sequence

What is a practical sequence for trying and reviewing a skill?

Ask your treating professional whether any between-session activity is appropriate and how it relates to your care. For Virtual IOP, you must be physically in Massachusetts during every live session. An admissions assessment can address individual fit; an inquiry or referral does not confirm admission or a start date.

Clarify one purpose
Before beginning, confirm that you understand the activity and raise any questions with your treating professional.
Try within limits
Follow the activity as discussed with your treating professional. Ask before changing it if you are uncertain about what is appropriate.
Capture a small note
Record a few relevant observations, a barrier or a question. A brief note, including that the practice did not happen, can support a focused conversation.
Review before changing
Bring the result to the treating professional before continuing, adapting, replacing or pausing the activity.

Keep practice connected

Ask your treating professional about the purpose of each between-session activity, how it relates to your treatment goals and how progress will be assessed. Treatment activities should be tailored to your disorder, needs and medical situation.

If an activity does not happen, causes distress or raises concerns, tell your treating professional so the activity and treatment plan can be reviewed.

Your questions

More about Practicing therapy skills between sessions for co-occurring disorders

You can bring your own questions to a conversation with admissions.

Do I need to complete every practice activity perfectly?

No. Between-session practice is not a test you must pass. If you do not complete an activity, discuss what happened with your treating professional. Together, you can consider the appropriate next step rather than assuming treatment has failed.

Should I keep a detailed journal about symptoms, cravings or substance use?

Not automatically. A few neutral words or a brief defined tracker may be enough, and some information may be easier to discuss verbally. The appropriate detail depends on your care plan and privacy preferences. Never submit journals, symptoms, substance-use details, medication information or records through MVBH’s website form. It collects callback contact details only.

Can a support person remind me to practice a therapy skill?

Involving a loved one is an individual decision. Discuss consent, privacy, boundaries and the person’s role with your treating professional before involving them. If anyone is in immediate danger, call 911. For suicidal thoughts or emotional distress, call or text 988.

Can I join virtual care while traveling outside Massachusetts?

No. You must be physically present in Massachusetts for every virtual MVBH session, including while traveling. Virtual IOP is considered only when clinically appropriate, and assessment determines eligibility and program fit. Admissions can explain current scheduling and the proposed care plan. An inquiry or referral does not confirm acceptance or a treatment start, so make travel arrangements with this location requirement in mind.

What if practice brings up immediate danger or a severe crisis?

Do not wait for the next routine appointment or use the website callback form for emergency help. Call 911 when there is immediate danger. Call or text 988 for urgent crisis support. MVBH is an adult outpatient provider, not an emergency, hospital, inpatient, residential, overnight, onsite detox or withdrawal-management service. Follow any current emergency or hospital instructions already provided to you.

Bring the practice question into your care conversation

You can explore MVBH adult outpatient treatment or submit a callback request with contact details only. Admissions can then discuss insurance verification, prescreening, intake and a possible treatment start. Eligibility, costs and timing are determined individually.

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Sources and editorial information

General information supports a conversation with your care team. Your clinical assessment determines treatment fit.

Editorial lead: Tim Francis, SUD and Behavioral Health Expert. AI-assisted drafting supports research and synthesis. This page does not provide individual medical advice.

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