“It is not enough to take steps which may someday lead to a goal; each step must be itself a goal and a step likewise.”

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (Medhi, 2020)

Well, it has finally happened. 2020 is a thing of the past. For many, a new year signifies a fresh outlook, one aimed at optimism and self-improvement. While ambitious “resolutions” challenge us to meet huge achievements, it is important that we never underestimate the value of more attainable plans, ones that have both short- and long- term benefits. We in the therapy business refer to these plans as “Goals and Objectives.” If you have ever created a treatment plan with a therapist, this may sound familiar.

What Are Goals and Objectives?

In forming a treatment plan, counselors and clients collaborate to create goals and objectives— the building blocks for psychological improvement. Goals are the broad, long-term accomplishments clients wish to accomplish in order to improve their lives (“Treatment Plans,” 2019). There is no “right” or “wrong” approach to forming goals, provided they are adequately specific, realistic, and directed at improving the client’s wellbeing. Objectives are the smaller, measurable steps that clients take to achieve their goals (“Treatment Plans,” 2019).

By Way of An Example…

Let’s take a look at a client named Martha. Over the past year, Martha experienced a romantic break-up, was laid off from work, developed an addiction to alcohol, and has been threatened with eviction. What started as manageable life stress has spiraled into a mental condition so painful and dysfunctional Martha rarely leaves her bed. For these reasons, she is seeking psychotherapy.

As soon as Martha starts talking about her problems, it becomes clear that she hasn’t the first idea of how to begin fixing them. Life feels overwhelming and hopeless, like a ball of tangled, knotted yarn.

In forming goals and objectives, the therapist might begin by looking at how Martha’s problems interconnect. The more Martha talks, the clearer it becomes that her troubles started with her break-up. To deal with the loss, she started drinking heavily to relieve emotional discomfort, which led to her work quality declining. This, in turn, led to her lay-off. When Martha was laid off, the drinking increased, thus making it more difficult for her to find new work. A lack of funds resulted in falling behind on her rent, which led to eviction threats. Granted, not all balls of yarn are as easy to dissect as Martha’s. But the important take-away here is that, by looking at the broader picture of what brings a client to therapy, the counselor puts the problems in a more manageable perspective. This, in turn, facilitates goal and objective setting.

So how does Martha begin to tackle her ball of yarn? The obvious answer is… one thread at a time.

Starting at the foundation of the problem— Martha is suffering from emotional distress (unresolved grief) over her lost relationship, which has contributed to an increased dependence on alcohol. While there are likely other complicating factors at play, these two issues are largely responsible for her overall dysfunction.

In creating a treatment plan for Martha, one might begin with goals and objectives surrounding these two core issues.

What Would Martha’s Treatment Plan Look Like?

Keeping in mind the sources of Martha’s distress, the counselor would start by helping Martha identify her broader goals for therapy— the building blocks of accomplishment that would signify that her situation was improving.

If Martha were to begin her therapeutic journey by addressing her emotional distress over the break-up and her alcohol abuse, her goals might look like this:

Goal 1: I will process the loss of my romantic relationship. 

Goal 2: I will refrain from using alcohol for at least one year. 

These are solid goals, but how will Martha go about accomplishing them? This is where objectives come into play.

For Martha, her objectives (as they connect to her goals) might look like this:

Goal 1: I will process the loss of my romantic relationship. 

Objective 1: Each day, I will write down three negative emotions that I experience when I think about my lost relationship. (NOTE: This type of objective helps clients become more cognizant of their emotions and more proficient at labeling them. This empowers the client, leading to better emotional processing.)

Objective 2: Over the next month, I will write a letter to my ex, processing what the relationship signified in my life, identifying at least three aspects of the relationship that I am grieving.  (NOTE: Clients are never forced to send therapy letters. The writing process itself is therapeutic!)

Goal 2: I will refrain from using alcohol for at least one year. 

Objective 1: I will submit to 2-3 urine screenings per month. (NOTE: This type of objective is more common with mandated clients, but should not be discounted for anyone dealing with addiction. It is never a punishment, but a source of accountability.)

Objective 2: I will identify 3-5 ways that alcohol consumption temporarily relieved emotional discomfort. (NOTE: Keep in mind, substance abuse, though destructive, is a coping tool. It is what addicted clients have relied on for months/years to deal with emotional challenges. Understanding the place that substances held in their lives is a crucial step towards finding newer, healthier means of relieving emotional distress.)

So there you have it. Two perfectly attainable goals (one addressing mental health, the other addressing substance abuse), each comprised of two measurable objectives. If Martha sticks to her treatment plan, accomplishing goals one objective at a time, she will eventually see improvements in many aspects of her life.

A Few Final Words…

Goals and objectives serve as a starting point for clients who believe that their problems are just too big, overwhelming, and hopeless to be tackled. Creating goals and objectives, however big or small, is the first step towards developing a roadmap of self-improvement.

As you move forward into 2021, consider challenging yourself to create goals and objectives of your own. The results might just amaze you.

Courtesy: Gwendolyn Brown, M.S.

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