Weekend Counseling: What is it and what should I expect?

What exactly is weekend counseling, you ask? 

Well, it’s pretty self-explanatory – therapy sessions occur on Saturdays or Sundays instead of during the workweek grind. Weekdays and evenings may be challenging for you to step aside and focus on yourself. And you no longer have to come up with the awkwardly sneaking out of the office for a “dentist appointment” only to end up on your therapist’s couch. The weekend counseling allows you to get your therapy session on your calendar without worrying about that stack of unanswered emails glaring at you from your desk.  If you are in California, you can schedule with one of our therapists.

What should you expect from a weekend therapy session? 

First off, great job at reading this article and trying to figure out what is going to work for your current life situation. Starting individual therapy or couples counseling can take a lot of guts. Did you know couples talk about going to therapy for 6 years until they actually push the schedule button? It is true. We can toss around the idea of starting psychotherapy for years and never take action.You may want to try reading another book or watch more TikToks to learn strategies to handle the same issue you’ve struggled with for years. We get it. But most of the time the issue never gets fully resolved and actually gets worse over the years. So great job at looking into therapy – and counseling on the weekends might be just what you need. 

With weekend counseling, you leave your weekday mindset at the door. This isn’t your typical nine-to-five routine, so don’t expect your therapist to adhere to it either. Weekend counselors tend to be a bit more laid-back, which means you can arrive in your workout gear or beach attire (for us in Sunny San Diego folks) and get straight to the real talk. The front desk admin won’t be at the front door and the waiting room might be less busy. 

Many people have the idea of the stereotypical image of therapy where you lay on a couch and spill your guts while your therapist nods along silently. We have all seen it in the movies (and it makes our therapists here at Estes Therapy sick!). The psychotherapy at Estes Therapy is focused on getting to the root of the issue quickly, and setting up goals. The therapists are active in the session and want to help make long-term changes without putting a bandaid on the issue. With the therapy on the weekend, it is more like having a heart-to-heart with a friend who just so happens to have a fancy Master’s degree or Doctorate in psychology. Expect a healthy dose of humor, and maybe even a few swear words thrown in for good measure.

Secondly, don’t worry about feeling judged or misunderstood by your therapist– we have seen it all. Clients often come into therapy, afraid of sharing the utmost struggle in fear of judgment from the therapist (especially since they have been so ashamed of what is going on). There’s nothing you can say that will shock or surprise the counselor. Trust us! We really have seen it all. So go ahead, let it all out. After all, that’s what they’re here for.

But perhaps the best part of weekend counseling is the flexibility it offers. No more rushing to fit therapy into your already jam-packed schedule. With weekend counseling sessions, you can take your time and really delve into the issues that matter most to you (and your mental health). Unlike weekday therapy sessions, you’ll have the rest of the weekend to decompress and put your newfound insights into action. You don’t have to rush back into work and barrier your newfound insights by sorting your never-ending list of emails. 

Which therapists work on the weekends? 

At Estes Therapy in sunny San Diego, we’ve got your weekend therapy needs covered by two talented mental health clinicians on Saturdays and Sundays. Below you can learn about the therapists available for Saturday or Sunday sessions.