Building a plan to sustain well-being after therapy ends: reviewing progress, spotting early warning signs, and coding self-help strategies.
Step-by-step guide
- Compare the six-dimension ratings: start vs now
- Identify what helped most. Which tools are working?
- List the "red flags": signals that well-being is dropping
- For each flag — a plan: which dimension is slipping? What to do?
- Schedule regular practice: diary, weekly dimensions map
- Agree: when is it worth coming back to the therapist?
When to use
- Phase 3 (closing) — to consolidate gains and prevent relapse
Key phrases
Well-being is not a final achievement. It's a practice you maintain. Let's build a one-page plan: which dimension first shows that you're slipping, what small action responds to it, and when it's time to come back.
Follow-up questions
Which of the six dimensions drops first when you are under stress?
What early signal would you notice within a week?
Which practice from therapy is small enough to keep doing?
At what threshold would you pick up the phone?
Alternative phrasings
Normalize fluctuation. The plan is not for "eternal happiness", it is for resilience.
If we met in six months and things had slipped, what would you wish Past-You had written down today?
Warnings
- ⚠️ Well-being is not "once and for all". Normalize fluctuations.
- ⚠️ The plan is not for eternal happiness, it is for resilience.
Source: Fava et al. 1998; Fava, 2016
Materials are informational and educational and summarize publicly available scientific sources. They are not medical or psychological advice, are not intended for self-diagnosis or self-treatment, and do not replace consultation with a qualified professional.