Celebrating Small Wins in Counseling
Written by Dina Scott, August 2025
“Counseling is a process” is a phrase we have all heard (and probably said). Part of that process is setting goals to work towards. Clients and counselors work together to develop steps that help the client achieve their therapeutic goals. They enable counselors to have a clear treatment direction and a method to measure progress throughout the process. They also allow clients to remain motivated and understand what it is they are working towards. We have long-term goals and short-term goals, but what happens in the in between? What keeps clients motivated and focused when the end of the process seems so far away?
I started using the phrase “small wins” with my friends as we navigated through the difficulties of school, friendships, and family. It was something that helped us find joy in what seemed like mainly negative conversations and rants. We don’t deny the negative, annoying, and frustrating parts of life, but we still acknowledge the good (no matter how small!).
“There’s so much traffic, but at least I can listen to this new album. Small win!”
In the counseling process, those “small wins” can help to highlight the changes that have been made when it feels like progress is slow. They often seem insignificant and happen almost quietly. However, they are the building blocks of long-term change.
Small wins in counseling can look like:
Making a new friend
Identifying a negative thought
Practicing a coping skill when overwhelmed
But why acknowledge these things that seem so small?
When we identify these small wins in counseling, it helps to build the momentum needed for progress. It’s motivating to see that the small things you do can help to reach those long-term goals. The small wins help to support self-efficacy and reframe the counseling journey. As a client, it can feel like you have taken a step beyond the work being done in the counseling session. There are things you can do to reach your goals. As counselors, acknowledging the small wins with the client can help build the therapeutic relationship. Clients feel seen when we acknowledge the work that they have put in.
Small wins are underappreciated but play a vital role in our everyday lives. Acknowledging those small wins can help the counseling progress feel less daunting.
