Why homework?

When we tell our younger patients there’s homework, it’s usually accompanied by a groan, or at least an eye roll – sometimes also from the parents. Once we explain why we assign homework most people understand the import.

Unfortunately most of the time when we ask individuals about previous therapeutic experiences, we hear “we just talked once a week”, and no homework assigned.

Therapy should be an active, engaged behavior that causes change. A parallel to this would be learning a new language from a tutor, or getting in shape with a personal trainer.
• How well would will I learn a new language if I show up once a week for 45 minutes, but don’t do any practice during the week?
• How much weight will I lose if I work with my personal trainer once a week but don’t change my eating or exercise habits outside of that meeting?

Much like these examples, how much change should I expect in my anxiety or OCD if I don’t do anything but show up once a week and listen to a therapist talk?

Homework is a critical component to change: it allows active practice of newly learned skills to become the new habits and impetus to real change.