Online Therapy: Is it for you?

Online therapy offers a convenient and often cost-effective alternative to in-person visits to counselling centres or therapists for mental health assistance. Depending on your needs and preferences, you can communicate with your therapist via text, phone, or video call, all from the comfort of your own space.

Online therapy provides comprehensive support for a wide range of issues, from eating disorders, trauma, relationship problems, life transitions, depression, anxiety, stress, anger management, insomnia, panic attacks, and more. It’s a safe and supportive environment for addressing your mental health concerns.

While some online therapy platforms charge a monthly subscription fee that typically covers one video therapy session per week with your therapist, others only allow you to purchase one video therapy session at a time. If you feel better with continuous communication with your therapist, consider using a platform offering this subscription option.

Some websites, like Hope Trust, emphasise the skill-building aspects of therapy. They provide resources like journals, activities to help you schedule and monitor specific behaviours, worksheets your therapist reviews, and even yoga videos.

Which Is Better—Video, Phone, or Chat?

Every [communication] format is essential to the overall therapeutic process. “We prefer video for anything that requires a lot of processing, such as trying to resolve trauma, delving into the causes of addictions or eating disorders, or any other type of deep work.” You must be able to recognise and interpret body language.

In the meantime, texting is a great way to check in regarding developing and applying new skills. Dialectical behaviour therapy frequently uses texting or check-ins between live sessions to support the client’s practice of evidence-based skills when facing challenging circumstances.

The best online therapy platforms allow users to access licensed professionals such as marriage and family therapists, psychologists, psychiatrists, and professional addiction counsellors. These professionals have the qualifications and experience to provide practical mental health support.

How to Pick the Best Counselling Online

Because online therapy platforms vary so much in terms of plans and costs, comparing them can be difficult. Here are some methods for choosing the ideal online therapy for you based on our research:

Select the therapy format that you would like to use. That could be a phone call, text chat, live video session, text message exchange, or a combination.

Evaluate your options for a plan based on how much interaction you desire. For instance, if you would like live video sessions, find out how many you will receive each month from the plan, how long they will last (30 minutes vs. 50 minutes), and how much it will cost to add more video sessions.

If you’re unsure, ask customer service to clarify the specifics. Can you put a subscription on hold for a week or two? How do you find another one if you’re dissatisfied with your current therapist?

Recognising the refund policy: Some online therapy sites must make it obvious. You can usually terminate your subscription at the end of the month, but you won’t be reimbursed for the days you didn’t use it.

Verify that you have access to the kind of provider that you desire. For instance, ensure the service offers psychiatrist sessions in your area if that interests you.

Most online therapy platforms allow you to browse through profiles of therapists and choose the one that best suits your needs. You can also request to interview potential therapists to establish a good rapport and feel at ease with this person because you will share private information and work through complex issues together. Enquiring their training background, therapeutic modalities, and approaches to resolving your concerns might be beneficial.

For whom does online therapy work best?

Virtual therapy may be more appropriate for some disorders and issues than others. Online therapy is typically appropriate and effective for treating anxiety disorders, body image problems, and guilt issues. A study published in the Journal of Clinical Psychology suggests that the online therapy format can also be beneficial for people who are looking to grow personally and for the children of alcoholics.

Online Therapy’s Benefits and Drawbacks

Advantages:

Prevents stigma around mental health: Parking outside a counselling centre or therapy office can feel like a public display for individuals who are concerned about stigma, particularly those who reside in close-knit communities. However, in a way that in-person therapy cannot match, online treatment is incredibly discreet.

Practicality and security: A virtual visit can be a good option if you can’t take time off work to travel to and from a mental health professional’s office or if you can’t travel safely in inclement weather.

The feeling of closeness:  Some patients might rather be in their comfortable, familiar home than in an “artificial clinic environment”. Because we’re in each other’s space, she claims that watching a video can sometimes be more intimate than being in the same room. That truly closes the gap as opposed to you entering a clinic office and being in unfamiliar territory.

Comparable results: Research shows that video and in-person visits have the same potential to produce similar outcomes. Improvements in online therapy environments have been at least as remarkable. When comparing face-to-face therapy and telehealth, there is little difference in effectiveness.

Simpler to access: Online therapy can offer a convenient substitute when a person lives far away from the closest counselling centre or therapist’s office.

Very little to no waiting: While paperwork and other bureaucratic obstacles may delay an in-person appointment, a virtual appointment might start on time.

Disadvantages

Communication without words: During a virtual appointment, a therapist might miss nonverbal clues from a patient. A large portion of human communication is nonverbal. In contrast to in-person appointments, where there is a greater physical distance between the therapist and the client, video appointments can offer more visual communication through facial expressions due to the proximity of the camera lens.

Restricted efficacy for certain individuals: Some patients, like some kids or those with autism spectrum disorder, might not benefit much from virtual therapy. Moreover, patients who have dementia or other cognitive disorders might not benefit from virtual sessions unless particular accommodation is made, like having a carer accompany them.

Technology: Conducting virtual therapy with certain patients may be difficult or impossible because their homes lack high-speed internet access or are not tech-savvy.

Seeking a Virtual Counsellor

When choosing an online therapist, consider the following queries:

  • What credentials does the therapist have? Is the therapist qualified? For what length of time have they been in practice?
  • Does the therapist specialise in particular fields, subjects, or mental health-related issues? Are these specialities what you’re looking for?
  • Which therapeutic approach does the therapist use, such as somatic experiencing therapy, psychodynamic therapy, or cognitive behavioural therapy?
  • Will you be asked to sign an informed consent form by the therapist? Patients are educated about treatment alternatives, risks, and benefits through informed consent.
  • If you are having a mental health emergency and are unable to get in touch with your therapist, what would be the backup plan?

Hope Trust is a leading online platform with over 20 years of experience. Click www.hopetrustindia.com for an instant online appointment with a therapist.