Why Consider Online Therapy?

Why Consider Online Therapy? 

Since COVID, online therapy has become a popular and often preferred avenue to participate in therapy.  Whether referred to as virtual therapy, tele-therapy, telehealth counseling, telemental health, e-therapy, etc., it has numerous benefits and some advantages over in-office therapy.   

Accessibility 

First, let’s talk about accessibility.  If you live in a rural area, it may be a very long commute to find a therapist that is a good fit for you.  Likewise, if you live in a metropolitan area, traffic may make your commute lengthy as well, especially if you are seeking therapy that is after normal work hours leaving you to deal with rush hour traffic.  The additional driving time may also make it more difficult to find a therapist with sessions available that late in the day. 

If you are having issues with mobility, disability, or chronic illness, online therapy may mean the difference between something you look forward to or something you may partially dread due to the drive to an office for therapy, sitting in a waiting room, etc. 

If you are seeking a very specific type of therapy that you cannot find locally, virtual therapy also opens up your therapeutic search tremendously to any therapist who is qualified to practice within your state.  As long as they are licensed to practice in the state where you reside, they can perform virtual therapy with you from anywhere in the world. 

Additionally, if you were to go to another part of the state, say to visit relatives or vacation for a prolonged period of time, or even if you moved to a different town or city, you could continue sessions with your same therapist, instead of needing to find a new one, as would be the case with a therapist who only sees clients in their office.  If you have been seeing a therapist for a certain period of time, have built a rapport and trust-based relationship, you may be more comfortable continuing to see that therapist; therefore, if you do decide on in-office therapy and there is any chance of not being able to attend in office at some point, it may benefit you if they also do online therapy for consistency. 

Convenience 

Next, let’s talk about convenience.  Online therapists are more likely to offer evening and weekend hours, making scheduling around a typical 9-5 job or childcare more convenient.  Not having the added commute time to and from an in-office visit also opens up the opportunity to have a therapeutic session from a private office, parked car, or your own home over your lunch break or while your children are in school. 

A comfortable environment is helpful in improving the therapeutic process.  Often people may feel more stressed to be in an office setting for therapy.  Being in an office waiting area, especially with strangers, and then entering a therapeutic office may feel impersonal, cold, or business-like.  In contrast, when you are at home or another place of your choosing and are feeling comfortable and secure in your surroundings, you will likely be more open to the therapeutic process and may make progress towards your goals more quickly. 

Cost Benefits 

Attending online therapy also has obvious financial savings.  There is no wear-and-tear on your vehicle, no gas expense, no tolls, no parking fees, etc. If you don’t have a vehicle or you can’t or prefer not to drive, there are no Uber, Lyft, or taxi expenses (and no need to ask a friend or family member to drive you). 

If you have young children, you don’t have the added expense of a babysitter.  As stated earlier, you could attend sessions while they are in school; or if they are younger, some parents may choose to attend sessions during nap time. 

If the cost of therapy itself is an issue due to a high insurance deductible or copays, lack of insurance, or other financial constraints, there is also an online platform called Open Path Psychotherapy Collective where you can search for a therapist that is a good fit for you and who has agreed to accept clients in need at substantially decreased rates.Home - Open Path Psychotherapy Collective.  (Open Path Psychotherapy Collective has a one-time fee for a lifetime subscription and includes both therapists who are available for online therapy and in-person.) 

Anonymity 

Though the stigma against therapy has lessened somewhat over time with more people (including celebrities) verbalizing their experiences with issues they have needed to overcome and how therapy has helped them, the stigma still exists.  This makes some people uncomfortable to be seen either entering a therapy clinic or in the waiting room around strangers or possibly neighbors or peers.  Online therapy offers complete clinical anonymity.  Once again, one of the goals of therapy is to reduce stress, not increase it unnecessarily. 

Online psychotherapy is performed using HIPAA-compliant encryption to keep your personal health information and conversations secure and confidential. 

Effectiveness 

“But is online therapy as effective as in-office therapy?” you might ask.  According to scientific literature (1752882060633.pdf), “online therapy via videoconferencing is successful, at least to the level of face-to-face therapy, and sometimes even producing superior results” (Berryhill, Culmer, et al., 2018; Berryhill, Halli-Tierney, et al., 2018; Matsumoto et al., 2021; McClellan et al., 2022; Rees & Maclaine, 2015). 

Personally, I believe that going into a therapy office can sometimes feel like going to a doctor’s appointment or dental appointment, where you may feel vulnerable or stressed because you believe you have something to be “fixed”, whereas a more comfortable environment that was chosen by you may instead bring feelings of empowerment, openness, and anticipation for the gains you could make. From needing to plan how long it will take to get there, using whatever method of transportation you have chosen, waiting to be seen, and then entering someone’s office, it may place a certain amount of pressure on you to perform well because of the time and effort you have already invested to get to the appointment.  Once in the provider’s office, it will likely take some time before you feel entirely comfortable in that setting, and doubtfully ever as comfortable as you would in a setting of your own choosing (for example, talking to your therapist while sitting on your couch and sipping a cup of tea with your cat on your lap or sitting in a lawn chair on your back porch in the fresh air).  That added comfort and lack of going out of your way to get to your appointment may put you more at ease sooner, which can contribute positively to your therapy experience. I believe that a more relaxed state can give you a better feel of collaboration with your therapist. Also, therapy sessions can run over, given the nature of the field, and instead of waiting in a waiting room and possibly becoming more stressed, your therapist can notify you electronically of the delay, and you can wait peacefully in your chosen location. 

Online therapy (teletherapy) has been shown to be highly effective in treating a multitude of mental health issues including the following: 

• Mood and anxiety disorders such as depression, general anxiety disorder (GAD), panic disorder, and social anxiety. 

• Trauma and stress issues such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), or issues of acute or general stress. 

• Life transitions such as determining a career choice, changing careers, or navigating retirement. 

• Relationship Issues between family members or couples. 

• Behavioral or habit issues such as anger management, addiction, or insomnia. 

• Issues of chronic pain or health challenges. 

  
  

Online therapy can also be a good option for those with social anxiety, agoraphobia, or LGBTQIA individuals seeking safe and private care. 

Explaining the possible advantages of online therapy is not to say there are never situations that may be more appropriate for in-person therapy, including those in which individuals are experiencing severe mental health conditions such as schizophrenia or those at risk of self-harm, suicide, or severe substance abuse that require immediate direct intervention and crisis management.  Children also benefit from in-person interaction for processing through play therapy and to maintain focus, especially with a diagnosis of ADHD or behavioral issues. In addition, those individuals without reliable internet services and an online device, or who are not comfortable with technology, would be better served with in-person therapy.

Conclusion 

Online therapy is a convenient, effective, private method to receive counseling for a wide range of issues that may be challenging or stressful to you.  If I might be able to help you in any way, please call, email, or schedule a free 15-minute consultation.