The Benefits of Online Counselling
Wondering how online therapy works and whether it’s a good option for you?
“ You don’t have to struggle in silence. You can be un-silent. You can live well with a mental health condition, as long as you open up to somebody about it.”
Online counselling has become more widely accepted and recognized as an effective form of mental health support.
The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on mental health worldwide.
The uncertainty and fear caused by the pandemic, along with the social isolation and economic stress, led to an increase in anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues. It also disrupted access to traditional in-person mental health services, as lockdowns and social distancing measures made it challenging to attend in-person sessions.
As a result, online counselling has emerged as a critical resource for mental health support during the pandemic. This shift to online counselling allowed mental health professionals to continue providing therapeutic services to clients while adhering to social distancing guidelines. From there, the increased demand for virtual counselling during the pandemic led to the development of new platforms and technologies to support remote mental health services.
Since then, more and more mental health professionals, practices and organizations have adapted to new technologies, such as teletherapy, video conferencing, and secure messaging, to provide effective counselling and support to clients. As a result, online counselling has become widely accepted and recognized as an effective form of mental health support. More and more countries and insurance plans across the world are now funding virtual mental health services to increase access to mental health care.
Overall, the pandemic highlighted the importance of mental health support and the need for accessible, flexible, and affordable mental health services. Online counselling became an essential resource for many individuals dealing with the challenging times of the pandemic and has become a viable substitute for conventional in-person counselling as a result.
However, some people still hesitate to speak with an online therapist, as they worry counselling through a screen won’t be as effective as in-person. What are the advantages of online sessions over in-person meetings? Do people actually prefer online counselling?
Let’s take a look at online therapy and whether it’s a good option for you…
What’s the difference between online therapy and in-person therapy?
Online therapy provides professional mental health counselling via the internet (usually through live video), messaging app, email or over the phone. Online therapy can also be referred to as: online counselling, virtual therapy, virtual counselling, e-therapy, teletherapy or telemental health. This is where an individual connects with a mental health professional for treatment from the safety and comfort of their own home.
Traditional, in-person therapy takes place in a private physical space (typically an office) where an individual connects with a mental health professional for treatment face-to-face.
Is online therapy effective?
Although it may seem that online therapy is a relatively new form of therapy, there is evidence that online therapy can be just as effective as traditional in-person therapy. Specifically it has been shown that the “peripheral consequences such as decreased cost, better patient-doctor interactions, and higher satisfaction make online therapy a viable, if not preferable choice to traditional in-person medicine.”
And, given the prevalence of mental health disorders that has risen - and continues to rise - amongst young adults, there is a continuing need for innovative and new ways of meet the demands of this online generation.
It’s important to note that while a qualified therapist may use the technology available to help you gain new insights and improve your life, no therapist—online or in-person—can undertake the difficult job of healing and growth for you.
The degree of connection you develop with your therapist, the extent to which you are able to open yourself, and the amount of effort you are ready to put in during the process are ultimately what decide how effectively online therapy will work for you. You will still need to attend your sessions, and put into practice what you're learning in everyday life to adopt the healthy lifestyle choices that will maintain your mental and emotional well-being.
Are there any disadvantages to online therapy?
Online therapy may not be the best option for some people for some of the following reasons.
While connecting by video, email, text or messaging app, may be more comfortable for some - particularly younger people who have grown up with technology - it may feel complicated and overwhelming to others. Speaking of technology, the speed and reliability of the internet connection and devices is important to sustain an uninterrupted video session with a therapist.
There are also those individuals who feel that a significant drawback to online therapy is the therapist’s inability to assess your body language and tone of voice due to the lack of in-person engagement. This may make it much more difficult for certain individuals to establish a relationship with their therapist that is essential to success.
As a result, it’s important to note that the advantages and disadvantages of online treatment in relation to in-person therapy varies depending on the form it takes. Some mental health professionals communicate with patients using third-party websites, apps or directories, with some of these programs only provide messaging or real-time texting between a client and therapist. For online therapy to be effective, ‘face-to-face’ video engagement is needed to help develop an emotional connection between client and therapist.
Finding the best therapist for you is the essential to any sort of therapy, whether it be online or in person. Qualifications, experience, and philosophies can all be significant, but the quality of your relationship with the therapist will frequently determine how effective your therapy is.
It’s important to know that the risk of using an unqualified or dishonest provider exists with every online service. It is essential to always examine a therapist's or organization’s credentials to ensure that they are reputable, qualified mental health care providers. If these online providers are based in countries other than Canada - like the U.S or the U.K - the services offered may not be covered by Canadian health insurance companies or programs as they are not accredited by a professional organization like the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario or the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers.
What are the benefits of online therapy?
Increased accessibility.
People now have greater access to mental health services because of online counselling.
Accessing mental health care can be extremely difficult for people who live in remote or rural regions and / or those who have mobility limitations or transportation issues. Online counselling has become an effective alternative for people who might not have access to traditional in-person counselling because it can be accessed from anywhere with an internet connection.
No matter where you live, the larger pool of mental health professionals online increases the chances of finding a therapist who has dealt with problems similar to yours in the past. (While in theory you have access to therapeutic services from all over the world - as we noted earlier - you are limited to providers licensed in the province or country where you live.)
Another significant advantage of online therapy is that it's much simpler to ‘try out’ a therapist until you discover the best fit for you.
Convenience.
Online counselling provides convenience and flexibility.
People can access mental health services from the convenience of their own homes through online counselling. As mentioned previously, this is important for those who may live in remote areas, have mobility limitations or transportation issues.
It also means that if you have a fast Internet connection, you can get treatment through online counselling from any location. You don't have to waste time or money getting to and from sessions, deal with traffic or public transportation, parking, waiting in a waiting area, paying for child care, or taking time off of work. The convenience of online treatment eliminates many of the barriers that keep people from seeking in-person counselling in the first place.
Safety and comfort.
Online counselling can be an ideal solution.
Handling challenging emotions that may surface during a counselling session and being vulnerable is no easy task. It is often easier emotionally for individuals to see their therapist online instead - from the comfort and security of their own home.
This is particularly relevant for those who struggle to leave their home due to mobility challenges, a chronic disease, or a condition like agoraphobia or social anxiety disorder.
Increased anonymity and privacy.
An individual's confidentiality and privacy are secure when receiving counselling online.
The stigma associated with mental illness can still be a major deterrent for some people to get the care they need. Online counselling allows individuals the opportunity to get the mental health treatments they need in an anonymous manner, enabling them to do so without worrying about stigma or criticism.
For some, it’s simpler to undergo treatment anonymously online than it is to see a therapist face-to-face. When you connect online, you never have to worry about running into a familiar face, in the waiting area or parking lot of your therapist.
Cost-effective.
Online counselling can be a cost-effective alternative to traditional in-person counselling.
Online counsellors can frequently provide services at a lower cost than conventional in-person counsellors because they do not require a physical location. For those who might not have the financial means to obtain conventional in-person counseling, this increases access to and affordability of mental health care.
As well, there are the associated expenses of getting to and from in-person therapy - child care, taking time off work, gas and parking - that online counselling doesn’t require.
Improved continuity of care.
Online counselling supports continuous progress towards healing.
When meeting in-person there are specific boundaries that may make continuous therapy more difficult. For example physical locations tend to have fewer ‘after hours or weekend sessions’ which may require taking time off work - impacting the ability to attend therapy consistently and affordably. However, for those who receive mental health care online, it is easier to schedule and maintain the continuity of care as there tends to be more flexibility in terms of the time required. For example, you could have an online counselling session during your lunch hour - instead of having to take a half-day off for an in-person appointment.
As well, if an in-person therapist decides to relocate to a different place, this will result in interrupted care. The client is now responsible for finding a new therapist in their community. Whereas the ‘physical location’ of your online therapist (or yourself) does not impact the consistency or availability of care. With online counselling, a client can be on vacation and still access care. With online counselling, a therapist could live in another country and still provide care - as long as they are registered and qualified to do so by the province / state and country that the client lives in.
Your present circumstances don’t determine where you go: they merely determine where you start.
DR. LAUREN FOGEL MERSY
What do you want to achieve from therapy?
Whether or not you decide to move forward with online or in-person therapy, the clearer you are about your goals for starting therapy, the easier it will be to ensure you’re getting the most out of the process.
Online counselling has the potential to drastically enhance mental health outcomes for people across Canada as it continues to grow in popularity. It provides better cost-effectiveness, convenience, anonymity, and privacy as well as increased accessibility. With online therapy, people can get the mental health care they require without the obstacles that conventional in-person counselling frequently presents.
It can take some time and effort to find the best online therapist, so don't be shy about reading reviews, asking questions, and taking advantage of any free initial sessions. It's crucial to pick an online therapist who you feel understood, supported, and cared about because they will be your partner in therapy, recovery, and progress. You must feel comfortable sharing private and frequently challenging topics with this individual and be able to be open and honest about your thoughts and feelings. The more open and honest you are, the better your therapist will be able to help you.
If you’re interested in seeing whether or not online therapy at Cherry Tree Counselling is right for you, we offer free 15 minute consultations.
Connect with us and let’s talk about how we can help you.
