Therapy is crucial for everyone’s overall health. Working with a therapist can help you overcome addictions, deal with difficult emotions, connect better with friends and family, and strengthen your overall mental health.
Sometimes, however, visiting a therapist can be time-consuming and difficult. Luckily, there is a solution that is becoming more popular – online therapy.
What Exactly is Online Therapy?
Online therapy is similar to traditional therapy, but with one significant difference – it takes place online via internet phone calls, chat, email, and video conferencing. Also known as cyber counseling or e-therapy, online therapy takes patients and connects them to real therapists digitally. Instead of you having to schedule an in-person appointment, you meet with your therapist online and get the support and advice you need over the internet.
When choosing online therapy, there are some things that one needs to consider. We will look at these things in the section that follows.
What to Consider When Choosing Online Therapy
Will You Get What You Need?
If you are comfortable with using the internet, online therapy can be extremely convenient. However, before deciding to work with a particular online therapy service, do your research to determine whether you will get the services you need.
Clients usually do not receive a diagnosis until their first therapy session. However, there are ways of forming ideas beforehand. For example, try researching the issues or symptoms you have been struggling for a long time. If it seems like you have depression, find an online therapy service that offers depression services. Maybe you need help dealing with a big event such as job change, death of a family member, or divorce. Some therapists specialize in helping people deal with these changes.
Will the Frequency and Length of Sessions Favor Your Needs?
Most therapy sessions will run for approximately 60 minutes (1 hour). Maybe you want more time or less. Some clients will want to meet once per week, while others will prefer talking to their therapist once per month. Then there are online therapy services that use apps that allow their clients to text them whenever they want help.
Figure out which schedule will work for you. Next, figure out whether the online therapy service can work with your schedule. This should help you get maximum benefits from your sessions.
Can You Afford the Therapy Fee?
The amount you pay per session varies significantly depending on your needs and the service provider. Online therapy, however, tends toward the lower price point – this makes it more affordable for most people.
When choosing your therapy service provider, the key is to find a service that can take care of your needs at a price that you can afford. When creating your budget, do not forget to factor in the monthly internet bill and electricity – you will need both for your sessions.
Are You Allowed to Choose Your Therapist?
Different online therapy platforms will have varying procedures. However, there are plenty of reasons why you must have the ability to vet and choose a therapist. Therapy is too personal, even when you are doing it online. Hence, you should be able to talk to some and share you feel comfortable.
It is important to note that you may not always have the ability to select a personal therapist when getting services online. However, whoever you will be working with should be both a great therapist and qualified. To ensure you are dealing with a legit therapist, look for the following before choosing an online therapy service:
- The number of years your therapist has been offering services
- Ask to see the therapist’s credentials if they are not online
- Determine if the therapist is licensed in the state they are currently practicing in
Compared to traditional therapy, online therapy is more readily available. With online therapy, you won’t have to rearrange your work schedule, transportation, or even leave your home. Instead, you can simply talk to your therapist via video calls, emails, chats, etc.
When choosing an online therapy service, you must cross-check the services you need. Also, make sure that you will be working with qualified therapists, the scheduling is ideal for you, and you can afford the service.
