Does Online Therapy Work?

Is Online therapy as effective as In Person therapy?

Will I feel comfortable doing Online Therapy?

Is Online Therapy awkward?

These may be a few of the questions running through your mind as you think about starting Online Therapy.

At the time of writing this post, we are 9 months into the COVID-19 pandemic. Whether we like it or not, virtual formats are the only choice for much of what we do… school, medical appointments, baby showers, holiday get togethers, therapy. The list goes on.

When it comes to therapy, research has shown that online therapy can be just as effective as in person therapy. Online therapy is actually not even new to 2020… therapists have been offering online therapy for many years now. I began offering online therapy in the Spring of 2017 and have found it to be just as effective as in person therapy. It may not be a fit for everybody, but in some cases, I believe that online therapy enabled my clients and I to make more and deeper progress in our work together due to some of the benefits that online therapy offers.

What are the benefits of online therapy?

Time.
This is one of the greatest benefits I’ve found for online therapy. Most of us are busy. It can be hard to carve out time to run to the office for your therapy session. You have to take off work which may require scheduling time way in advance. You may have to find a babysitter… I’ll go into this more below.

Perhaps you have to then go and pick up your teen from school, drive to the office, have your 50 minute session, and then drive to the next place you need to be. Even if you do happen to be close to your therapy office, you may as well schedule 2 hours out of your day for your appointment. That’s missed time at work… perhaps eating up PTO or missed class time for students. Online therapy makes it easy to schedule a session during your lunch hour, between classes, or on evenings/weekends without disrupting your entire routine. Teenagers are able to squeeze in appointments during their remote learning days or other more convenient times.

Cost Effective
Remember how I said you might have to leave work (potentially using PTO or missing out on hourly pay)… or hire a babysitter… drive to an office using gas and wear and tear on your car? Online therapy can cut down on costs making therapy over all more financially accessible.

Accessibility
Perhaps you have a physical condition that makes it difficult to get to an office. Or you don’t have reliable transportation. Maybe your anxiety is so intense right now that driving to an office and meeting with someone in person is too overwhelming. Perhaps it’s a temporary barrier, such as the pandemic, weather issues, or you woke up with a cold. Online therapy overcomes those barriers and challenges by making it easier to physically access appointments with less chance of needing to cancel an appointment.

Comfort
Therapy can be a difficult process. We often talk about the tough, perhaps traumatizing experiences you have gone through. It takes a lot of courage to go into those dark places and invite someone else there as well.

Online therapy allows you to choose the location and environment that brings you comfort. That cozy blanket, pet of your choice, diffusing your essential oil… hey, grab a bowl of your favorite ice-cream if that helps during sessions! Online communication can enable some people to start letting down their walls and begin talking about those difficult things that they’ve never shared with anyone.

Privacy
Perhaps you live in a small community and would rather not run into someone you know in the parking lot or waiting room of a group practice. Or perhaps you or a family member is a prominent figure of the community, such as a principal, pastor, or politician, and you would like to retain some privacy. With online therapy you are able to chose where you feel most secure for your session.

Have I convinced you yet to give Online therapy a try? You can schedule a free 15 minute consultation with me to see how online therapy feels, give the platform a try, and discuss any questions you still have. You can schedule this free consultation using the “Contact me” on this page to email to set up a time.

By Amy Neal MA, LCMHC