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Reasons to Consider Online Therapy

  • Cynthia Fong, M.S.W., LCSW, PPSC

How to Decide if Online Therapy is a Good Fit for Me

When we think of therapy, the first image that might come to mind is an office with a couch and a supply of Kleenexes. This can be the case, but it isn’t the only way to attend counseling! Between phones, tablets, and laptops, a whole network of licensed professionals are available just a keyboard or a phone call away.

With online sessions, you don’t even need to leave your bedroom to get help from a counselor. Starting therapy can be scary, no matter where you’re doing it from, but with online counseling, more factors are in your control.

What does it Look Like?

Online sessions can take different forms and names. Some people call it “e” or online therapy, others telemental or telebehavioral health. Whichever you go with, this form of therapy takes place through text, phone, or video call. Instead of attending a session in an office, a client has the flexibility to choose their location.

Online counseling might mean you schedule a time to speak on the phone, but it can also look like emails or texts—this means you can send messages even if you’re not free at the same time as your therapist, saving you from the hassle of setting appointments.

Does it Actually Work?

It does! There are plenty of studies that have demonstrated the efficacy of online counseling. Here a few links, for anyone who’d like a quick browse:

This study, which assesses patients before and after their participation in telemental health services through the Department of Veteran Affairs, focuses on the affects of treatment on hospitalization. With an average decrease of 25% over four years, this study demonstrates a real impact from online therapy in its participants.

This study focuses on clients using Talkspace to text counselors. Taking into account a range of factors, from cost to needs met and self-reported progress, the results are demonstrably positive and are promising for anyone considering text therapy.

This article looks at different studies examining online treatment of depression. Its results indicate that, while more research is needed, there is promise for the efficacy of these treatments.

This study examines whether CBT (cognitive-behavioral therapy), delivered online, can help with depression. The results indicate that, when delivered in real time, online therapy appears to work, widening the accessibility of CBT.

These are only a few of the many studies available online for anyone who wants further reading. The results, however, are generally positive. While it might not fit with traditional ideas of therapy, in our digital world, counseling via phone, video, text, or email has helped many, and is a real option for you as well. How do you decide, though, whether it’s a good fit?

Reasons to Consider Online Therapy

  • “A week between sessions is too long” We all have bad days, weeks, or months. During these times, it can be frustrating to wait for your next appointment—maybe something happens during the week that feels overwhelming or maybe your last session was just getting somewhere and then the hour was up! If this sounds like your experience, online therapy can help with those gaps. With the ability to reach your counselor via email or text, you don’t have to be so limited by set appointments or busy schedules. Help can be more available.
  • “Something always comes up” Maybe the babysitter canceled or maybe it’s flu season—we’re not always able to make every appointment, but with the flexibility of online therapy, there’s less of a need to cancel or reschedule when life gets in the way. Taking care of ourselves shouldn’t suffer just because we couldn’t get somewhere by 3 p.m., and with online counseling it doesn’t have to.
  • “I’m just too busy!” Between our families, jobs, friends, and the latest Netflix show, fitting in time for therapy can feel impossible, important as it might be. Online counseling, however, can slot into other commitments easier, and even better, there’s no commute! You don’t have to commit any more time to sessions than a text, email, or call. Even better, these can happen while you’re on the go or have a break in the day’s schedule.
  • “There’s no one in my area” Finding a therapist who’s a good fit can be frustrating, and for those in rural areas, it can be even more difficult. Driving an hour or more one-way for a session might not be feasible, let alone the added cost of gas. With online therapy, professionals licensed across the state are available to you. If the therapists in your area are too hard to reach, online counseling can be an amazing alternative that saves you the trip, time, money, and gives you a wider network of professionals to choose from.
  • “It’s taking too much time to find someone I click with” As well meaning as we can be about starting therapy, it can feel like too big of a hassle. You’ve gone to a couple of sessions with someone and decided they’re not right for you—it’s an investment of time and money that feels like it’s gone down the drain. With the Internet, however, this process can be much less expensive and take less of your time.
  • “It’s too difficult to leave the house” Whether you’re more comfortable at home, medical conditions are impairing your ability to travel, or you can’t leave the kids, online therapy means that you don’t need to go farther than your living room. It can happen wherever you’d like, whether that’s in your car or in your pajamas! Online counseling is accessible anywhere you have a phone or computer with Internet and are comfortable speaking from. With online, long-distance sessions, you have more power to make decisions about what you want therapy to look like.
  • “I feel uncomfortable visiting a therapist’s office” Maybe it’s sitting in a waiting room where someone else might see you. Maybe it’s the nervousness of running into an acquaintance on your way there: you’re just not comfortable telling them where you’re going. This is understandable: therapy can be a sensitive, private topic. If this is the case, online sessions could be a great fit. With no need to visit an office, there’s more privacy around your appointments.
  • “Therapy makes me self-conscious” With text, email, and voice calls, there’s no need to speak to someone face-to-face. Whatever your reasoning is, online therapy can give you anonymity if you’d like to have that with your therapist. While face-to-face discussions have their perks, when privacy is something you want, long-distance therapy allows this. 
  • “I used to have a great therapist, but I moved” While moves used to mean saying goodbye to a therapist, that doesn’t always have to be the case anymore. While they will still need to be licensed in the state you move to, you don’t have to stop sessions just when it feels like you need them the most: large life changes. With online counseling, you can take that relationship with you into the next stage of things!
  • “Therapy makes me uncomfortable” This is understandable! You’re meeting a stranger to tell them things that are incredibly private. Even if you know it might help, it can be hard to make yourself do it. While online sessions can’t completely help this, it can give you more freedom in what your therapy journey looks like: how, when, and where are all choices you have more power over.

Things to Consider

Of course, as many perks as there are to online sessions, it won’t be suitable for everyone. It’s important to consider your own needs and what you want from your relationship to your therapist.

  • During crisis, it can be helpful to be in the room with a professional
  • Body language isn’t as visible—while video calls are an option, there is still a physical limitation to online counseling
  • With text based therapy, there may be room for miscommunication since you can’t hear the tone of the other’s voice
  • It’s reliant on Internet and cellular connections. Choppy video calls can make it difficult to have a productive session if the conversation keeps cutting off.
  • Do you have a space that you can focus on sessions from? Being able to call while we’re on the go is great, but it’s also important that you can focus on your conversation to fully benefit from long-distance therapy.

These are a few factors to keep in mind, and there might be others you need to consider. Therapy is an individual experience and journey for everyone—it’s important to keep your own needs in mind when reaching out.

While online therapy may not be a perfect fit for everyone, though, it can be a great option for many people. With the technology we have today, there are so many ways to reach out and such a wider network of professionals to connect with. Whether they’re a town over or on the other side of the state, you have so many more options when you’re looking for a therapist who feels like they’re a good fit with the help of the Internet.

These days, we don’t need to attend a session in an office to get help—distance, health issues, the price of gas, or a busy schedule shouldn’t be barriers to counseling, and with online therapy, they don’t have to be anymore.

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CYNTHIA FONG, M.S.W., LCSW, PPSC

CYNTHIA FONG, M.S.W., LCSW, PPSC

Cynthia is the Founder of Healing Within, A Licensed Clinical Social Worker Corporation. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker providing online counseling/therapy services for adults or teens (13 and older) who reside anywhere within the state of California.

Cynthia also offers consultation services for nonprofit organizations in the San Francisco Bay Area.

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