Online Therapy

What is Online Therapy?

Online therapy, also referred to as online counseling, is a modern form of mental health treatment that allows people to receive therapy at their convenience. Conducted by phone, text, video, or instant messaging, online therapy can offer advantages over traditional, in-office therapy. It means people have the ability to receive therapy at any time, at any location. Never before has mental health treatment been so accessible to a broad range of people of all backgrounds.

In decades past, therapy and counseling have traditionally been conducted in environments unbefitting to people seeking to improve their mental health. Stark fluorescent lighting, awkward waiting rooms, and appointment scheduling problems hardly provide a welcoming setting to someone enduring a mental health crisis. Fortunately, therapy offices have over time evolved to better cater towards their patients. With the rise of the digital age, therapy has also shifted to online platforms. Online counseling has existed for about twenty years although prior iterations starkly contrast with the advanced technology of today.

Online therapy is a revolutionary way of helping people where they are at, which most agree is an important aspect of providing effective mental health care. For example, students can text their therapists in between classes, parents can watch their newborns while talking on the phone, and older adults can video chat with therapists without having to drive. Online therapy also provides quick access to treatment for people who have undergone a sudden loss or traumatic event. Other benefits of online therapy and counseling include:

• Affordability - online therapy tends to be less expensive than in-person therapy, and may be covered by health insurance.
• Versatility - online therapy allows patients to receive therapy in whatever place they feel most comfortable and safe.
• Flexibility - online appointments can easily be canceled, rescheduled, and shifted to best meet patients' needs on demand.

Some online therapy platforms allow patients to choose a therapist and to switch to a new one at any time. Patients can find therapists suited to their unique mental health needs; they may also request therapists specific to their gender, religion, orientation, age. Online therapists are licensed and professionally trained. Many online therapy platforms also offer enrichment and other forms of therapy to complement one-on-one sessions. On some online therapy platforms, people can attend group therapy sessions and access worksheets and other resources all within one online portal.