What is online therapy?

Searching for answers as to what is online therapy indicates that you are exploring how therapy might help you. Quite simply, online therapy is therapy that is provided over the internet using technology tools. You may have also heard it called e-therapy or web therapy.

All aspects of the mental health support that therapy can provide to you are still in place. However, instead of meeting your therapist face-to-face for your session, you’ll meet them via Skype, Zoom, Google Hangouts etc.

It’s the same therapy. Just delivered in a new way.

Covid-19 and online therapy

Coronavirus has definitely put online therapy in the mainstream. 

That said, online therapy has been gaining traction for a few years already. In my own practice located in London, I have worked with clients based in Ireland, Brazil  and Switzerland for years using various online platforms.

My international clients have always spoken of the ease and convenience of being able to have a therapy session in their own home. Their laptop, tablet or smartphone has become the equivalent of my consulting rooms.

Historically, self-help groups began springing up on the internet as far back as 1982.

Going back even further than that, and swapping into analogue mode rather than online, we know that Sigmund Freud communicated extensively with some of his clients via letter.

Suffice to say that there’s a long established tradition of therapy being done remotely.

Fast-forward to this moment in time, and it’s no understatement to say that Covid-19 has changed everything.

And, while lockdown restrictions are being lifted, the virus is by no means gone. How long that will take is anyone’s guess, though The Lancet recently published an article stating that 10 vaccines have been moved to trial status.

In the meantime, the best way for each one of us to keep ourselves and our loved ones safe is to keep up with the tactics we know help.

That means lots of hand washing, face masks in public and keeping our physical distancing up where and when we can.

In these circumstances, online therapy takes on a whole new meaning. One of practicality, to access the support you need as we navigate a thoroughly changed world.

How effective is online therapy?

Very.

Now I’m not blind to my own bias in that statement. I’m a therapist after all!

But you don’t have to take my word for it.

Multiple studies have been run over the years to evaluate just how effective online therapy is for clients.

• In 2014, a study was published in the Journal of Affective Disorders that found that online therapy was just as effective as in-person therapy to treat depression.

• Also in 2014, a study published in Behaviour Research and Therapy found that online CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy) was an effective treatment for anxiety disorders.

• In 2015, a review of many of these studies was published in the World Journal of Psychiatry. Patients, who had received mental health treatment and services through video conferencing platforms, responded that they had “high levels of satisfaction” with their therapy.

• In 2018, a study published in the Journal of Psychological Disorders discovered that online CBT is “effective, acceptable and practical health care”.

I believe in taking an individual approach to all my clients. I do this with my in-person clients, and I do it with my online therapy clients too. My testimonials, available here, will give you an idea of how my clients have found working with me.

Finding the right online therapist for you

You need to feel completely comfortable with the online therapist you choose.

Therapy has the potential to be deeply impactful in the most positive of ways in your life. However, you can only gain these benefits if you feel trust in your therapist. The work you will do with your therapist will be transformative. That’s only possible in a safe space where you and your therapist can build a strong and trusted relationship with each other.

Therefore, take your time finding the right therapist for you.

There are resources that can help you evaluate just which therapist might be ideal for you. One of these resources comes from the Online Therapy Institute. They have developed an ethical framework on how to use technology in the delivery of mental health services.

I often point prospective clients who enquire about my online therapy services to their guidelines to help them make their decision. These guidelines include:

• Online therapists should only offer services that they are qualified to provide in-person. My training credentials can be found here. Some of the issues I work with can be found here.

• Online therapists should comply with the guidelines and requirements of their country’s laws and their professional regulatory body.

• Therapists should ensure that they continuously maintain their knowledge and training in online therapy techniques.

• Therapists should be in supervision, whether they provide in-person and/or online therapy services.

• Online therapists should have a strong understanding of technology tools that can help them deliver their services.

• Online therapists must ensure their client’s confidentiality.

These guidelines help both clients and therapists build a relationship that is based on integrity.

Explore whether online therapy is right for you

If you’d like to explore how online therapy might work for you, please feel free to chat with me. I’m contactable via call or email, and my contact details are available here.

While Covid-19 may be with us for the foreseeable future, the truth is that its impact will be with us for a much longer time to come.

This needn’t be a negative.

One of our most positive traits as humans is our ability to adapt. Throughout the lockdown period, we have seen incredible examples of humans adapting to the enormous changes that the pandemic has brought.

Accessing therapy through online methods could be one of the ways you support yourself in the immediate, medium-term or long-term future.