Over the last several years, we have learned a lot about why therapy is helpful and beneficial. Therapy offers various benefits even if you aren't struggling with a specific mental health disorder. Life is stressful and adulting is HARD!
Reaching out for therapy and support can be really hard. We have to put our pride to the side, we have to see the strength and courage in asking for help, we have to then go through the process of finding a therapist.. getting to the office... going through all the paperwork... possibly sitting through a waitlist... then to find out that we didn't really feel like the therapist was really that helpful or that the connection and rapport wasn't there. It can be an exhausting and overwhelming process.
Recently, with COVID-19, online therapy has started to become more and more known to the world. However, did you know that it was actually a *thing* before?? What?! Yes, I'm serious. We have technology in our world and while it isn't always perfect it can definitely assist us in connecting and getting things done, being more productive, and in living the life that we dream of.
My journey to online therapy was like many of my clients. I thought that it sounded really easy and accessible, but it would be maybe difficult to get started or figure things out. Once I started and tried it out. I realized all the benefits that came with it! Not only for myself, but for my clients. I noticed, clients were able to make appointments and communicate easier.
I had doctors and lawyers and all different types of clients. Those clients were able to reach out for help in a way that worked for them. They didn't have to worry about sitting in a room with their own customers or clients. The doctor didn't have to worry about their patients coming to them and saying "Oh hey, I saw you going into that therapy office.. I hope you're okay" or the lawyer having to worry about the travel time. We could meet over their lunch break or at more convenient times and they didn't have to sit in traffic for 30+ minutes to have an hour appointment and drive 30+ minutes back home.
I made the switch to go 100% online after I realized the benefits, not only for myself but also for all of my clients. It just made sense. We were still able to do the same work and in a more convenient way that works for me and works for them.
There I was, making a decision to better my life and spend more time with my loved ones and engaging in things that make me happy (just what I tell clients to do all the time) then... I realized I am offering the same thing to them! They had more time to play with their kids, have time with their significant other, more time for self-care, better work/life balance, and so much more.
On top of that, I also was able to really get to know my clients in a more intimate way than I would be able to in a stale office. I could see their surroundings, I could see them in their own comfort zones. That allows us to see each other as humans and still get work done to reach goals and live the lives that we both want. They were able to come to appointments with their favorite blanket, have their own favorite essential oils in the background, or with their comforting tea or coffee.
My thought then goes to why NOT do online therapy?
There are some drawbacks. While I do, personally, see several benefits I also see that there are some areas where it might not be appropriate for some individuals. For example, is it important that I see your whole person for treatment? Do you not have stable internet? Do you not have a private space of your own? Do you simply enjoy the act of going into a therapist office?All of those are important pieces to assessing if online therapy is right for you.
If you have tics or things that a therapist really needs to assess in person, online therapy may not be appropriate. If you engage in self-harming behaviors that need continued assessment visually, online therapy may not be appropriate.
Are you in an abusive situation? Or have trouble getting a private space? That may pose some issues in really getting what you need and deserve out of therapy. If you are feeling held back because someone might be listening or worried about the kids running around outside your door constantly. Those are things that may prevent online therapy from being effective.
Do you have good, strong, and stable internet? Do you have devices that support video? Online therapy does have tech issues at times. In my experience, if your therapist has good platforms and you both have a strong internet connections it is rare. However, it WILL happen and it is important to talk with your therapist about if that happens what the plan would be? Discussing what the back up plan would be is really important and, if issues persist, online therapy may not be the most effective.
So you have all this information.. Now what?
Each case is unique and if you are interested in online therapy there are a few ways to go about searching for a therapist. You can simply do a 'google search,' you can look on directories like psychology today, therapy den, good therapy, or online counselling directory.
If you are interested in connecting with me directly, I would love to offer my support in getting you connected or discussing possible therapy with Mindful Solutions, email or call us!
Phone: (619)353-5139
*Although I am a therapist by profession, I am not YOUR therapist. This article is for informational and educational purposes only, does not replace therapy and does not establish any kind of therapist-client relationship with me. I am not liable or responsible for any damages resulting from or related to your use of this information. To see more information about our disclamer(s): https://www.mindfulsolutionscorp.com/disclaimers
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