You can choose video, phone, email or text chat from the comfort of your own home.
First published in Invisible Illness on Medium by John Walter 📣
Not everyone can get things together to make it to a therapy room once a week for face-to-face sessions. The Covid Lockdowns forced the counselling establishment to examine how they viewed, championed and supported online counselling.
The reasons why online therapy may suit you.
- geographical: there are no therapists within reasonable travelling time.
- physical disabilities or illness: travelling and accessing a physical public space is too much.
- mental health issues: whether agoraphobia, generalised anxiety or other fears and phobias, staying home and making online contact seems much more doable.
- specific therapists or therapies: not all counsellors will be a good fit for you. You can give yourself a wider choice online.
- travelling: you travel for work and need to access therapy from any location you find yourself in.
- relationship issues: there are many reasons why you may wish to keep therapy meetings secret from your partner.
- under 35’s: chat, voice and video calls are a medium you are comfortable with.
- anonymity: you feel more comfortable speaking with someone you will never meet in real life.
If you have more to add, please drop them in the responses below.
My journey and experiences through training and into private practice.
My Private Practice is a 50/50 mix of online and face-to-face counselling. I am pleased to keep it that way and can see that a change in circumstances could quickly push me towards 100% online work, and I would be okay with that.
In March 2020, I was due to begin my counselling placements when the first lockdown was announced. The two agencies I signed up with closed because they could not face the complexities of switching to online counselling.
This circumstance thrust me into online work, and I found that it suited me well. I also recognised that most of my online clients would be unable to access therapy if face-to-face was the only option.
Text chat and email.
I have had clients, who find it impossible to talk at home. Using a text chat system can be their only way to access therapy. Not many therapists offer this, and they need someone experienced in these methods to be effective.
The session has the same boundaries as a regular therapy hour. The advantage is you could access a session while riding on the bus, in a cafe, in your car or quietly at home.
Misunderstandings often occur when using text, don’t be afraid to ask for clarification and give clarification when asked.
Pros: This method is a good way of focusing on a single specific issue in each chat. Very easy to have sessions that no one else knows about.
Cons: It is tricky to access the deeper emotional issues which might be driving your behaviours.
Phone.
I have done some extensive long-term therapeutic work exclusively over the phone. Some clients cannot physically get to sessions, and others prefer not to be seen.
Everything I have done in face-to-face sessions has been equally doable in phone sessions. Not all therapists are comfortable with phone therapy, so if you prefer this approach seek out someone with experience.
Seek out a regular space to use for these calls where there is no chance of you being overheard by anyone. It helps to have the same environment each time, even if it is in your car parked in a layby.
Pros: Everything possible in face-to-face therapy is also possible on the phone. Convenient and simple to set up.
Cons: Because it is so simple to set up, you may find yourself not giving time on either side of the hour for preparation and reflection.
Video Link
Clients find it very simple to access my video service through TherapyLock. Unlike Zoom or Teams, no setting up or installation is required at the client end. Ease of connection is a significant factor when choosing an online therapist.
Clients who find me online and contact me from all over the world have often chosen my service for particular reasons. They may have had difficulty finding a local therapist who works in a way they are comfortable with. I have found that clients who have put the work in to find a therapist who meets their particular needs have a more significant commitment to and understanding of the therapeutic process.
Pros: If you have a clear idea of your therapeutic needs, then you can easily find a therapist who can cater to them.
Cons: You need a reliable wifi or 4G signal and feel comfortable with video chat.
Thanks for reading to the end. Please ensure that any therapist you contact is qualified to Practice online.
These websites are directories for UK-based therapists
Counselling Directory – Find a Counsellor Near You
Counselling Directory connects you with professional counsellors and therapists near you to help you find the help you…
www.counselling-directory.org.uk