Online Therapy FAQs: What You Should Know About Doing Therapy Online
What technology do I need for online therapy?
When planning to participate in online therapy, it is important to consider the need for the following: access to a quiet and private location, a strong internet connection (if you can easily stream Netflix, it is likely strong enough), and a computer with a video camera and microphone. While a smartphone will work, using a laptop or computer often results in a better experience. For additional privacy, headphones/AirPods work well.
Online therapy became the go-to form of therapy in 2020, but it’s actually been around for quite some time. And, because online therapy has been around for awhile, we have research on how well it works.
So, does online therapy actually work?
It may surprise you to learn that studies have found online therapy to be just as effective as in-person therapy for most issues. Online therapy is an effective form of therapy for anxiety, depression, relationship issues, navigating stressful situations or life transitions, and many more issues that people seek therapy to help with.
While online therapy is a great option for most people, there are some issues that are better suited for in-person therapy. Some issues that may be more appropriate for in-person therapy include: the need for in-patient or residential support, serious life-threatening safety concerns, and clients who are experiencing psychosis.
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The benefits of online therapy vs in-person therapy
Not only is online video therapy effective, but it offers many benefits over in-person therapy. With online therapy, there is no need to travel, reducing the time you need to carve out for therapy as well as the commuting expense.
In many cases, online therapy makes it possible to meet during the work day, which may make it easier for you to meet with a therapist on a consistent basis. Online therapy also allows you to widen your search for a therapist, as you can typically meet with any therapist that is licensed in the state which you are located in.
And, if you’re doing ERP therapy for OCD, online therapy can make it far easier to practice exposures together during sessions.
The negatives of online therapy vs in-person therapy
Like anything, there is a potential for issues when participating in therapy online. The most common issue is technology failure disrupting the therapy session. This can include internet failure, computer/smartphone malfunction, and the potential for delays in picture or audio. Restarting your computer/smartphone before the therapy session and making sure you have access to a strong internet connection can prevent most of these issues from occurring.
A backup form of technology (computer or smartphone) is also encouraged. If your computer goes down, having your phone nearby to use is a quick fix. I also have a backup video platform that can be used if needed.