Therapy is important, especially helping us to cope with our day to day challenges and remaining grounded. However, in a fast-paced world that is shifting to digital services, would online therapy be a viable solution, and would it be any less than a physical visit to your therapist?
Online therapy exists, and there are many reasons you should consider it. Like any other online service, online therapy is supposed to provide more convenience. Imagine if you could talk to a therapist at the comfort of your own home and at your preferred time. Here are some of the benefits of online therapy.
- Therapy on your schedule
Traditional therapy involves first agreeing to a therapy schedule with your therapist, traveling on the selected day from your home or place of work, perhaps waiting for some time once you get to your therapist’s place of work and then finally meeting your therapist face to face. However, online therapy changes things so that the whole process works based on your schedule and not the therapist’s schedule. You can talk to your therapist when you are at home or even when you are in your office. This is ideal, especially if you have a busy schedule.
- Online therapy allows you to find the therapist best suited to your preferences
Platforms that provide online therapy go the extra mile to make sure that they match you with the right therapist. Once a therapist is allocated to you, then you can schedule a few sessions, and these will really allow you to determine whether you are making progress and also whether you are comfortable with the allocated therapist. If you feel that you did not get the right therapist, you can switch to a different one.
The beauty of it is that switching is done at the press of a button, and your new therapist will have a record of your previous sessions, so you do not have to start all over again. Traditional therapy limits you to a small number of therapists within your area. Online therapy drastically increases the pool of therapists that are available to you, thus increasing the chances of finding your ideal therapist.
- Cost implications
Online also provides another major advantage in that it is cheaper than traditional therapy. Your traditional therapy sessions might be quite expensive, but that will likely not be the case with online therapy. In most cases, you have to pay out of pocket because not many therapists accept insurance payment, and finding an insurance company that will provide insurance coverage for mental health might be a bit of a challenge. The good news is that most online therapy services charge a notably lower fee. You might pay less than your monthly premium for health insurance. The lower therapy fees are aimed at making it more appealing and encouraging people to go through therapy.
- The confidentiality appeal
Often times, people are afraid to go see a therapist because of the stigma that is usually involved when people find out that you have been seeing a therapist for your mental health. Seeing a therapist does not necessarily mean that one is unwell, but unfortunately, some people see it as having mental problems. This is why more people prefer not to go to a therapist even if they need to see one. Online therapy overcomes these problems because it can be done in the comfort of your own space and ensure confidentiality.
Summary
Online therapy is a great example of how traditional services are taking advantage of technology to make services more available to people. You can now access therapy services from the comfort of your own home as long as you have a good internet connection and a PC, tablet, or even your smartphone.
