Do Your Circumstances Make In-Office Therapy Sessions Unfeasible?

For some, life circumstances can make seeking in-person therapy difficult or impossible. Maybe you have a  lack of transportation or live in a remote area without local  therapy services.  Perhaps you or a loved one has a health problem that does not allow you to leave your house regularly. Or maybe unfamiliar places, people, or crowds make you feel anxious and unsafe.

If you travel frequently for work, or live abroad because of your career or military service, finding a new therapist each time you move or fitting sessions into your busy or irregular work schedule can be inconvenient and frustrating.

Maybe you live somewhere with few therapists available locally, or  you are housebound for some reason (like our current situation with COVID-19).You may be the sole caretaker for a family member who can’t be left alone. Any of these things may make traveling to a therapist’s office for an in-office visit impractical—or even dangerous.

Or you may suffer from trauma or anxiety to such a degree that you would rather not leave the safety of your home. Perhaps you simply don’t want anyone to know you are seeing a therapist, so sitting in an office waiting room is out of the question.

What if you could access a mental health professional remotely, wherever you are? Online therapy can do exactly that while still providing you personal attention and professional quality person-to-person care.

Many People Are Unsure About Online Counseling

Telehealth, in general, has become more popular in recent years. Online therapy for issues such as anxiety and depression, couples and marriage problems, child and teen issues, and more is an important part of the rapidly developing online healthcare approach.

Despite growing demand, particularly during our present crisis with the novel coronavirus, many people are uncertain about the legitimacy, effectiveness, and value of teletherapy. They wonder how supportive and “real” it could actually be to talk to a therapist online. 

However, online psychotherapy has changed with technology, and now connecting to people is easier than ever. Today, we have myriad resources available to ensure online therapy is simple, confidential, and provided by qualified providers.Additionally, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) stipulates other standards by which online counseling service providers must abide.

In 2018,  the Journal of Psychological Disorders¹ published a study concluding that online therapy sessions are “effective, acceptable and practical health care.” This particular study determined that online counseling is just as effective as in-office, face-to-face therapy for treating anxiety, depression, and more. 

Therefore, I also offer online counseling, so I may serve my clients better and provide an alternative to in-office sessions.

Online Therapy Has Many Practical Benefits

Many of my clients have experienced circumstances out of their control that exacerbated their anxiety, depression, or relationship issues.. For them, online therapy sessions were their only option. Time and time again,  they have been pleased to discover that remote sessions felt just like meeting in person.

The COVID-19 pandemic is causing heightened anxiety for many. General uncertainty, worries about money, and being stuck at home without much of an outlet can make you more depressed or irritable, and frayed nerves can cause or worsen interpersonal problems. Times like these can dredge up memories of previous traumatic experiences, like past food insecurity or medical trauma. Seeking therapy online is a great way  to get adequate, appropriate support from the comfort of home.

Attending a therapy session online is as simple as connecting via a HIPAA-compliant video or audio conferencing platform at a predetermined time. All you need is to set up your access and we’ll be able to have private, one-on-one sessions. It’s simple, secure, and can even be fun—especially for children! For instance, one of my child patients was able to show me his room, bicycle, and outdoor toy train area which he otherwise would not be able to do.

There are a lot of other benefits to online counseling, too. Being at home can foster feelings of relaxation and safety. Plus, it saves time, money, and the hassle of commuting to an office. It can prevent interruption of ongoing services due to illness, mobility, location--even when you’re out of the country!For instance, I did a year of remote therapy with a military member who was serving in Afghanistan.

As a study in 2015 from the World Journal of Psychiatry² noted, teletherapy “promotes an equality of access, a sense of empowerment among patients, and high levels of satisfaction.” I’ve seen how effective online counseling can be, and I want you to have the same options for self-care and support, regardless of your ability to attend sessions in-office.

Considering online therapy but have questions?

Is online therapy really as effective as in-office therapy?

Yes, it is. In fact, for some of my clients, online sessions allow us to get better work done. Additionally, research supports the effectiveness of online therapy. For example, a study published in the Journal of Affective Disorders³ in 2014 reported that online counseling for depression is just as productive as face-to-face, in-office treatment. Another study published that year in Behavior Research and Therapy⁴ found that online anxiety therapy provided long-term improvements.

I’m worried about my privacy doing online therapy sessions.

To protect my clients’ privacy, I use fully encrypted, HIPAA-compliant software which provides a level of security comparable to that of major banks. Because of the current Coronavirus pandemic, HIPAA rules have been relaxed to ensure clients can receive the support they need, so we can also meet by phone or FaceTime.

Experience The Benefits Of An Effective And Convenient Therapy Option

If you’ve never tried online therapy, now is the time to get started. Call me or text me at (334) 462-1251 for more information or to schedule your first online counseling session. I’m certain you will come to enjoy this effective and convenient alternative to in-office counseling..