5 Ways To Know If Online Therapy Is Right For You!
Last Updated on 01/22/2022 by Nicky
Should I try online therapy is the same question I asked myself over 10 years ago when I was suffering from depression and anxiety.
I knew I needed help escaping the dark prison that was my brain but the thought of talking to someone face to face was not an option for me at that time.
This may be the same situation you see yourself in at the moment and so I’m going to tell you upfront:
Yes, you should get online therapy and in today’s post, I’m going to tell you why and where you can get it.
This is what we’ll cover:
- What online therapy is
- How online therapy works
- 5 ways to know if it’s right for you and your current struggles
- Which online therapy platform I used and recommend and the different mental health struggles they address to see if they cover your specific issue.
- How to access free mental health printables and worksheets
Oh yeah, and this post contains affiliate links to great products that will help you in your health journey. I will get a commission if you decide to buy from these links but I’m only recommending products that I feel confident about.
What Is online therapy?
What Is online therapy?
These days it seems you can do everything online and therapy or counseling is no different.
So what does it mean to do therapy online?
Online Therapy is a kind of counseling that takes place over the internet with a licensed therapist.
Online counseling can take place through email, instant messenger, or video therapy sessions.
Online therapy is somewhat newer than other forms of mental health care, yet it is rapidly becoming the dominant form.
It is an approach to psychotherapy that uses the Internet and software technology to offer people an opportunity to reach out to trained counselors who have specialized knowledge about specific mental health issues.
Online therapy started as early as the 80s (wait the Internet is that old??), but only recently has it become accepted as an effective form of treatment for a wide range of individuals suffering from mental health issues. (Source)
How online therapy works
How online therapy works
So let me illustrate the different ways online therapy could work:
Email/Messages: Some forms of online therapy take place entirely through email.
Once you found the specific online counseling platform you wanted to use you would register and set up an account.
The platform I’ve used is called online-therapy.com and you have to choose from a list of options which mental health challenge you are facing.
Then you will be assigned a specific counselor based on which issue you pick.
And with this platform, you get to keep the same online therapist the whole time you use their services so you can truly build a relationship with them.
Then based on which plan you’ve picked, you can email (well they call it messaging) a counselor and give them a bit of background about what issues you are facing.
In the past, they usually replied within 24 hours Monday-Friday.
Sometimes they reply in a few hours or minutes!
I really like using the message system because I would save the replies so I could refer to them later.
That way I didn’t have to try and remember all of the helpful advice that I was given by the therapist.
Chat: Another way to reach out to the counselor is by scheduling an instant chat session with them.
If you’re anything like me, you express yourself better through writing than you do with your voice.
If this is the case for you, then an instant chat session would be perfect for you.
You can get an immediate response to your questions and concerns.
Knowing someone is on the other side of the screen “listening” to you and wanting to help can be such a comfort.
Sometimes you just want to be heard and that’s what online therapy is good for.
The setup is similar to like a Facebook messenger chat or (I’m dating myself) an AOL chat.
Video Chat: If you prefer to see someone during your session then this is the best option for you.
I haven’t done this option (I have done in-person therapy but not online video therapy).
But I imagine it’s similar to a Zoom or Skype session.
Doing therapy via video chat will be the closest option to a traditional therapy session but you can do it from home or anywhere you can get online.
Voice Only Chat: There is also voice chat which is when you and your therapist can hear each other but not see each other.
This is the best option if instant chat is not right for you because you don’t like typing or would prefer to express yourself verbally but you don’t want to be seen either.
Therapy Tools: I’m not sure about other platforms but I know with online-therapy.com they have therapy worksheets that help you work through your challenges.
Once you’ve filled out the worksheet, you submit it and the counselor will respond to what you’ve written.
You can click here to use the therapy worksheets for free if you want to sign up and give it a shot!
Should I Try Online Therapy? 5 Ways To Know If Online Counseling Is Right For You
Should I Try Online Therapy? 5 Ways To Know If Online Counseling Is Right For You
1) Online therapy is good for people who aren’t comfortable with in-person therapy
If you are uncomfortable setting up an appointment with a traditional therapist, online therapy is a possible alternative.
I know for me, I wasn’t willing to get help with an in-person therapist at first.
The thought of it was too overwhelming but I knew that I needed help so when I heard about online therapy, I felt like this was the perfect first step in getting the help I needed without dealing with the perceived embarrassment of going to therapy out in the public where someone could see me.
The anonymity and relatively inexpensive cost of online therapy posed some enticing advantages over more traditional forms of treatment.
So if you are looking for a way to keep your sessions private and more convenient, online therapy can be a great option.
2) Online therapy is good when you don’t have time to see a therapist in person
If you’ve considered the benefits of visiting a psychologist, but are reluctant to actually go because you don’t want to sit around and wait in a waiting room for hours or have to deal with traffic, online therapy may offer the solution you are looking for.
As long as you are comfortable with technology, it may be possible for you to get help in the comfort of your own home.
Online sessions are usually faster and more convenient than visiting a therapist in person because you don’t have to deal with the hassle of traveling to see a counselor in person.
When I was struggling with depression, some days I didn’t want to get out of bed and some days I probably didn’t.
The thought of driving somewhere to get help felt like a monumental task.
I can’t even express to you how grateful I was to be able to log onto a computer and get help with my mental issues right from the comfort of my own home.
So the benefits of online therapy is not just the time factor.
It’s also a way for people with depression or anxiety to get help without having to travel to a clinic or wait for an appointment at a public mental health facility when they struggle with even leaving their bedroom.
Please note: online therapy might be convenient for some people, but it’s not a good idea for everyone, like people who have suicidal thoughts. Later, we will discuss which mental health challenges online therapy is good for.
3) Accessibility for People With Physical Limitations
Many people with physical limitations find they benefit from using an online mental health service.
If you’re someone who would benefit from therapy but find it difficult to leave the house because of a physical disability, an online therapy service may be right for you.
4) Convenience and Affordability
One drawback of using online therapy is that it doesn’t always take insurance.
However, even without insurance, online therapy is often more affordable than traditional therapy or just as affordable.
One reason for that is because you get to choose the plan that is best for your needs.
When I was going to in-person therapy sessions, I (if I remember correctly) only went once every two weeks or maybe even monthly.
I couldn’t afford to go every week because each session was $85. And as helpful as those sessions were, I only had access to the counselor for 1 hour.
With online therapy (at least the one I used), you could:
- get responses from your counselor on your worksheets,
- message them back and forth anytime,
- and set up a live counseling session once a week for just $47 a week.
So you get a lot more for your money when you do therapy online.
5) Treats a lot of different mental health issues.
If you’re thinking that online therapy platforms only help people with anxiety or depression then let me tell you that this is not the case.
So many different health challenges can be addressed with online therapy sessions.
One of the things I love most about online-therapy.com, in particular, is that they tell you exactly which conditions they treat.
If you suffer from any of the following then this platform would be great for you:
- Agoraphobia
- Anger
- Anxiety
- Bipolar
- BPD
- Depression
- GAD
- Health Anxiety
- Insomnia
- OCD
- Panic Attacks
- PTSD
- Relationship issues
- Social Anxiety
- Speech Anxiety
- Stress
- Weight Problems
Which online therapy platform I used and recommend
Which online therapy platform I used and recommend
If you’ve read a good portion of this article then you probably already know that I recommend online-therapy.com.
It’s the one that I used over 10 years ago.
The online counselor assigned to me was showed real care and concern for me.
The main form of therapy they use is called CBT which is cognitive-behavioral therapy.
This form of treatment has been proven to help people improve their mental health and quality of life (Source).
Years later I reflect back on our time together because I know that if I hadn’t taken that first step to get help, I would not be writing to you today.
I would have been too anxious to share any personal details about my mental health issues on this blog if I hadn’t reached out and gotten the help I needed.
I strongly encourage you to use this platform just because I know that it helped me.
If you’re asking the question of whether you should get online therapy then I’m assuming you’ve halfway decided to do it but you just need some encouragement.
If that’s the case, then I hope this post has encouraged you today.
I can’t tell you how much you miss out on life when you face mental obstacles.
The best way to overcome them is by getting help from compassionate counselors who are trained to help you through hard times.
If you’re ready to take the next step you can click below to get started:
Click here to create an online-therapy.com account!
Do You Want More Help In Your Battle Against Anxiety? Check out our free Renew Your Mind Journaling Bundle!
If you’re someone who struggles with your mental health, I have a free journaling bundle to help you express your worries and fears through writing.
Just enter your email address below and the link to the Renew Your Mind journaling bundle will be sent to your inbox!
If Why You Should Try Online Therapy has helped you, please share it on social media!
Want to read this post later? Save it to one of your Pinterest boards!
More HAYC Posts About Mental & Emotional Health
How To Read The Bible To Overcome Anxiety
5 Life-Changing Quotes From Jesus To Overcome Anxiety
5 Genius Ways Proverbs 31 Teaches Christian Women To Be Healthy
Medical Disclaimer: While Healthy As You Can strives to provide the most accurate information, anything you read on this site is purely for informational or entertainment purposes and should NOT be considered medical advice or as a replacement for a doctor’s care, diagnosis, appointment, advice, etc. I am not a medical professional at all. Any information, tips, or ideas that you try as a result of reading this blog is tried at your, the reader’s, own risk.
Mental Health Disclaimer: While I care deeply about your mental health, please know that I am NOT a licensed medical professional, therapist, counselor, social worker, or mental health professional. Any advice here is not to be taken as medical advice or a diagnosis. IF you need to talk to a licensed mental health professional you can use online-therapy.com (affiliate link) or call a mental health hotline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
