What You Need to Know Before Choosing Online Therapy
Have you been wanting to start counseling, but feel like it will be hard to get to the therapist’s office? Then online therapy may be a great option for you.
What is Online Therapy?
You may have heard it called online therapy, teletherapy, or virtual therapy. Basically, anytime you are participating in mental health therapy and/or counseling services via phone, video, or online platform, that’s online therapy.
Due to current therapist licensing laws, your therapist will need to be licensed in the state you reside in. So as long as the therapist offers online therapy in a HIPPA-compliant way, you can work with someone in any part of your state. This makes online therapy more accessible for many people.
Let’s explore when online therapy is a great option, why online therapy isn’t for everyone, and tips to make it work even better for you.
When Online Therapy is a Great Option
The biggest benefit of online therapy is that you can participate from the comfort of your own home. You also spend less time driving to appointments, so you have more time for yourself.
Here are 10 situations where choosing online therapy makes getting counseling easier:
You don't have a babysitter: Whether you just had a baby, are a stay-at-home mom, or just don't have a reliable babysitter, then getting counseling may be a challenge. You can schedule your counseling session around your baby or child's nap or quiet time. And you can be in another room in your house. No packing up toys, snacks, and diapers to make another appointment happen.
You travel for work: Another big barrier to scheduling therapy appointments is traveling for your job. Whether you are a truck driver or a business person who travels, being consistent with making in-person counseling appointments will be hard. With online therapy, you can schedule appointments from your hotel room or rest stop.
You can't drive: If you are recovering from surgery or experiencing an illness it may make it hard to leave the house. Or maybe you are a caregiver for a family member who is recovering and you can’t leave them home alone. You don't need to wait to get support, so online therapy may be a good option during this transition.
You work long hours: It can be hard for some to go in late or take off early to make a counseling appointment. If you have a private office with a secure wifi connection, you can do the counseling appointment over your lunch break from the comfort of your own office.
You can't find a therapist in your area: Maybe your city has a lot of therapists, but most aren't taking new clients or don't specialize in the help you are looking for. Or maybe you have to drive 2 hours to the nearest therapist. In either situation, if you find a great therapist in another part of your state, online therapy can eliminate geographic distance as a barrier. (Learn more about how to find a therapist that is a good fit for you here).
You didn't like therapy via a messaging app: You've already tried an alternative method of therapy via a secure messaging app with a licensed therapist. While it was very convenient and flexible to leave messages at any time of the day, you have found you prefer real-time interactions.
You want to try online counseling before in-person: If you are experiencing anxiety about driving or leaving the house, you may give online counseling a try first before in-person sessions. It can help you ease into working toward going to a counselor's office.
You want less traffic stress: If you already have a long commute to the office or live in a city with horrible rush hour traffic, the last thing you want to do is wait in more traffic to go to an appointment. Cut down on traffic stress and go straight home to try counseling from the comfort of your house.
You have a therapist you like but are moving: If you are relocating or returning to college after a break, but want to keep working with your counselor, ask if they offer online sessions. Your therapist can check on licensing laws, help you through the transition, or help you find an online therapist in your new area.
You want more privacy: If you are worried about someone seeing you in the waiting room at a therapist's office, you may want to try online counseling. It will give you the utmost privacy as long as you ensure a secure wifi connection and a private space with limited interruptions.
Do you relate to any of these situations where online therapy may be a more accessible & convenient way to get support?
Why Online Therapy isn’t for Everyone
By now, you are probably wondering if online therapy is right for every situation. While online therapy has been found to be just as effective as in-person therapy, it may not be the best option for everyone.
If you are (or your loved one) in a crisis, such as struggling with suicidal ideation or self-harm, then online therapy may not be right for you. If you need more immediate assistance, contact your local mental health clinic or reach out to:
Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: call or text 988
Crisis Text Line: text HOME to 741741
Tips on How to Make Online Therapy Even Better
Otherwise, if you’ve decided online therapy is the best option for you, then here are a few tips that will make your experience even better.
Find a private place: Consider where you can meet so that you feel free to share freely and privately. While you may not eliminate all interruptions if you have kids at home, you can find a place that feels private. To give you some ideas, here are some creative places where clients have done online therapy with me: bedroom, office, car, backyard, walk-in closet.
Create a comfortable space: Bring with you to the session anything that makes you feel comfortable. Some ideas are a blanket, water or tea, and a journal. Whatever you choose, these items will help you make the transition to focusing inward during your session.
Check your internet connection: If you are doing the session via video, then you will need a strong internet connection. It can be helpful to turn off all other tabs on your computer and even restart your computer before the session. If your wifi connection varies, you can always switch the session to phone, as needed.
Confirm tech is set up: Before your first session, you may want to make sure your camera and microphone are set up. Most online sessions can be accessed via phone app and/or computer, so decide ahead of time which you want to use.
Turn off notifications: Help create space for yourself with fewer interruptions by turning off notifications on your phone and/or computer. This will also help ensure your video session connection isn’t disrupted.
Give feedback: If online therapy doesn’t feel right for you, let your therapist know. Always give feedback, even if this is hard for you!
Learn About My Online Therapy Practice in Missouri
Lastly, are you looking for a therapist in Missouri? If yes, feel free to watch this short video where I share who and how I help:
If you are interested in working together, then let’s have a conversation to see if we are a good fit. You can schedule a free, introductory call with me here.
Marci Payne, MA, LPC
Learn more about Online, Individual Therapy in Missouri with Marci