Online Therapy: Is it right for you?

Online therapy is becoming more and more common but is it the right fit for you?

This form of therapy is mainly delivered through video calling but can also be delivered via email, chat, or over the phone.

Since fit is personal to each individual, this list of pros and cons can help you reflect on your own needs when looking for a therapist.

Pros of online therapy:

1. Accessibility: It promotes accessibility since you meet your therapist virtually. If you live in a remote location, you may also be otherwise limited in your choice of or access to a therapist. Functions such as live captions can also improve accessibility for people who may have a hearing impairment.

2. Comfort: You may feel more comfortable or/and safe when accessing therapy from your own home. A familiar environment can make it easier to open up and be vulnerable. You may also find it easier to cry when your therapist can't see you and hence prefer accessing therapy via phone or without video.

3. Privacy: You can choose a therapist who does not reside in the same city as you if you're worried about running into your therapist at the grocery store. People are also less likely to know that you're accessing services since you are not driving to a physical location to seek therapy.

4. Cost & time effective: Since you access therapy from your own residence, you can save money and time that would be spent on ways to get to your therapist's office.

5. Effectiveness: Research shows that online therapy can be as efficient as in-person therapy depending on the individual's needs and expectations.

Cons of online therapy:

1. Connection issues: Unreliable internet or no access to internet would indicate that online therapy is probably not for you. It is important that both you and your therapist are able to hear what's being discussed for therapy to be effective.

2. Confidentiality: The risk of having leaks of your personal information could increase when accessing online therapy. Tools and steps can be taken to minimize those risks but it is up to each therapist to ensure that your confidentiality is preserved to the best of their ability.

If you think that online therapy could be the right fit for you, reach out by email elisabeth.counselling@gmail.com or call (506)-645-8731 to book an appointment.

References:

1. Amichai-Hamburger, Y., Klomek, A. B., Friedman, D., Zuckerman, O., & Shani-Sherman, T. (2014). The future of online therapy. Computers in Human Behavior, 41, 288-294.

2. Andersson, G., Carlbring, P., Titov, N., & Lindefors, N. (2019). Interventions par Internet pour des adultes souffrant de troubles anxieux et de l'humeur: une revue d'ensemble narrative des récentes méta-analyses. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 64(7), 465-470.

3. Andersson, G., & Titov, N. (2014). Advantages and limitations of Internet‐based interventions for common mental disorders. World Psychiatry, 13(1), 4-11.

4. Etzelmueller, A., Vis, C., Karyotaki, E., Baumeister, H., Titov, N., Berking, M., ... & Ebert, D. D. (2020). Effects of internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy in routine care for adults in treatment for depression and anxiety: systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of medical Internet research, 22(8), e18100.

5. Lewis, C., Roberts, N. P., Andrew, M., Starling, E., & Bisson, J. I. (2020). Psychological therapies for post-traumatic stress disorder in adults: Systematic review and meta-analysis. European journal of psychotraumatology, 11(1), 1729633.