Telepsychology in times of the coronavirus

At this time of quarantine, it is easy for psychological disturbances to appear due to anxiety, in addition to other severe stress-related difficulties. And it is not for less, because the current situation is absolutely extraordinary and has managed to destabilize the entire current political, economic and social panorama, as well as its members.

In addition, a new circumstance appears in this unexpected crisis. Psychologists have to work from home to care for people who need it, since now its work is more necessary than ever due to all the psychological disorders that are being triggered exponentially.

On the other hand, doctors, who always collaborate with the psychologist in managing stress in people, are putting out the greatest fire in history and they can hardly attend to the psychosomatic crisis resulting from COVID-19, that of psychological-psychiatric problems, which is now no longer a problem of a few, but encompass a large sector of the population that is receiving the impact of a multitude of consequences in relation to this stop required.

• Related article: "The 8 benefits of going to psychological therapy"

Thanks to technological advances, psychotherapy expands

This is the good news: technology allows everything in psychology to continue to develop with a certain normality even if you have few resources and digital skills.

With a mobile phone, many psychologists can be accessed as a client or patient, thus being able to obtain all the benefits of psychotherapy as if attending a face-to-face consultation with a professional.

Now more than ever, the person is encouraged to be able choose a professional regardless of physical distance and you can choose a much more like-minded expert regardless of the country you are in.

What exactly is online therapy?

Online therapy is remote psychological intervention by videoconference with the support of any other technological resource that facilitates communication and allows the work of the psychologist thus helping the patient-client in the resolution of conflicts and / or emotions dysfunctional.

The reasons why a person chose online psychology, until recently, were mainly that he did not have a specialist in his area, because he traveled frequently, because he had inflexible schedules or because he wanted the privacy and discretion of his home.

In this new situation, the only possibility is online psychology to deal with psychological problems avoiding the risk of contagion and respecting government instructions.

In addition, psychological disorders have exploded, currently registering a record of incidence in crisis of anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, phobias and hypochondria, as main diagnoses.

Differential characteristics to take into account

Many people choose online therapy today and especially in this quarantine season, where it is the only option.

The benefits of online psychology are many, since you can meet with a psychologist from almost anywhere in the world, from your own home or work environment, and with greater privacy and discretion.

It is true that it is still a modality that generates many mistrust or certain doubts due to the physical distance of the professional, the quality of the relationship to be established, the myth that physical proximity is necessary to help, and the distrust of some people in the methods digital.

In any case, telepsychology has become a good option to receive psychological attention; These weeks represent a new and powerful rebirth of this modality that already began its boom in the year 2000.

Is it as effective as face-to-face therapy?

The most frequent doubt that appears in people who require psychological attention is about the level of efficacy and validity of this modality and if online psychology is equivalent to psychotherapy face-to-face.

The answer is yes, it has the same validity and the same quality, since the only thing that differentiates them is the communication channel. Furthermore, the American Psychiatric Association concludes that both types of interventions are equivalent.

Another common question we find is whether using digital tools can interfere with the therapeutic alliance between patient and psychologist. The answer is no, the communication channel is the only change in the relationship between the two people that make up this collaboration and the work that the psychologist develops is exactly the same.

According to the most recent meta-analysis studies that make comparisons between the results of one modality and another, the scientific validity of the Online treatments are equivalent to face-to-face, both in terms of results and in terms of the strength of the alliance establishment therapy.

The variables that guarantee the results have to do with the same factors that appear in face-to-face psychology and one of the most relevant has to do with the professional training of the psychologist or psychologist specializing in psychotherapy, her experience and her skills in telepsychology, that is, in the online mode that has some additional characteristic to take into account, such as taking care of the communication channel.

What do you need to do an online session?

The client or patient needs some simple conditions to access an online consultation and they are the following; connection to a stable Internet network, a device with a camera and microphone that can be a smartphone, tablet or laptop or desktop and email to receive appointment reminders and if there is to exchange documentation, reports or invoices.

The psychologist or psychology center should also have certain conditions, such as a secure platform that protects the confidentiality of the client and guarantees the protection of her data, as well What have training in this treatment modality that allows it to be more effective.

The only drawback that appears is for people who are not familiar with the internet. It should be said that this difficulty is perfectly solvable, since it is simply a matter of becoming familiar with the new situation.

Online psychotherapy also presents as a benefit the clear reduction of costs in transport and time of each person who performs the therapy.

Online psychotherapies are ideal for adults who perform individual sessions, and in couples therapy it is recommended in combination with face-to-face sessions; They are not especially indicated for children or adolescents under 16 years of age, although in the current case where there is no other option, this is configured as better than the absence of treatment. However, you can always request the collaboration of parents or a family member to make the consultation with the child or young person.

In cases of severe pathology, it is not the recommended first-choice therapy, but in adverse circumstances where there is no alternative, it is still much better than the absence of it.

It is important to underline that online psychology is the therapy of first choice for people with some specific phobias, especially those who suffer from agoraphobia and are afraid to leave their homes and walk or stay in open spaces. It is also very useful for people who suffer from depression or are diagnosed with eating disorders, as well as for any type of addiction, and for all those people who have a chronic disease and cannot travel.

Professional intrusion is a problem to consider

With the current need for psychological services, people are appearing who identify themselves as psychologists or clinical psychologists and who do not have the aforementioned degree. This has made the schools of psychologists put on alert to identify these possible infractions and thus ensure the safety of people in vulnerable situations who require the help of a professional skilled.

It is possible to prevent these situations by selecting a psychologist from a recognized network of health professionals who offers guarantees or by ensuring that the selected psychologist has all the accreditations of her so as not to be exposed to the above described, thus being necessary that the person who hires has from all the guarantees and requirements to practice your profession.

Are you interested in starting online therapy?

If you are looking for professional support in these times of confinement, I invite you to contact me.

I am a psychologist with more than 25 years of experience and I attend both in person and online by video call. You can see more information about my career, as well as my contact information, by clicking here.