How to know in which cases to choose online psychotherapy?

In a relatively short time, online therapy has become a necessary tool for therapeutic assistance that has advantages for both patients and psychologists.

Of course, that doesn't mean that the typical visit to the psychotherapy center has to go away; after all, in many cases people prefer to be in the same room with the professional, without using an electronic device. However, there are times when the advantages of the online mode are especially remarkable, and opting for it is the most appropriate option. In this article we will focus on this topic: in which situations it is clearly worth resorting to online psychotherapy.

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

What is online psychotherapy?

Let's start with the fundamentals: clarifying what online psychotherapy consists of. It is a psychotherapeutic intervention service that is produced no need to be face to face in the same room with the psychologist, thanks to the use of electronic devices and communication applications, which allow communication in real time.

In addition, the effectiveness of online therapy can be just as useful as that of face-to-face therapy, and can be applied to treat almost all common problems as in consultation, except in some exceptions in which this type of therapy is not necessary.

It is true that aspects such as warmth, closeness and non-verbal language are also lost, but it is gained in direct availability, availability and immediacy to help patients immediately in any situation in which it is necessary. That is why it is recommended, as far as possible, to combine online sessions with a face-to-face session.

In which cases is it convenient to opt for online therapy?

This is a summary of the cases in which online psychotherapy becomes the preferred form of therapy thanks to its characteristics. Of course, none of them is decisive at all, but these ideas can serve as a guideline when choosing distance or face-to-face psychological assistance.

1. If you are looking for even more discretion

Although today going to psychotherapy is very normalized, some people still experience some embarrassment that others know that they are going to the psychologist, even if no disorder is being treated (for example, in cases where the problem is couple arguments or low self-esteem).

• You may be interested: "Mental health: definition and characteristics according to psychology"

2. If you can't move from home

There are many situations in which someone who needs to go to psychotherapy is not in a position to leave home for a long time, or having to move is very bad. This is the case of some patients with reduced mobility, or of those who have small children to care for, or even of who must go through a period of quarantine, as recent episodes such as the pandemic of coronavirus.

Fortunately, online therapy overrides these types of limitations: if there is an Internet connection with a minimum of stability in data transmission, there is the possibility of having video call sessions with the psychotherapist.

3. If you have a schedule that is too full of responsibilities

Another of the cases in which online therapy is the most recommended modality is one in which there is hardly any time between work and family or home responsibilities. How online psychotherapy eliminates travel time to the psychology center and does not force us to be at a certain time in a specific place (as long as we have quiet places, with privacy and with an Internet connection), it is much easier to get these sessions to fit into our agenda.

4. If you travel often

One of the most important aspects in any therapeutic process is perseverance and commitment to our own improvement. For this reason, it is necessary to avoid that trips break the dynamics of going to psychotherapy always with the recommended periodicity. In this way, it will not only be easier to reach the objectives set in the first sessions as soon as possible, but also we will be maximizing the chances that as patients we do not end up throwing in the towel and stopping going to the psychologist.

5. If you feel insecure

Another of the cases in which it is a good idea to choose online therapy is when as patients we feel insecure, or even a little intimidated, at the idea of ​​going to psychotherapy for the first time. This is so because being able to count on the help of the psychologist without having to leave an environment that is familiar to us and in which we feel comfortable, we are less likely to feel anxiety during the first session or two.

Are you interested in having online psychotherapy sessions?

If you have decided to attend online therapy, whatever the problem, we invite you to get in touch with our team of psychotherapists. On See Awakenings We have several centers open in various cities of the Community of Madrid and we have been receiving people from all over the world for many years. ages, but beyond face-to-face care with patients, we also have a powerful psychological therapy service on-line. To see more information about our counseling clinic, click on this link.

Bibliographic references:

• Change, P.M. (2011). Effectiveness of cybertherapy in mental health: a critical appraisal. Stud Health Technol Inform 167: pp. 3 - 8.
• Gratzer, D. and Khalid-Khan, F. (2016). Internet-delivered cognitive behavioral therapy in the treatment of psychiatric illness. CMAJ, 188 (4) pp. 263 - 272.