The importance of online therapy in the face of the coronavirus pandemic

In times of crisis by COVID-19, the social and health emergency should not make us lose sight of the fact that health is not reduced solely to preventing and curing observable physical conditions in the human body; in fact, it is not even limited to the absence of pathologies.

Health includes well-being as something global, and that implies that we cannot forget something as important as health mental health, especially in contexts capable of making us face very difficult and stressful situations, as well as the uncertainty.

Fortunately, in recent years a form of psychotherapeutic intervention has been consolidated that is very well adapted to our needs during the coronavirus pandemic. It's about online therapy, which is here to stay and, although it was already rapidly becoming popular before the appearance of this pathogen, with the appearance of COVID-19 it has become essential. Let's see why.

The reasons why online therapy is basic in times of COVID-19

These are the main reasons why online therapy is an essential resource in the face of the pandemic.

1. Its effectiveness is equivalent to face-to-face therapy

The first aspect to take into account is that the change of communication channel does not cause the effectiveness of the treatment to be lost. It is true that there are some specific cases in which online psychotherapy is complicated or practically impossible due to logistical reasons (for example, when you need to use resources such as Neurofeedback or Virtual Reality with special glasses), but where it can be done Without material limitations, this form of intervention in patients is as effective as the "traditional" one carried out face to face with the patient. therapist.

2. It implies a lower risk of contagion

The first great advantage of online therapy is evident: if it is not necessary to leave home and go to the psychologist's office, the risk of contagion from that period of time invested in "going to the psychologist" is reduced to zero.

This is a great benefit for people at risk from COVID-19 and also for those who live with them, including here the people who almost always need to be available to support their elders, their sick, etc

3. It implies a lower cost

Especially in times of economic crisis, many individuals and families highly value the idea of ​​having a form of psychotherapy offered at a lower price than face-to-face. As online therapy means a lower cost for psychologists and health centers, normally this It is also reflected in what the customer pays.

On the other hand, the fact of having the security of being able to pay for all therapy sessions is also associated with a greater commitment to treatment, and consequently, a lower dropout rate and better results finals.

4. Does not understand geographical limits

These weeks, something that in any other year would have seemed almost straight out of a science fiction novel is a real possibility: lockdowns applied to regions and even entire countries.

Given the need to stop the spread of the virus, in several cases the mobility of people is greatly limited and even those who can go out can encounter various obstacles: problems when sharing a car, changes in the frequency of public transport or in the safety of these vehicles etc With online therapy, none of this matters.

5. Offer professional support in a more agile way

In a situation in which the limitations of trying not to get infected greatly reduce our freedoms, most people want everything they have to do throughout the week to be as simple as possible. In this sense, online therapy is ideal, because it neither requires too many intermediate steps nor is it difficult to make the schedules, by not having to invest time in the displacement or in making sure that we will find the place, we will arrive on time, etc

You just have to schedule a first session, make the payment as indicated, and connect to the video call platform when the time comes. As long as we have an Internet connection and have a quiet place that allows us to be alone, we don't even have to do the sessions always in the same place.

Looking for psychotherapeutic assistance?

If you are interested in having professional psychotherapeutic support, count on us. In Advance Psychologists We have been treating patients for more than 20 years, and currently we offer both face-to-face and online therapy. Among our team of mental health experts we have accredited professionals with specialties in psychotherapy for adults, child and adolescent psychotherapy, couples therapy, speech therapy, psychiatry, neuropsychology, coaching, and more. In this page You will find our contact information and more information about the way we work.

Bibliographic references:

• Change, PM. (2011). Effectiveness of cybertherapy in mental health: a critical appraisal. Stud Health Technol Report 167:pp. 3 - 8.
• Derrig-Palumbo, K., and Zeine, F. (2005). Online Therapy: A Therapist's Guide to Expanding Your Practice.
• Soto-Pérez, F., Franco, M., Monardes, C., and Jiménez, F. (2010). Internet and clinical psychology: review of cyber-therapies. Journal of Psychopathology and Clinical Psychology, 15(1): pp. 19 - 37.