Psychology at home: a new way of caring for patients

At present, a new form of psychotherapy is growing: it is psychology at home.

This type of therapy, unlike the traditional one, is carried out at the client's home, so the psychological intervention at home combines some benefits of both online therapy and classic face-to-face therapy that is done in consultation. In this article we analyze the keys to understanding this new approach.

• You may be interested: "Types of psychological therapies"

What is home therapy?

Home psychology refers to the situations in which the psychotherapist travels to the home of the patient to carry out the sessions that will allow the latter to improve their quality of life and their wellness.

The idea of ​​home psychology arises because many times the patient can experience too many problems when going to the You consult when you are in a bad emotional moment, have a disability that makes it impossible to move, suffers a serious crisis or has a limitation regarding the means of transport (either because you do not have a vehicle or that the public transport network is not ideal to go to the clinic).

Due to its characteristics and associated advantages, home psychology can be the solution to these obstacles, just like when a doctor makes a visit to the home of a sick person. It is another alternative to face-to-face therapy, in the same way that online therapy tries to make the service more accessible. However, with regard to the latter, some patients may consider that it is too impersonal when carried out through a computer, the telephone or e-mail.

On the other hand, home psychotherapy allows to maintain face-to-face contact with the patient, since it is a form of face-to-face therapy, but with all the comfort that the home presents. Thus, the patient can feel more comfortable and confident because he is in a place that he knows very well.

Why go to psychological therapy

Whether in person in consultation, online or at home, going to psychological therapy can be beneficial for many people. But even if an individual does not feel quite well on an emotional level because certain situations in his life exceed him, it is not always easy to take the step and travel to a psychology clinic to seek help and receive treatment.

• Related article: "Top 10 psychology and psychotherapy clinics”

There are still many people who think that to go to the psychologist you have to have a serious disorder, when in reality, people go to psychotherapeutic sessions for the most varied reasons: for relationship problems with the partner, to improve self-knowledge and emotional intelligence or to acquire a series of habits or skills that will improve her adaptation to the environment that surrounds her.

In fact, there are still individuals who believe that visiting a psychotherapist is a sign of weakness, when in reality it is a symptom of courage and a way to become a much stronger person and prepared for what may arise in your day to day.

If you are thinking of going to the psychologist, it is good that you take into account the benefits associated with psychotherapy:

• Helps you feel better.
• Improve your self-confidence.
• It provides you with tools to handle everyday conflicts.
• Helps you overcome limiting beliefs.
• It allows you to live in harmony with the people you associate with.
• Helps you find emotional balance.
• The therapeutic relationship is confidential, so you can tell the psychologist what you need.
• It helps you empower yourself in life.

If you want to delve into these benefits, you can read this article: "The 8 benefits of going to psychological therapy”

Psychologists at home: some considerations

As we have seen, home therapy can be a very good option, because as patients are in their own home and feel more comfortable, so they can easily develop the confidence towards the professional that is necessary to create a good therapeutic environment.

It is also a great alternative in the case of child psychotherapy, since the professionals who carry out the intervention can observe parenting skills and styles in their natural environment, that is, in the home of the family. Home psychologists can observe relational dynamics that occur between parents and children as they occur on a daily basis, with fewer filters than in other settings. For example, it can be especially helpful when dealing with a troublesome daughter who displays disruptive behavior patterns.

However, in these cases it must be ensured that all family members are present and are involved in the therapy process, and if necessary, support should be offered to parents in parenting their children. We must also bear in mind that it is necessary to eliminate barriers that adolescents can put up, since they can come to feel that her space is being violated, since the psychologist is within her own territory.

Advantage

We have already seen that home therapy shares the advantages of face-to-face therapy and distance therapy. But what are these benefits? What makes this type of therapy a good alternative?

In short, the main benefits of home psychology are as follows:

• The person's home can provide information that a clinic cannot find.

• The patient may feel less vulnerable because he is the one who welcomes the psychologist. He feels that he is on his ground, where he lives his life with total normality.
• Patients are not seen in the psychology center, so there is more privacy.
• Greater comfort by not having to move the patient.
• Greater confidence when the patient feels in her field.
• Lower cost, since the psychologist does not have to pay for a space to perform therapy.
• Possibility of more family members present.
• An environment conducive to carrying out exercises (especially with the little ones who feel like they are at home).

Psychology at home as a new option

Psychology sessions at home are, without a doubt, a good way to do therapy, as patients can benefit for many reasons as you have seen.

However, when performed in the patient's home it is necessary to take into account some issues: Is it safe to bring therapy sessions at home? Is there minimally necessary privacy? Is there a comfortable place to talk? Does the client feel safe at home? Can the client and therapist focus on home therapy?

Therapists should be aware that if a number of factors are not taken care of, it is very easy to lose control in different situations. If these factors are controlled, the sessions can be successful.