Is Online Counseling Right for You?
In recent years, online counseling platforms have become more prevalent than ever before. And with the current coronavirus pandemic, the idea of receiving counseling services online from the comfort and safety of your own home has become even more appealing. Still, many people wonder whether they can actually benefit from online counseling, or if it’s a waste of their time and money. In this article, we’ll go over the differences between online and traditional counseling services, and we’ll also discuss who is most likely to benefit from online counseling. By the time you’ve finished reading this article, you should have a much better idea of whether or not online counseling is a good option for you!
How does online counseling differ from in-person counseling?
There is one very obvious difference between online counseling and traditional in-person counseling: online counseling takes place online, so you will not be sitting in the same room as your counselor. In addition, online counseling uses technology to engage in different types of communication: video chat (considered to be the most effective), phone calls, live chat, and asynchronous messaging. Otherwise, online counseling is very much the same as traditional counseling. In both situations, you are speaking with an educated, trained, and certified professional. The same types of therapy are used in both situations; some common types of therapy are Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Client-Centered Therapy, and Psychodynamic Therapy.
Is online counseling as effective as traditional counseling?
Online counseling using real-time video sessions has been proven to be as effective as traditional counseling. When it comes to other streams of communication such as phone calls and instant messaging, these tend not to be quite as effective. However, they can be a great addition to online video sessions; these other methods of communication can be beneficial ways to check in between sessions and get quick answers to questions that arise.
Overall, though, when you join an online counseling platform that supports live video sessions, you can expect it to be just as effective as attending traditional in-person sessions with a counselor or therapist. On average, the benefits of counseling increase the more sessions you attend, whether those sessions are online or in person. For more advice on mental health topics, take a look at https://www.mytherapist.com/advice/.
Who can benefit from online counseling?
Pretty much everyone can benefit from online counseling! In fact, you don’t even need to be living with a mental health disorder to benefit from speaking with a mental health professional. Counseling services are wonderful for anyone who wants to understand themselves on a deeper level, improve their relationships, find their purpose, and work through tough memories and experiences–or even for people who just need an unbiased person to talk to. Because online counseling tends to be much more accessible and affordable than traditional counseling, it’s an especially great choice for those who live in rural areas or have a tighter budget.
Is online counseling the right choice for you?
Considering that online counseling is as effective as traditional counseling, and that everyone can benefit from the counseling process in one way or another, there’s a very high probability that online counseling is a great choice for you! Of course, you’ll want to do your research to choose the online counseling platform that best fits your needs. Once on the platform, you may want to speak with a couple of different professionals in order to ensure a good fit between yourself and your counselor. Then, when you’ve started the actual counseling process, be sure to commit yourself to it and be prepared to put in the work to improve your mental health. As mentioned previously, the benefits of counseling increase depending on the number of sessions you attend! The longer you engage with the process, the more you’re likely to get out of it.
The Bottom Line
Online counseling platforms are an affordable, accessible, and effective way to improve your mental health. Whether you’re simply looking to gain more self-confidence or if you want to learn how to cope with mental illness, online counseling can be a wonderful way to reach out and get the help you need!
Marie Miguel Biography
Marie Miguel has been a writing and research expert for nearly a decade, covering a variety of health- related topics. Currently, she is contributing to the expansion and growth of a free online mental health resource with BetterHelp.com. With an interest and dedication to addressing stigmas associated with mental health, she continues to specifically target subjects related to anxiety and depression.
