Many of us benefit from working with a therapist in their office for various emotional and mental health challenges, but for many people, this form of help may not be available or desirable. A Scientific American post quotes Kathryn Boger, a psychologist at Harvard Medical school: “There have been studies that have shown that virtual CBT [Cognitive Behavioral Therapy] can be just as effective as in-person CBT for various mental health conditions, including depression and anxiety.” Therapist Hayley Schiller, LMSW notes “When Covid-19 led to mass shutdowns globally, we as a society quickly turned to technology to find ways to work, interact, and even receive medical attention. “One of the byproducts of this concept is a major surge in Teletherapy. People could now access mental health services from the comfort of their own home.” She continues in her article Reasons Why Online Therapy Works. Here are some excerpts: Online Therapy is Great for People with Busy Schedules One of the biggest reasons why people do not consistently attend therapy has to do with scheduling. This makes sense. If a person works eight hours a day, needs to commute, and wants to have dinner at a reasonable hour, it can be challenging to fit other things into their schedule. Additionally, many therapists are off on the weekends. Utilizing online therapy, you can have a session at a time that works for you. Online Therapy is Great for Parents Just like people with busy schedules, parents can have great difficulty timing therapy around their responsibilities as a caregiver. By being able to attend therapy from home, you no longer need to worry about child care. Online Therapy Can Be a More Comfortable Option for Those with Chronic Conditions Chronic pain and other chronic medical conditions can limit a person’s access to therapy as when there is a flareup in one’s diagnosis, it may be hard to get up, get dressed, and commute to an office. Yet, many physical and mental health providers recommend therapy and stress management to people with chronic conditions. You Will Meet Some Fantastic Therapists That Would Have Been Too Far to Get to Otherwise Whether a therapist works remotely or in an office, they still go through the same extensive background check on their certification. However, one big difference is how far away of clients each type of provider can see. Think about it. If you go in person to a service provider you can only go as far as you’re willing to travel on a regular basis. With online therapy, you are able to meet therapists from a further vicinity than you would be able to travel normally. Here at Online-Therapy our providers use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. In addition, however, we also have providers who are also trained in modalities based in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, such as Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and Positive Psychology. ... Online-Therapy: “Providing therapists to help people in need of emotional support.” For individuals and couples. ~~~~~~~~~ References & Resources Online Talk Therapy Works as Well as an In-Person Session, a New Study Shows By Stephanie Pappas, Scientific American, August 31, 2023. .... Video list: Online Therapy ~~~ This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecreativemind.substack.com/subscribe
