• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Working Mom Blog | Outside the Box Mom

making life easier for working moms

  • Home
  • Home Life
    • Cleaning
    • Decor
    • Home Improvement
    • Laundry
    • Organizing
    • Save Money at Home
  • Meals
    • Cooking Shortcuts
    • Grocery Shopping
    • Health
    • Meal Planning
    • Recipes
    • Save Money on Meals
  • Work
    • Blogging
    • Entrepreneur Mom
    • New Working Mom
    • Unemployment
    • Work at Home
    • Work / Life Balance
  • Mom
    • Beauty, Style, and Fashion
    • Faith
    • Health
    • Me Time
    • Productivity
  • Family
    • Childcare
    • Digital Life
    • Education
    • Family Time
    • Hobbies
    • Holidays
    • Marriage
      • Marriage Advice
    • Parenting
    • Travel
  • Finances
  • About
    • About Raki Wright
    • Disclosure Policy
    • My Communities:
    • Outside The Box Mom Resources
    • Parties I Link To
    • Privacy Policy | Privacy Notice
  • Contact
  • Shop

Is Online Therapy Effective?

This post may contain affiliate links. Read full disclosure.

by RAKI WRIGHT

0 shares
  • Share
  • Tweet

We have all seen ads on Facebook and other social media websites where people are seen seeking online therapy services and sharing their positive feedback. People can look up for therapists online by signing up on online therapy websites or similar applications.

Therapists can conduct online therapy sessions with their patients using audio and video calls. Some people also prefer to get in touch with their therapist through text messages.

As the world has started relying on the internet, online therapy has become a new talk of the town especially in these hard times of global pandemic where people are practicing strict social-distancing measures in order to contain the virus.

It is even better that online therapy that takes insurance.

So, is online therapy really effective as it is advertised on a social media platform and online forums?

Let’s find out:

  1. Online therapy can miss body language

In most cases, online therapists are unable to see the facial expression for their client. They cannot see the emotional cues and understand the body language of their clients.

It’s hard to figure out the real emotions of the person who just signed up for an online therapy session and is using text messages to discuss his trauma.

This lack of physical appearance where your therapist may not have a true demonstration of your emotions, moods, and feelings could have the potential to limit therapeutic progress.

So, we would recommend that a therapist see and listen to the client through voice chat and video calls, to foster the intimacy that the real-world interaction offers. Still, this is one area where online therapy is so helpful. It can be done from the privacy of the client’s home and they can set the schedule. 

  1. Online therapists have a slightly limited ability to intervene in crises.

Online therapists execute their sessions from all over the world, so in the event of some crisis situation, they cannot respond to you in time. For example, if the patient is having suicidal thoughts or has undergone some personal tragedy, an online therapist might not provide direct assistance to his client.

On the other hand, your local therapist can show up at your home and offer you the help in times of some crisis situation.

If you are in a crisis or any other person may be in danger – don’t use a website. These resources can provide you with immediate help.

  1. The scope of online therapy is limited and may require in-person therapy.

Although, online therapy can be useful in fighting the depression that is common during the worldwide pandemic, some situations where people need direct intervention cannot be addressed via online therapy.

For instance, if the client has some chronic psychiatric illness or some complicated mental problem, online therapy is not recommended at all. Online therapy works best when people need somewhat minor treatment for less-complicated psychosis.

A legitimate site will advise you to have access to emergency resources if there’s an urgent mental health matter. If you are in a crisis or any other person may be in danger – don’t use a website.

  1. Technology can be unreliable

Consider the scenario, in which you are talking to your therapist via video call and suddenly the call gets disconnected or the video screen freezes while you were in the middle of some important conversation about your life.

With online therapy, there may be technological barriers like disconnected calls, internet connectivity issues from both sides, and a lack of understanding of digital tools.

On top of that, some have had concerns about confidentiality in therapy sessions, because the conversation between client and therapist is happening online.

Be sure that your online site safeguards the privacy and verification of counselors, is HIPAA compliant, has grade A banking encryption, and ensures counselors are thoroughly vetted and verified.

In 2020, everything went online. Here is more information about using technology in therapy and counseling:

https://www.betterhelp.com/advice/therapy/therapy-and-counseling-a-new-age-of-technology-approaches/

More Posts About Therapy

3 Signs You Need a New Therapist

What is a Psychotherapist?

How different psychotherapy techniques can impact you

Reference:

Andersson G, Cuijpers P. Pros and cons of online cognitive–behavioral therapy. The British Journal of Psychiatry. 2008 Oct;193(4):270-1.

Ruwaard J, Lange A, Schrieken B, Dolan CV, Emmelkamp P. The effectiveness of online cognitive behavioral treatment in routine clinical practice. PLoS One. 2012 Jul 5;7(7):e40089.

Andersson G. Using the Internet to provide cognitive behavior therapy. Behavior research and therapy. 2009 Mar 1;47(3):175-80.

The information on this page is not intended to be a substitution for diagnosis, treatment, or informed professional advice. You should not take any action or avoid taking any action without consulting with a qualified mental health professional.

  • Author
  • Recent Posts
RAKI WRIGHT
Raki's Google Profile
Latest posts by RAKI WRIGHT (see all)
  • What services does an AI Services Company provide? -
  • The Importance of Termite Inspection: How to Detect and Prevent Infestations -
  • Adapting Bitcoin Investment Strategies for Different National Economies -

Filed Under: Health

Previous Post: « 3 Signs You Need a New Therapist
Next Post: What is Art Therapy? »

Reader Interactions

Trackbacks

  1. What is a Psychotherapist? - Working Mom Blog | Outside the Box Mom says:
    at

    […] Is Online Therapy Effective? […]

  2. 3 Signs You Need a New Therapist - Working Mom Blog | Outside the Box Mom says:
    at

    […] Is Online Therapy Effective? […]

Primary Sidebar

Welcome! I'm Raki. I am a working mom of 2 (20-year old son and 13-year old daughter). I share tips to balance work, family, and make time for you. More...

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Footer

What are you looking for?

Stock images by depositphotos.

ENTER YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS TO GET THE BEST TIME-SAVING TIPS AND SOLUTIONS FOR BUSY, WORKING MOMS IN YOUR INBOX.

    Copyright © 2023 · Foodie Pro Theme by Shay Bocks · Built on the Genesis Framework · Powered by WordPress

    0 shares