You’ve probably heard the saying ‘It’s a process’ more times than you’d like to admit, but one thing that online therapy highlights is how doing therapy is a process and not a place.
Online Therapy is About Process Over Place
Back before the pandemic hit, my clients almost always came to my office. Maybe that’s something they needed back in ‘those days’ as much as getting therapy. Now things have changed. I only do online therapy and phone sessions right now, so there’s no place to go in terms of coming to a session. It can literally be wherever you are. I sometimes seem like a voice in people’s heads while they’re going from one place to another or sitting at home on the couch. No matter where people are, therapy can happen. It’s caused me to reexamine what therapy is as far as what makes it important in people’s lives. The process of therapy has now overshadowed the place as being of prime importance, if that wasn’t the case before.
There’s No Escape in the Online Therapy Process
People can no longer come to my office to escape an abusive spouse, or annoying family members. If you live with them, I now have to help you find other ways to deal with these individuals that don't involve getting a one hour reprieve every week or two. That was never the main way of helping my clients deal with difficult people before, but sometimes it can really help to blow off steam in therapy. If the person you’re blowing off steam about is always around and you don’t have an opportunity to get to my office, then finding other ways to deal with this is now more critical than ever. Maybe it involves setting boundaries with these other individuals to get some privacy, or maybe it’s more about being able to find more ways to cope in the moment. One thing that Covid-19 has forced people to do is to find ways of coping that they can use in the heat of the moment, and that’s what the process of online therapy can now focus on in a big way.
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The Main Thing is to Start the Process of Online Therapy
You may be spending a lot of time trying to decide whether to start online therapy or not, but that all by itself can mean you need to start the process. Some of the worst mental illnesses have indecision as one of the main symptoms. If it’s more a matter of weighing the pros and cons of doing therapy, then that’s something you can do on your own with a sheet of paper. Often writing things down can be a good way of making a decision, but if you’re so stuck you can’t even get that far, then it’s a good idea to go ahead and reach out to someone for help. This can start by talking to a trusted friend or family member. If you don’t have these available, many therapists like me do free phone consults with prospective clients to give them a better idea about whether online therapy would be a good idea or not. You can call the number at the top of the page or simply fill out the inquiry form at the bottom of the page to do this right now.
Covid-19 Has Made Online Therapy a Necessity
The health crisis we are in is only adding to the need to start the process of online therapy. With so many people sick and dying, it is adding to the psychological distress everyone is having to deal with. I urge you that if you feel the need to reach out for help to go ahead and do it, because the coming months are only going to make things more urgent for others who have yet to realize they need help or are still waiting to do so. Again, I am available for a free 20 minute phone consult should you want one, so there’s no need to wait if you know you need help today!
Visit our specialty page on online therapy to learn more about how Scott can help you via online therapy.
About the author: Scott Kampschaefer, LCSW is a private practice therapist in Frederick, Maryland. He has an extensive background in working with depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder at a clinic for older adults with these disorders in Austin. He now works with adults and adolescents 14 and up in private practice. His new e-book is entitled The 5 Pillars of Addiction Recovery and is available for purchase on Amazon.