Online Therapy as a Tool to Cope With Your Emotional Ills

Are you struggling in dealing with our current national crises, but wondering how to get help with mental health issues you are also dealing with?  Do you wonder if online therapy can be helpful, if it can address anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, and if it is even covered by insurance? Getting answers to these questions is crucial to getting the help you need.  

Now is the Time for Many People to Try Online Therapy

It can seem like a risky proposition to get online to talk to a relative stranger in the person of a therapist you may have only emailed with or talked on the phone with, but most people are in the same boat as far as this being the main option these days.  With our current national situation, short of going to an inpatient hospital (which probably isn’t the best option), there aren’t a lot of ways to be face-to-face with a therapist. Reaching out for help is a big step, and it can seem extra scary if you aren’t working with a therapist face-to-face.  Taking that chance is paying off for many people, however. It can be the difference between life and death, and especially with the advent of national hotlines for issues like suicide and other mental health crises, it is certainly worth the risk.

How To Get Started With Online Therapy

After looking online for different therapists who specialize in what you’re struggling with, either on a Google search or on Psychology Today’s Find a Therapist link, you can reach out to one or more therapists in your state (there are laws that govern being able to practice in different states, and each therapist needs to be licensed in the state they practice in).  For me, you can call the number at the top of my webpage, you can email me, or you can fill out the form at the bottom of the page.  I practically always reply within 24 hours and can coordinate with you for a free 20-minute phone consult before you pay for anything.  That gives you an idea about how it would be to work with me in a full therapist-client relationship.  

Common Objections and FAQ’s About Online Therapy

Objection 1:  It isn’t near as helpful as in-person therapy since you aren’t in the therapist’s office. 

While there is no substitute for in-person therapy, being able to talk to a mental health professional online can still be very beneficial, and potentially even life-saving if you are struggling with self-harm or suicidal thoughts or feelings.  

FAQ 1:  Is online therapy effective?  Yes, it certainly is. You have a live and fully trained therapist giving you their full attention and despite the physical distance separating the two of you, they can help you just like one sitting right in front of you because of them being able to notice facial expressions, intonations of voice, and gestures depending on how much of you is in the camera view.  

FAQ 2:  Which online therapy is best?  Certainly those that rely more on talking would seem more effective than those that involve more complex interactions, like EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing).  However, I have heard anecdotal reports that even this form of therapy can be effective online.    

How Do I Know Online Therapy Works?

Online therapy has been going on for years, and some therapists have their entire practices online going back for years.  In all that time, I’ve never heard that it was ineffective. In fact, for some people who live in rural areas it may be the only option.  In such cases, as I mentioned above, it can be the difference between life and death and be a lifeline to those who take advantage of it. This article addresses some of these issues.

What Makes My Approach Different

While I haven’t had most of my practice online until recently, I have worked with a number of clients via phone and computer and can attest to it being beneficial for most of them.  I use a HIPPA secure web portal called Therasoft that has a good measure of security to it, as opposed to some others that have weaker measures of security. With an extra measure of assurance that your information is confidential and not as vulnerable to 3rd party intrusion, you can talk with less stress than otherwise to me.  And therapy can require enough courage to start without having to worry about how well-encrypted your information is online. In addition, this web portal works on either computer or smartphone. The smart phone app is called My Therapist and is free to download on your phone. All you need is a 4 digit PIN that is provided to you before the first session.  

Just call me at 512-648-3053 or contact me to start online therapy with me and I will get back to you ASAP!

Have Questions? Send Me A Message!