In 2020, if you are looking for a business in your area, where will you do your research? If you want to know the price of a household appliance, where will you find this information? On the Internet, of course!
The digital revolution has brought numerous changes in many industries, including health services. Information on the doctor (contact, address, and price), making appointments, and even teleconsultation have become accessible, and so is the psychotherapy. It has become a part of telemedicine service, in some respects more advantageous than face-to-face contact.
What is online therapy?
Online therapy works the same as face-to-face therapy. The therapist and the patient meet on the agreed day and time via Skype or through other online mediums. Appointments are always booked in advance, and it does not have to be always within the same day and at the same time. The session lasts approximately one hour, in which the person’s problems are discussed. The psychologist offers you new tools so that you can better manage conflicts.
These tools are not just limited to the session. Tasks will also be sent to perform between sessions, as well as follow-up by email if necessary. Besides, the price of the session is notably lower than the one in person. And, payments can be made conveniently through online payment or by bank transfer.
Advantages of Online therapy
Anytime and flexible consultation
One of the greatest advantages of seeing an online therapist is the management, or more specifically, it is time-saving. Indeed, for a consultation in a cabinet, you must devote most of your time to be able to move and prepare for the session. Especially, since the majority of psychological practices do not open their doors on weekends and public holidays. Opting for an online session, you can choose the time and day of your consultation. If you are only available on weekends, know that you will have a wide choice of therapists offering their service during break days. Even at night, they will be entirely at your disposal to resolve your concerns.
In the therapist’s office, the rates for sessions are counted in particular per minute or hour. Every minute that goes over can cost you dearly. On the other hand, By requesting the service of an online psychologist, you will be able to benefit from a few minutes to prepare yourself before the session and to restore yourself to a good state of consciousness after the treatment. If you are traveling, be aware that you can also consult a psychologist online and at any time.
The freedom of choosing a therapist
One of the most important advantages of online consultation is without doubt the freedom to choose the therapist. Indeed, you will have a wide choice of psychologists according to their specialty and their experience. Their expertise and skills are also displayed on their online profile. In the majority of cases, the therapist also has a blog and a photo so that you can get to know them easily while giving you the guarantee of his/her quality of service and professionalism.
Besides, you will also be able to know the lifestyle of the psychologist and his therapeutic orientation. For example, some therapists have experiences with patients with stressful international travelers’ lives, while some have considerable experience, in all matters including phobias and tics at the mental level. So, no matter your stress level and your mental situation, it is essential to choose the right online psychologist to meet your needs. In any case, it is advisable to avoid psychologists who offer you a price well below the average on the market.
Makes it possible to overcome the distances
Online therapy is a solution for people who live far from cities: you will no longer have to look for a therapist in your area and travel to their office. When you know that an appointment with a therapist can take you up to half a day, while in two minutes, you can now obtain a teleconsultation appointment from home, and the choice is quickly made! Then all you need to do is bring your computer, tablet, or smartphone to chat with him.
The same goes for moves: it is no longer necessary to go through the yellow pages and forums to find a professional near you and available. Distances no longer exist because digital technology has greatly promoted accessibility. You are just one click away from a professional at your service. The flexible hours offered by an online therapist corresponds to your needs: no more wasted time to get an appointment: only the time of the consultation counts.
Conclusion
Lastly, online therapy provides constant support to the patient, as it is accessible from everywhere and allows you to have a real relationship with the therapist. The online video sessions allow the patient to build a long-term and based relationship with the therapist like in a face to face therapy session!