Congratulations, you’ve reached the point where you have accepted that therapy is the next step for you. You’re taking control of your mental health. Mental health is just as important as physical health and should be treated in the same way. Anxiety and depression can be crippling and affect you on a daily basis. Now you know you need some help in the form of therapy, can it really be managed purely online? And more importantly, will your insurance cover the cost of online therapy? 30 years ago we didn’t really have that option, we had to go physically to a therapist. Whilst there is nothing against going to a therapist in person, it can be a bit offputting. Firstly, you have to psyche yourself up to leave the house, then you have to make yourself presentable and finally get there for a specific time and place. Just navigating to a strange place for a set time can set off anxiety for me. Once there, having someone you aren’t familiar with in the same space as you and both being unfamiliar will make it harder to open up.
Therapy in your own home: the advantages
With online therapy, you are already in your safe space, your home or your bedroom, whichever room you want to do it in, and you don’t have to wear anything fancy, pyjamas will do! You can set a time that suits you and just show up when you’re ready. If you want to, you don’t even have to be seen, there are some online therapy sessions that can be done via instant messaging, so you can build up to the on-camera stuff. You don’t even need to have a computer, you can do it through any internet-enabled device like a smartphone or tablet. If you live in a remote or rural area it’s a real asset, as you may not have access to as many therapists in your area.
Online therapy can be just as effective as in-person therapy, according to the latest research, and not just for depression, it can help with addiction, phobias, and compulsive behaviours too. If you have mobility issues alongside your mental health needs, accessibility can be an issue to accessing therapy, so online therapy makes it instantly accessible.
Seeking therapy online can be a much more affordable option, online therapists don’t have as many overheads as those in a physical practice, making it a cheaper option for you.
Are there any cons to online therapy?
Well, there may be. If your internet connection isn’t that great, or it drops out midway through a session, that may set you back emotionally, and you may still be charged for a full session. The other disadvantage is that they don’t cover acute situations or crisis situations, but some help is always better than no help.
Some insurance companies don’t cover online therapy, so make sure the one you choose works in partnership with insurance companies.
Disclosure: collaborative post
Thank you for reading - if you enjoyed this content, please consider buying me a coffee here or browse my Amazon wishlist I really appreciate your support and it helps to keep the site running and for my time 🙂