5 Reasons You Should Try Online Therapy

Although online therapy platforms seem to be popping up at unprecedented rates, that doesn’t keep people from questioning whether online therapy is as valid or effective as traditional face-to-face therapy. Read on for more information about why online therapy is worth a try, and whether it is as effective as its traditional counterpart.

1. Online therapy is less expensive than traditional therapy.

One reason you should try online therapy is that it’s more affordable than most face-to-face therapy sessions. There are many different online therapy platforms to check out, and they all offer different subscriptions and plans that vary in price.

In addition, some of these platforms accept insurance, and others provide financial aid so that you can get help at reduced rates. Even without insurance or financial aid, online therapy tends to cost much less than traditional therapy.

2. Online therapy is effective.

Studies have shown that online therapy through live video sessions is just as effective as in-person therapy. What really determines the effectiveness of therapy is you! If you choose to attend therapy regularly and put in effort to improve your mental health, that’s when you’ll see the greatest effects.

However, if you tend to cancel sessions and don’t apply what you’ve learned in therapy to your daily life, it’s likely you won’t see the effects you’re looking for, whether you attend therapy online or in person. What you get out of therapy is directly related to what you put into it.

3. Online therapy is easily accessible.

As long as you have a compatible device (a smartphone or computer) and a reliable internet connection, you can engage in therapy anytime, anywhere. One of the great advantages of online therapy is that you can schedule sessions at times when traditional therapists don’t offer their services.

Many online therapists offer early hours so that you can schedule sessions before work, and they also offer later hours so that you can attend sessions after you’ve gotten home from work for the day.

Generally, in-person therapy has more limited hours, and traditional therapists are often unavailable for weekend sessions. In addition, traditional therapy almost always takes place in a counselor’s office, but online therapy can take place anywhere, which is extremely convenient. If you’re interested in online therapy, click over to https://www.mytherapist.com/ to be matched with a provider.

4. Online therapy offers plenty of options.

Another reason that you should try online therapy is that it offers you lots of choices to fit your specific needs. For example, most online therapy platforms allow you to switch therapists as needed until you find one that you like. Since it’s very important that you feel comfortable with your therapist, this is a huge advantage!

In addition, there are several different ways to communicate with your therapist. You can do a live video session, which is the most similar to traditional therapy, or you can talk to your therapist through an audio call. You can also do a live chat where you type messages back and forth, or you can even send asynchronous messages that your therapist replies to about once a day.

With all of these options, you can really take advantage of the type of treatment or stream of communication that works best for you.

5. Online therapy allows you to speak with your therapist between sessions.

With traditional therapy, it’s very rare that you’re able to communicate with your therapist in between sessions. Instead, you’re expected to use what you’ve learned during a session and apply it to your life. If you’re having a hard time, you often need to wait until your next session to speak with your therapist about it.

But with online therapy, many platforms allow you to send a message to your therapist anytime, with the guarantee that they will reply within a day. This can be extremely helpful to those who need a little bit more guidance, and many people benefit from a quick daily check-in with their therapist.

Even if you don’t have a video session each day, you can type out a message and rest assured that your therapist will read it and get back to you with feedback and suggestions in less than 24 hours.

The Bottom Line

There are plenty of reasons to try out online therapy! It’s affordable, accessible, and effective; it allows you to switch therapists as needed and choose the stream of communication that is most comfortable and beneficial for you, and it gives you opportunities to communicate with your therapist in between sessions.

If you have been considering online therapy, there’s no reason to hold back! With all of the benefits of traditional therapy plus a few extras, online therapy platforms are a wonderful place to go to seek help with your mental health.