Online Counselling
Online Counselling has its benefits and drawbacks. Together we can figure out if online therapy is right for you. Contact Lifeline for the Frontline for more details or to book an appointment.
What are the benefits and drawbacks of online therapy?
Depending on who you are and where you are in your journey to mental wellness online therapy can seem a bit scary, new age or maybe you believe it’s ineffective. In my experience it can be all of these things and none of them, depending on who you are. Like everything that has to do with human psychology, an action, technique or method is only as effective as you allow it to be. Additionally, sometimes there are techniques that are just not suited to online success while further still some people just don’t find it gives them the same relief as face to face contact. After all, as much as therapy is about the implementation of techniques and strategies to cope with existing mental health conditions it is first and foremost about connection. Below I’ve identified some of the reasons we may benefit from online counselling and what potential drawbacks you yourself may face when considering this method of counselling.
Benefits
Accessibility! In this day and age and recent (March 2020) developments with Covid-19, online sessions make certain kinds of therapy super accessible to everyone without risking our physical health. The current pandemic aside, online therapy allows us to reach out and connect with therapists around the world without having to leave the comfort of our own home.
Convenience. Not everyone has the time, motivation or resources to attend an office to receive the much needed therapy they require. By creating accessibility online we generate increased opportunity to provide services at different times and places at the discretion and comfort level of each client.
Affordability. Like many online practitioners Lifeline for the Frontline offers reduced rates for online therapy. I chose to reduce the rates because online therapy is, in the big picture, still a relatively new way of conducting therapy sessions.
DRawbacks
Experience. As I mentioned online sessions may never replace the experience of having someone sit in front of you listening to a story that may be terrifying, heartbreaking or simply filled with emotion. We are not all wired to have the ability to feel that same quality of emotional connection online. With that said, being open to the experience and having a positive attitude toward engaging in online counselling will without doubt create more opportunity for a successful session.
Technology. For those not familiar with current online platforms, have difficulty with technology or do not have access to a space where their confidentiality can be maintained, online counselling may not be a feasible option. At Lifeline for the Frontline an initial consultation over the phone can assist those who are unfamiliar or uncomfortable with delivery methods. Additionally, suggestions for private spaces to engage in the sessions can be provided.