Now that we’ve switched from face-to-face therapy to online therapy during COVID-19 Pandemic, some people might be wondering if and how it works. Here is a helpful article that examines various angles of video counseling:
“I found most people’s apprehension around making the switch to online therapy centers around a few key things: their home life being chaotic, discomfort at seeing themselves on the screen, bad connections and lags, and a general sense that a screen would detract from the inherent value of the session somehow—as though something conveyed through pixels is more ‘throwaway’.”
“There’s no use pretending like these things don’t sometimes detract from the experience, just like construction work outside your therapist’s window might do the same. But it’s worth noting, as a starting point, that online therapy—or “teletherapy” as it has traditionally been known—does work. In fact, according to a 2014 study published in the Journal of Affective Disorders, ‘internet-based intervention for depression is equally beneficial to regular face-to-face therapy.'”
“Another study, carried out in 2017, concluded that teletherapy is ‘effective in the treatment and management of… depression, GAD and social anxiety, panic disorders, phobias, addiction and substance use disorders, adjustment disorder, bipolar disorder, and OCD.'”
https://www.vice.com/en_in/article/jge4b7/how-to-make-the-shift-to-online-therapy-feel-less-weird
Some benefits of virtual therapy include being in a comfortable and familiar space, not needing to take the time to get to the session and back home, having safe objects of reference nearby.
“A ‘well-trained’ therapist will make virtual sessions feel personal and connected.”
I have been offering video counseling to my international clients for a while. In addition, before changing careers to become a mental health counselor, I worked remotely with international teams for eight years, building meaningful relationships with colleagues without ever seeing their faces (we didn’t use video then). Video counseling can be just as deep and effective as in-person counseling. All of my specialties translate very well to video sessions. Brainspotting therapy, in particular, is very helpful in these challenging times to help people process emotional distress that resides in the emotional (limbic) brain – without needing to talk about it. If you have any questions about how online therapy works, please contact me for more information.