Online Therapy - is it right for you?
In the last two years, online therapy has grown in popularity tremendously. While it’s been around for years, the pandemic has made virtual therapy much more mainstream. Despite the easing of restrictions and regulations, online therapy continues to be a popular choice for many. Before deciding whether it’s the right option for you, there are several factors to consider. Both types of therapy have its advantages and disadvantages; which one you choose depends on your own needs and preferences.
Online therapy has become so common recently in large part due to the COVID restrictions, which prevented many people from attending their regular therapy sessions in person. In addition, many of those just starting therapy also had no other choice than virtual consultations. Clearly, a big benefit of online sessions is the accessibility and convenience factor. Online treatment requires only a video calling device and a reasonable internet connection. One can have a therapy session from the comfort of their own home, eliminating travel time and ensuring a safe, familiar space. For those who have busy lives and limited time, bad access to transportation, live in harsh climates and other logistical problems, online therapy may be a good solution. Furthermore, many people feel more comfortable and safe at home, which may make the prospect of therapy and feeling vulnerable less intimidating. For people with certain conditions like social anxiety, going outside in public to get to their therapy session may be too overwhelming. Online therapy can, at least at first, be an appropriate solution for this. Finally, virtual therapy allows for more anonymity. Some people may not want others to know they’re attending therapy, and going outside and visiting an office may expose this.
When it comes to in-person therapy, it is still a popular choice and will likely continue to be so. For one, this type of therapy can feel more personal and intimate. It may help the therapist and client build a stronger bond, which is a key component for client progress. Additionally, a lot of communication is nonverbal and it is easier for the therapist to detect these cues when therapy is in-person. For conditions that are more severe, in-person therapy may be needed for more direct treatment intervention. Moreover, a therapist’s office acts as a neutral space, which at times the client may need to detach themselves from their thoughts, emotions, and situation. For certain complaints it can also be good for the client to get out of the house to get to their therapy sessions. This can result in increased motivation and feelings of productivity, it can improve mood and help with setting routine and structure.
In other cases, clients simply may not be able to online therapy from home due to their living situation. Perhaps they lack privacy, their domestic situation is unstable, or their internet connection is too weak. Consistent interruptions due to poor internet may decrease the efficacy of online sessions. When it comes to overall efficacy, the results of research are promising. Several reviews of tens of studies have found that online therapy is effective, in fact it is often just as effective as in-person therapy (Gratzer & Khalid-Khan, 2016; Kumar et al. 2017; Luo et al. 2020; Ruwaard et al. 2011). The conclusions of most current research suggest that online therapy is effective and is a viable alternative to in-person therapy. However, it’s important to note that there are limitations to the current research. Most studies on the efficacy of online therapy have examined specifically cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). It’s possible that for other modalities, online therapy may not be as effective as in-person treatment. Additionally, there is not yet enough longitudinal research to show effectiveness of online treatment over the long term.
In the end, both online and in-person therapy are viable treatment options. Virtual therapy is increasingly more common, and for good reason. Both types of therapy have their benefits and drawbacks and the one you go for will depend on your personal circumstance.
Sources:
Gratzer, D., & Khalid-Khan, F. (2016). Internet-delivered cognitive behavioural therapy in the treatment of psychiatric illness. Canadian Medical Association Journal, 188(4), 263–272. https://doi.org/10.1503/cmaj.150007
Kumar, V., Sattar, Y., Bseiso, A., Khan, S., & Rutkofsky, I. H. (2017). The Effectiveness of Internet-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in Treatment of Psychiatric Disorders. Cureus, 9(8), e1626. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.1626
Luo, C., Sanger, N., Singhal, N., Pattrick, K., Shams, I., Shahid, H., Hoang, P., Schmidt, J., Lee, J., Haber, S., Puckering, M., Buchanan, N., Lee, P., Ng, K., Sun, S., Kheyson, S., Chung, D. C., Sanger, S., Thabane, L., & Samaan, Z. (2020). A comparison of electronically-delivered and face to face cognitive behavioural therapies in depressive disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis. EClinicalMedicine, 24, 100442. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eclinm.2020.100442
Ruwaard, J., Lange, A., Schrieken, B., & Emmelkamp, P. (2011). Efficacy and effectiveness of online cognitive behavioral treatment: a decade of interapy research. Studies in health technology and informatics, 167, 9–14.
