Remote Or In Person? The Advantages Of Online Therapy
When a person decides to go through a psychotherapy process in their life, One of the first decisions you have to make is whether the sessions are going to be online or in person. This is not just a technical issue: as we will see, it can make big differences.
Both online and in-person sessions have their advantages and disadvantages. At the same time, there is a lot of information about in-person sessions, but very little about online sessions. And that is precisely what this article is about.
Online or in-person therapy? Reasons to choose the remote modality
As in so many topics related to Psychology, we will see that there are a large number of prejudices and misconceptions, mostly spread by movies and series. That is why we are going to clarify a series of ideas.
Online therapies are booming, especially since the pandemic; although there are still many people reluctant to it, more due to ignorance than for any other reason. But there is no doubt that much of the future of psychotherapy will happen virtually. And as we are going to see, that can be good news.
Online therapy can be done using a computer, tablet or mobile phone. You just need a stable connection. No computer knowledge is necessary and the applications used guarantee confidentiality. It is actually a very simple process that can be done from anywhere: from home, while traveling, from the company…
On the other hand, conducting sessions online has a series of advantages that people often do not realize. Let’s see them.
1. Saving time
It is not necessary to go to the psychologist’s office. The connection is made immediately from wherever we are and we save all the trips.
2. Economy
Online sessions are usually cheaper than in-person sessions, partly due to their convenience and less wear and tear. It assumes, therefore, a reduction in the total cost of the therapy process.
3. Comfort and safety
It is always more comfortable to do the sessions from a known place. And furthermore, it is very important to keep in mind that When a person does the session from their own “territory”, they always feel safer, with a greater feeling of control. And that helps to feel greater confidence.
4. Health
In times of pandemic, in which we always have to control everything related to infections, the online option allows us to forget about social distancing, disinfection, masks and screens. In addition to comfort, that reduces the level of tension and worry which is always beneficial for the process.
5. Accessibility
It allows people who live in remote or isolated environments, without access to psychologists, to access the therapy they need. Therefore, Anyone, from anywhere, can access quality psychotherapy as long as you have an Internet connection.
6. More flexibility at the organizational level
At a business level, it represents enormous savings, since can improve the quality of life of workers by accessing an experienced professional that manages to reduce common problems in work environments, such as stress, anxiety…
By doing online therapies, clients They can choose the psychologist they like the most, even if he or she resides in another province or even in another country. It is common for an online psychologist to have clients from different countries. The contact is immediate and the cost and effectiveness are the same.
A growing form of therapy
And now that we have seen the advantages of online therapy, it is time to choose and take into account what you want, what you need, economic factors, time, distance and so many important elements. AND Nor should we forget personal preferences which is a very valuable element when choosing a therapist.
It is also very important to take into account the degree of trust that the psychologist arouses, as a person and as a professional. That is why it is always recommended that the psychologist be a qualified, collegiate and experienced person.
As you can see, there are many aspects of online therapy that are unknown to the general public, but there is no doubt that this way of doing therapy is rapidly growing and in the near future. will be as common or more common than face-to-face therapy.
When people have concerns, they are often advised to try a session. When tested, it is usually decided to continue this way.
And now that we know the topic better, we can ask ourselves the question: In-person or online?
