How To Get Rid Of Prejudices Towards Online Therapy
Luckily, going to therapy is becoming something as everyday as going to the physiotherapist or private classes, it is beginning to be more self-care. There is more awareness about mental health and psychological suffering is no longer endured without remedy. But what about online therapy?
Although, as a result of the 2020 pandemic, online will become popular in many areas of life, having an online session with a psychologist still has to break down some barriers. Issues such as human presence and closeness, the price or the security of your space are cause for concern, a concern that ends up becoming prejudices that make it difficult to decide to take the step and start treatment.
If you think you should ask for professional help, you may be wondering whether to do it in person or online and that the latter may cause some rejection. Well, you should know something: the first step to free yourself from fears is to know them thoroughly and, precisely, that is what you will be able to do in these lines. Let’s go with it.
It is true that, despite the immense digitalization of our era, standing in front of a face on the screen and telling it that we are suffering still seems artificial. However, time is scarce and so is money and doing it from home seems comfortable. What prevents you, then, from launching? Let’s look at some of the prejudices that surround this type of therapy.
1. Anyone can pick up a webcam and call themselves a psychologist
It is true that scammers exist and that they emerge like mushrooms in times of need. However, A psychology professional who works online will always be able to provide his or her qualifications your membership number and your experience.
Baring your mind and coming into contact with unpleasant emotions in front of a monitor is something that many people resist, and it makes sense. A priori, it seems impersonal, since the information is limited by the limits and quality of the camera. What stops someone off-angle from listening in or being recorded without consent? These fears are normal and understandable.
But a good professional who works online is subject to the same ethical codes than those who practice the face-to-face modality. To respect the patient’s confidentiality, secure platforms are used, which encrypt the data and allow the content of the sessions not to be revealed to third parties under any circumstances.
3. The relationship with the psychologist is not as close
The therapeutic alliance is built through trust and connection through dialogue. A good professional should be able to connect with what you feel and guide you appropriately and safely on your path to recovery and personal growth. This ability is true both online and in person, as it depends on the skills of the psychologist and the disposition of the patient.
Just like a long-distance friendship can be real, The connection between patient and therapist is capable of yielding the same good results as face-to-face sessions. It’s just a matter of becoming aware of the environment in which you work and taking advantage of all the tools that the digital channel offers.
4. The online psychologist can advise you, but not give complete therapy
The person who assists you online has the same training as any psychologist who provides in-person therapy. It is true that the tools used may vary, that the duration of the treatment could change, etc.; That is, it operates in a different way, but the effectiveness is the same. Think, for example, of a phobia of cockroaches. To gradually expose yourself to that fear, a first step could be to observe them on a screen or through virtual reality.
Furthermore, what you get in therapy is not advice, but guidelines to navigate the path to recovery. These are studied steps, based on research and experience which guide you towards where you want to go so that you are able to follow the path.
5. Online therapy is not valid for couples or families
This is another of the prejudices that surround online therapy. However, adapting a session for several people to attend is not difficult, it’s just a matter of using the right tools and platforms. The session time may also need to be adjusted as the number of participants is greater.
On the confidentiality side, the family and couple adjustments are the same as in face-to-face therapy. Remember that a psychologist is obliged to keep his patient’s secrets, whether in a group or individually.
6. Going to the psychologist is of no use
Online therapy carries the same stigmas as in-person therapy, with the addition that, since it is done through a screen, it is accused of being the same as an online seminar or even a blog article. However, nothing further: a blog post, an explanatory video or any informative content. will never delve into the patient’s personal problem.
Online treatments are specific for each person and delve into their emotions and problems to levels impossible to capture in informative content. The effectiveness of the treatment will depend on the quality of the therapist-patient alliance, the skill of the psychologist and the disposition of the individual, as well as the difficulty of the case. But, no matter how good the psychologist is, if the patient does not want to or does not do what he has to do, he will not advance. It is then that the psychologist is blamed, deciding that he is of no use.
Advantages of going to online therapy
Now that you know what prejudices exist about this type of therapy, you may be wondering: if it can be as good as an in situ treatment, what is the difference between going to one or the other? The truth is that some people could benefit more from the remote modality than others. This may be your case, so pay attention to the following sections.
1. Saving time and money
As times progress, the phrase “time is money” becomes more and more meaningful. Jobs with schedules that are impossible to reconcile, domestic tasks, travel times in large cities that do not go under 45 minutes… In the end, lThe pursuit of time has become as important as monetary income.
This is why online therapy is an advantage in both cases. You save time, since you only need to connect to your device instead of traveling, with the monetary savings that this entails. In addition, many professionals offer more affordable prices, since they do not have to cover expenses such as renting a physical space.
Combining the in-person modality with the online modality represents a considerable advantage in times where schedules are changing, pandemics have become something palpable and people want to commit to their treatment. For example, if you need to do a follow-up session but have to travel for work, you won’t have to cancel it if you can do it online.
3. It is an advantage for people who want to avoid direct contact with others
For some people, sitting in front of someone who has to weigh the information they are told, in a foreign office and after having passed through a waiting room, is too stressful. Many potential patients are reluctant to ask for professional help for this reason.
However (and especially in the first sessions), make contact in a familiar environment and according to the emotional needs of the patient, such as your own home, is more comfortable. Online therapy is becoming a preferred option for these profiles. Trust and security are two key words to describe online therapy.
4. Online therapy benefits from many digital resources
Well chosen and used, tools such as recordings, presentations, digital agendas or monitoring applications can be a perfect complement to therapy. It’s just a matter of adapting to them.
5. It is as safe and effective as traditional therapy
Although it was already explained above, it is necessary to insist: online therapy is effective and does not pose any risk to the patient’s safety, nor to their data. When looking for an online psychologist, ask for the same things you would ask of their in-person equivalent that is to say:
Your membership number.
A secure platform that encrypts the data and has tools to prevent the content of the session from reaching third parties.
A psychologist capable of creating a climate of trust with you.
Have specialized training in the problem you want to treat.
That a document complying with the Data Protection law be signed.
As you can see, online therapy is neither better nor worse than in-person therapy, but, like any treatment, it should be adjusted to what works best for you. The online medium does not make therapy different but rather adds value to it. When it comes to improving your mental and emotional health, there are no limits, but different paths. It is your decision to choose which of them will take you to your goal.
