The arrival of summer, good weather and vacations, in addition to long days of sun together with the pool or beach, are normally accompanied by an improvement in mood, since there is a disconnection from the work routine, more free time and the possibility of going away for a few days or months to another place to disconnect, be it the beach, the mountains or the town.
Every year we find in the consultation that, with the arrival of summer, absences from therapy sessions increase for different motivations, whether due to progress or improvement, travel, childcare or other circumstances.
However, there are risks when abandoning therapy without a recommendation from the professional, such as a worsening of symptoms, especially at the end of summer, coinciding with the return from vacation and therefore back to the usual routine.
The implications of stopping psychotherapy during summer vacation
It has been observed that patients who abandon therapy early, when they worsen, it is more difficult for them to resume treatment so they come for consultation when the symptoms significantly interfere with their daily lives.
Furthermore, it is important to keep in mind that when patients come for consultation for the first time they present difficulties or discomfort in their daily lives, an aspect that improves as the therapy progresses, but that is not resolved until the objectives are met. This causes many people to overestimate the improvement in a short time since the difficulties are faced in a different way and the person visualizes those mechanisms available to him to overcome these obstacles, neglecting or downplaying other important aspects such as self-knowledge and the management of those traits that destabilize him, which can make the person unbalanced again.
When it is decided to abandon therapy due to improvement, this must be taken into account and communicated to the therapist with the aim of assessing areas that still need to be worked on and ensuring that the person maintains and knows how to handle the different problems that arise in the future. counting on the help of the professional in times when you need it. If, on the other hand, the professional recommends continuing treatment, therapy can be adapted and even spaced out over time.
The option of online psychotherapy
On the other hand, when it is decided to interrupt therapy due to the impossibility of attendance, as we mentioned above, due to geographical mobility for a period of time or caring for children, There is the possibility of doing the sessions online.
Online therapy allows you to reduce the time needed to go to the psychologist, it gives greater flexibility, since you can connect through your home computer. Online therapy also maintains anonymity, as sessions are conducted through a secure platform to protect patient data.
As we have mentioned, it facilitates the continuation of the treatment, since can be done from anywhere. On the other hand, it does not affect the treatment, since its effectiveness has been proven, except in therapies that require materials that are only in consultation. However, new technologies allow the sending of files, questionnaires and records to be completed, in addition to the sending of recordings with relaxation techniques, Mindfulness, etc.
One of the big concerns about online therapy is establishing the therapeutic bond. It has been empirically shown that online therapy does not affect the bond, and that different problems can be addressed. In addition, online therapy can be combined with in-person therapy in those cases in which the person requests it, or the professional sees it as appropriate.
On the other hand, once the therapeutic alliance has been created between the patient and the professional in person, there is the possibility of continuing online. Finally, as we have mentioned previously, this possibility is also offered to people who are going to travel for a period of time, whether on vacation or for business, with the aim of not interrupt the progress of patients and achieve therapeutic objectives.
Concluding…
If you are currently undergoing psychotherapeutic treatment and cannot continue it because you are not available to go to the clinic, do not hesitate to ask about the online sessions, before abandoning or postponing the sessions, the best option for progress in treatment is online therapy. In addition, there is the possibility of alternating the two therapies with the aim of facilitating continuity between sessions, an important aspect in the evolution of therapy.
At the Blanca Esther Psychology Center we have an online psychotherapy service, if you are in a therapeutic process and cannot attend the sessions or want to start, but cannot find the time to go to the center, do not hesitate to contact us.
