Online therapy is a modality of psychological assistance that is expanding rapidly; More and more people are demanding it, and more and more mental health professionals are incorporating this form of intervention in patients into their services.
This change is occurring rapidly, and that is why many people consider seeking professional support online but, at the same time, they do not know what to expect from it or how it works.
Therefore, with the aim of resolving these doubts, throughout the next few lines we will see How online therapy works, that is, what are the possibilities it offers, its benefits and what you have to do to attend these sessions as a patient.
What is online therapy and what does it offer?
As its name indicates, online psychotherapy is the type of psychological intervention in patients that is carried out using the Internet as a communication channel. Therefore, one of its main characteristics is that therapist and patient do not need to be physically close to each other although they must be connected at the same time, given that the communication established between them is in real time.
In most cases, both the psychologist and the person requesting the online therapy service can see and hear each other, since they communicate via video call. Besides, The information they exchange is private and cannot be disseminated by the professional
Thus, two of the main advantages of online therapy are the following:
⦁ Allows you to save travel. ⦁ It provides extra discretion as it can be done from home. ⦁ It is easier to include in the schedule ⦁ It is more accessible to all types of people, regardless of where they live or their physical condition
What to do to attend online psychotherapy sessions: 5 steps to follow
These are the fundamentals about how online therapy works.
1. Choose the professional
Not all psychologists specialize in the same thing nor are they trained to intervene in any type of problem That is why, first of all, you have to find out about its services and areas of intervention: do you only provide therapy for individual patients, or do you also offer couples therapy? What are the age ranges of the patients you work with? Do you have experience with the form of discomfort that is affecting us?
In addition, you must ensure that you actually have the capacity to carry out psychotherapy; To find out, you must check that you are able to show your registered psychologist number.
2. Check that we have the necessary technology
Luckily, today practically any electronic device manufactured in recent years and with the ability to connect to the Internet can offer us the possibility of attending online therapy. It is more important to ensure that the Internet connection is stable : Keep in mind that sessions with the psychologist usually last about 50 minutes.
3. Establish the first contact
In this first phone call or email you can ask the professional any questions you have, or directly request an appointment for a first session.
Remember that even if you don’t have to go to the psychotherapist’s office, sessions always have to be planned hours or days in advance and that it is important to respect a schedule, making sure that they always fall on the same days and times of the week.
4. Find a quiet and private place to connect
Ideally, online therapy sessions take place in a place without noise and where you can enjoy privacy, so that it is easier to establish a dialogue based on honesty and you are not conditioned by the presence of other people. After all, Psychologists do not read minds, and in order for us to help you, it is necessary that you talk about what is happening to you Remember that all the information you are going to give to the psychologist will be treated as confidential.
5. Establish the connection through the indicated channel
At this point, the chosen professional will have already indicated which digital platform will be from which the first session will be held.
Are you interested in finding help through online psychotherapy?
If you want professional support through online therapy, contact us. In Cribecca Psychology We will inform you about the services we offer and resolve any questions you may have without obligation. You can also have our team of psychologists at our center facilities, located in Seville. To see our contact information or if you are interested in knowing more about Cribecca Psychology, access this page.