Do you plan an online terapi? We present it to you as a whole by repeating the reasons for which you should launch its strengths but also its limits and in what cases it is the most adapted.
The Internet intervenes on many levels and it is now possible to use it as part of a psychological approach. Indeed, whether through platforms or applications, health services have also expanded their intervention and availability to patients while preserving professional secrecy and anonymity. To know if this e-therapy is for you, we will explore in detail its advantages and disadvantages.
- It should be known that currently only about a third of people with psychological problems get help. Although there are several reasons for this, practical factors such as the availability of professionals but also some travel restrictions when it comes to specialists, time and often financial restrictions that can limit access to therapies. In addition, some people are also reluctant to ask for help, and it is easier for them to start with an online contact. Although technology does not always replace some face-to-face therapies, it can offer more choice and flexibility. It can also motivate some people to take the first step to ask for help.
Already common in the United States, online consultations are beginning to take place in France. Can virtual encounters during e-therapies really be enough? Here is Online Therapy Survey.
How is an online therapy done?
The proposed treatment often involves following a structured online program that relies on standard psychological treatment methods that are applicable to the data. Many are based on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), where you learn to identify and modify unnecessary thoughts and behaviors that contribute to your symptoms.
Some internet therapies are designed to be done entirely by yourself with the direction of the professional, others can be done with the support of the professional, usually via email, phone or videoconference. In this case, it involves talking to a health professional face-to-face, but by video rather than in person.
As we told you, access to online therapy offers more choice and more flexibility in how to get help. Some people are uncomfortable when opening to a face-to-face professional; some prefer the anonymity of online assistance.
Finally, technology can be used to complement face-to-face care. A person could follow a therapy and use in addition a virtual psychological support service between sessions, on the recommendation of the professional who carries out its follow-up. Websites and applications can also be a tool to facilitate discussion during and outside sessions to monitor symptoms.
What types of therapies are available via the internet?
Depending on the need, you will find different possibilities to benefit from advice and adapted psychological support. Each of the means available from the internet, allows to meet a particular expectation:
- seeking specific advice on the recommended psychological approach via forum or email
- Long-term psychotherapy via email for therapeutic follow-up, often used as a supplement.
- psychotherapy for videoconference interview
- Online support groups created by professionals
Gradually new platforms are also emerging to offer some approaches. For example, researchers are currently working on creating a computer program to provide attention disengagement therapy. Indeed, there are a number of therapies that can be set up and practiced directly online.
