By: Nicola Kirkpatrick
Updated February 10, 2021
Medically Reviewed By: Aaron Dutil
There comes a time in everyone's life when they find themselves in a situation where they need someone to talk to about their issues. There are many benefits of talking through one's issues instead of keeping them bottled up. Having someone available who can help you process your thoughts and feelings and provide some guidance if needed is truly valuable. We all need someone who is willing to actively listen to us without judgement.
Online Counseling Has a Track Record of Helping People With Mental Health
Online Counselors Are Trained to Help You Get Well NowMuch has been written about the benefits of counseling. Counseling can help you address issues causing you distress, help you understand yourself and help you achieve your goals. And, many people find it helpful to talk to an objective person who has education and experience in the issues people often struggle with. This can hold you accountable to your growth. Recently, there have been studies that have demonstrated the effectiveness of online counseling. It has been shown to be just as effective as office-based counseling, which is what most people use.
However, not everyone has access to a licensed professional counselor where they live. Some people live in places where very few mental health professionals practice. Other people have access to professional counselors through their public health services. But many of these services have long waiting lists and can only meet the most chronically mentally ill with any immediacy.
In addition to lack of public mental health services and long waiting lists, there is the issue of getting to a mental health counselor's office. Many office-based counselors have limited evening hours, making it difficult to get treatment for those who work during normal day job hours. People with physical limitations and disability issues can struggle attempting to get to a mental health counselor's office as well. Therefore, online counseling with a licensed mental health professional is a perfect alternative. There are many advantages to online counseling.
Finally, many people enjoy the quasi-anonymity of online counseling. Although this isn't truly the case (online therapists must follow the same government rules as an office-based therapist), because people can text from their phone or laptop, it allows many people to open up much more quickly than if they were verbally expressing highly personal issues in person. After all, they are not sitting across from someone who is looking at them. This can lessen a person's sense of shame in divulging something that they would normally perceive as embarrassing or strange.
When Online Counseling Is Appropriate
Online counseling is appropriate for many common mental health issues, such as anxiety, depression, stress management, and career and relationship issues. And it is convenient. For many people with scheduling and logistics issues as discussed previously, these problems no longer factor in. Online counseling can be done from just about anywhere, any time of the day.
Online counseling can be broken down into two forms: live counseling and asynchronous counseling. Live counseling is when you are meeting with a counselor via video-based teleconferencing or telephone. Another method used by some platforms, such as BetterHelp allows for a person and their therapist to text (called Live Chat at BetterHelp) back and forth at the same time. Live counseling isn't all that much different than working with a therapist in their office, except you can actually do it from the comfort of your own home.
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Asynchronous online counseling is when a client and therapist exchange messages. After receiving one from their client, the therapist will send a response once they log back on to the platform to reply to client messages. Most therapists respond to messages daily, sometimes a few times a day depending on the therapist's availability. Some clients prefer one method over the other, but other clients will use both depending on their specific needs. It's based on personal preference, there is no best method.
Over the past few years, an increasing number of individuals have sought online therapy. With online therapy, the client and therapist meet online for text, phone, or video chat at a time convenient for both. As we can see, it is similar to traditional face-to-face therapy, but offers more flexibility. Many online therapy sites offer comprehensive payment plans that include unlimited sessions and emails. These are especially helpful to individuals undergoing emotional stress or anxiety and would like to chat with someone fairly quickly.
Online Therapy Opens Doors for Healing
Sometimes when individuals are going through a significant life change or difficult transition—such as a new job, loss of a job, retirement, divorce, or the death of a loved one—the simple task of composing an email to a therapist can have a tremendous positive effect. The email becomes a symbol of action, thus aiding in the alleviation of feelings of helplessness. When the therapist responds, they have had time to review the email, assess the content, compare to previous emails, and conduct any necessary research into a topic.
Online Counseling Has a Track Record of Helping People With Mental Health
Online Counselors Are Trained to Help You Get Well NowA distinct advantage of online therapy is its convenience for the therapist as well. Not having to carve out time during the day to go to an office appointment means more time and energy for the therapist to focus on their client and the issue. After all, few enjoy commuting. This is time that can be spent working with others.
There was a time when using digital communication technology to get in touch with your therapist was something of an unknown entity. It is now safe to say, however, that that is no longer the case. A robust body of scientific literature supports the fact that therapy administered online brings about the same effects as in-person counseling. While the treatment administered has a strong likelihood of producing results, there are numerous other advantages to seeking help via the online modality as well.
Currently, BetterHelp is one of the most often recommended online counseling programs. The platform offers access to thousands of clinically licensed and caring therapists. Many of the therapists at BetterHelp specialize in certain types of mental health issues. You can connect with your therapist from anywhere you have an internet signal. Again, you will have the convenience to choose the time of your appointments as well as the means by which you communicate. Read what others have to say about BetterHelp below.
“I've been meeting with Roberta for a few months now and have had a consistently great experience with her. She's open and kind, always listening and responding with heart. Despite having initial difficultly finding a counselor on the site, Roberta has made me feel positive about the whole online therapy experience (both regain and BetterHelp) and I would readily recommend it (and Roberta specifically) to any of my friends.”
“I started my journey with Donna not knowing what it is that I needed help with or what to really expect. I was in pain, that is all I knew for certain, and I threw everything at her. That was new for me. I have had face to face counseling experiences before with two other very kind professionals and with none of them I talked as much during the first sessions as I did with Donna. It felt super safe when talking with Donna. It is like her aura emits safety which penetrates the skepticism one might have with online counseling (it did for me). Apart from feeling safe, her great listening and non-judgement skills kept me staying with Donna. I did think a lot about changing counselor once because I wasn't sure whether Donna could understand or help me with problems I was facing in regard to high sensitivities (HSP). However, my gut kept me away from it because of the three traits mentioned before. Till now, I have always wanted to get better very quickly (max. 1 month to get better and even that is too long), but with Donna I managed to learn with my heart slowly to let myself take time with the process of getting better. One more thing which I found amazing because I was not expecting that all, is Donna's ability to shed light on new perspectives on my deep, philosophical/complex writings. Sometimes just a short message from her on my writing makes me something new or helps me gets closer to a solution within me.”
In addition to online counseling with a therapist, the site also offers self-help articles written by qualified professionals. These articles can help educate people on various common issues many people struggle with in life. For current clients of BetterHelp, they have access to groupinars on specific topics that many people tend to struggle with in their lives. These groupinars are facilitated by therapists who are very knowledgeable about the chosen topic.
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Conclusion
With most mental health or psychological issues, having someone with whom to talk and process issues can be of great benefit. Knowing that there is someone an email away can help an individual begin to put things into perspective, as the sessions are typically via email and chat, clients have an opportunity to re-read emails from past sessions and process the information before entering into the next one. At the same time, clients can schedule live appointments with their therapists via video or phone if they prefer a more traditional therapy appointment.
Please Note: Individuals who are in severe crises, thinking of harming themselves or anyone else should call 911 and allow trained emergency mental health professionals to take care of the situation and provide assistance. BetterHelp is not designed to assist clients experiencing an immediate psychiatric crisis.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):
What are the benefits of online counseling?
The benefits of online counseling are the same as the benefits of traditional counseling, with the added convenience of securing the services of a qualified mental health professional from the comfort of your home. The benefits of counseling are vast, as counselors seek to help their clients more effectively cope with setbacks, develop tools to pursue their passions and goals, improve their relationships, and sort through any trauma that might have developed throughout the course of their lives. Online counseling accomplishes these same goals, but does so through an online platform or telephone calls, which can help clients feel safer or more comfortable throughout the counseling process.
Although there are certainly pros and cons to online therapy options, the cost online therapy incurs can also be a benefit: friends and family members can utilize online therapy services, individuals can utilize online therapy services, and couples can use online therapy services at a fraction of the cost typically involved in traditional face to face therapy services without having to leave their home. Online therapy eliminates the need to drive long distances for people who live in remote areas. Online interventions have their pros and cons, just as traditional therapy has its pros and cons, but many of the pros outweigh the cons, and online therapy can bring therapy to rural communities that might not have access to mental health aid apart from online therapy.
Is online Counselling effective?
While it can seem as though counseling via the internet or telephone is lacking an essential component found in traditional face to face counseling, this is not the case. Studies from the American Psychological Association and other governing boards and research counsels evaluating the efficacy of online counseling have found no discernible difference in treatment outcomes between traditional face to face therapies and online therapies. There are pros and cons to each type of therapy, but clients who enlist the help of an internet-based counselor will not suffer when compared to those who attend therapy sessions in an office.
Because online counseling can help people feel safer and more comfortable, it can be accessed virtually anywhere, and the pricing is typically much lower than that of traditional in-office therapy sessions, online counseling is equally as effective, but with added benefits that may not be available through traditional or standard counseling mediums. Most therapy activities can be completed or conducted online without issue, and the pros and cons of all types of therapy are largely the same, so people in need of mental health assistance will likely do just as well utilizing an online service as they will attending a session in an actual office.
What are the benefits of counseling?
The benefits of counseling typically follow the same standards and pros and cons as the goals and pros and cons of effective counseling; namely, improving relationships and communication, facilitating change, improving coping abilities, easing and improving the decision-making process, and promoting development or growth. A more thorough investigation of each goal will demonstrate the true value in counseling.
Improving relationships and communication means far more than improving romantic connections or strengthening your ability to speak to your coworkers. Improving behaviors, thought patterns, and practices in relationships can repair feelings of isolation and loneliness, can help clients find and maintain lasting relationships, and can help clients gain more confidence and comfort in their communication abilities.
Facilitating change is the goal most often sought by people enlisting the help of a counselor. After all, most people who enter a therapy office do so because something in their lives has become unbearable, and they desire a change in their mindset, behaviors, or lifestyle, whether the change comes from more effective anger management or the careful curation of anti-anxiety coping mechanisms and stress management techniques. Counselors provide tools and techniques to more effectively seek, promote, and maintain changes in your life, whether those changes involve relationship patterns, personal care habits, or cycles of abandonment and fear.
Although the term “coping mechanism” is often used to describe things negatively, coping mechanisms are essential to deal with upset, change, and shifts. It is only when coping mechanisms are unhealthy—compulsive shopping, for instance—that the term is truly something to be concerned about. Healthy coping mechanisms can involve utilizing exercise in times of stress, employing mindfulness practices, or creating boundaries around work or relationships, and counselors can help clients learn to develop healthy coping practices.
Many people who step into counseling offices struggle with their decision-making. For some, the difficulty is readily apparent, and manifests in the form of extreme anxiety. For others, decision-making centers on relationships and manifests and issues with commitment and follow up. In either case, a counselor can help identify the likely cause of the decision-making issues, and can help clients develop the confidence and peace of mind necessary to make decisions consistently and with a degree of confidence.
Promoting development and growth is the final benefit of counseling, and is the other goal most commonly recognized and sought by clients entering into a therapeutic relationship. Personal development and growth can usually be measured in some way, whether that means by evaluating the degree of social anxiety experienced on a daily basis, or evaluating your own ability to maintain self-confidence in your daily life.
What is the best online counseling?
BetterHelp is one of the most popular psychotherapy online counseling platforms, though there are others that provide similar services that you can find online. In truth, the best psychotherapy online service is any counseling service that consistently meets your needs, maintains confidentiality, and follows all of the practices set forth by counseling governing boards such as the American Psychological Association, including verifying practitioners’ certifications and qualifying continuing education credits that make them a viable counselor. All platforms have their unique advantages and disadvantages, and finding the online counseling service that is best means finding the service that is best for you.
Is online therapy expensive?
Surprising though it may be, no. Online therapy is able to keep costs low because much of the overhead experienced in traditional therapy offices—rent and utilities for buildings, marketing materials for the practice, and more—is eliminated, which means that online therapy can provider services for less than many traditional therapy offices that utilize a clinic or other form of physical practice. Most online counseling ranges from $50-$90 per week, and most of them offer some degree of regular availability for online messaging and communication between video conferencing or telephone counseling sessions, which is one of the many advantages of online therapy. The affordability online therapy provides can make mental health care accessible for people and families in remote areas who might not be able to utilize these services otherwise.
How do I know if I’m bipolar?
Bipolar Disorder is a recognized mental disorder, and as such, it cannot be self-diagnosed. A glance over symptoms and qualifying signs can lend insight into the possibility, and can help you develop a solid suspicion that you are experiencing Bipolar Disorder, though many people evaluating their symptoms mistakenly confused Bipolar Disorder and Borderline Personality Disorder—a mistake that is pretty significant, given the vast differences in reasons behind the disorders and treatment protocols.
Although online symptoms lists cannot definitely tell you that you have Bipolar Disorder, they can illuminate your behavior and indicate the possibility of a disorder. People with Bipolar Disorder may fall within one of three types of the disorder, depending on the severity of their condition. Bipolar Disorder presents as persistent changes to mood and behavior for prolonged periods of time. While Borderline Personality Disorder is known for daily changes to mood and behavior, Bipolar Disorder is characterized by days or weeks of depression, followed by days or weeks of mania, or hypomania—conditions in which the brain feels almost as though it is on fire, or unable to slow down. If swings from each extreme happen on a daily basis, Bipolar Disorder is not present, but if swings from one end of the extreme to the other occur over days or weeks, and are persistent, Bipolar Disorder may be present.
Is BetterHelp worth the money?
If your mental health is struggling, it is always worth the investment to seek professional help. Although it can feel indulgent or unwise to spend money on mental health intervention, even a slight decline in mental health can have massive repercussions, and can negatively affect your relationships, your work, and your academic and community pursuits. BetterHelp, in particular, ranges from $60-$80 per week, and provides therapy at a rate that is typically significantly less than standard, in-person treatment, and provides the same level of care as an in-office mental health professional. BetterHelp is worth the money, because your health is always worth an investment of time and money.
Can online therapists prescribe medicine?
This will vary from platform to platform. Some online platforms focus entirely on connecting psychologists and counselors with clients, and these professionals are not qualified through governing boards such as the American Psychological Association to prescribe medication for mental disorders. Other platforms encourage psychiatrists to utilize their service, and these mental health care professionals are qualified and able to prescribe medication for mental health issues. If you have already selected a preferred platform for online therapists and they do not offer mental health prescriptions, you may not necessarily need to seek the help of a therapist on another platform; primary care physicians and other healthcare professionals may be able to write you a prescription for mental health medication upon evaluating your symptoms and signs.
Can you text a counselor?
Yes! Texting and emailing online therapists is one of the primary sources of appeal for online counseling platforms, as many people in this day and age prefer the speed of texting, and the relative comfort and privacy it provides. Texting counselors is unlikely to provide the same results and intervention as a dedicated one-on-one session, but it can be comforting to know that you can reach out to a mental health care professional for a bit of guidance and support between actual sessions, and is often one of the drivers behind seeking online counseling and mental health support.
Can an online therapist diagnose you?
Some online therapy platforms will allow psychologists and psychiatrists to diagnose and write prescriptions and similar services, while others will not. Diagnosis is a matter that can vary from state to state, and some licensing boards will grant that right to counselors, while others will not. To determine whether or not an online therapist can diagnose you, you can review the terms, conditions, and services offered from different online therapy platforms, or check with your state’s licensing boards to determine the likelihood of being able to be diagnosed by online counselors.
Can I talk to a counselor online for free?
To speak to a counselor online for free, you can seek out a volunteer service that enlists licensed professional counselors who will conduct one on one sessions pro bono for a session or two, or you can talk to trained volunteers who are able to offer guidance—albeit guidance that is not backed by a professional degree. Free counseling services online are difficult to come by, however, apart from free trials offered by online therapy platforms, because professional therapists spend a great deal of time and money to get their degrees, and the payment delivered to them is in keeping with that time and effort. Far from being a quick and easy career path, there is essentially a monitor on psychology and mental health professions, which requires these professionals to continually learn, stay abreast of new developments, and continually demonstrate their commitment to their craft.
How do I cancel my BetterHelp account?
Canceling your BetterHelp account is as simple as going into your account settings, and selecting the cancel feature. It should be noted that canceling your account will effectively remove your access to your therapy services, and because the service is billed monthly, your subscription will persist until the end of the month you have already paid for.
Does insurance pay for online counseling?
Unfortunately, health insurance does not typically pay for online treatment for mental health issues. This is due to several reasons, the most substantial of which is health insurance companies’ predilection for offering the narrowest coverage possible, because doing so means saving the health insurance company money and keeping costs down. Because insurance companies do not typically cover online counseling, most online therapy platforms provide services at reduced costs, which may be as little as $60 per session—a far cry from the industry standard of $80-$135 or more per session.
There are some exceptions to the general rule, the most notable of which is when online counseling is delivered by your usual mental health professional. Many health insurance companies will make an exception to provide services remotely, when those services are provided by the professional you are accustomed to visiting. Remote services can be online services, telephone services, or even email or text services.
Why is therapy so expensive?
Therapy is expensive for the same reason any specialized service is expensive: not everyone can conduct a therapy session, and in order to successfully secure the degree and certifications necessary to practice, practitioners must first invest a great deal of time and money into their education; put another way, there is essentially a continual monitor on psychology and mental health. Although it can be frustrating to have to pay for therapy services, therapy—good therapy—is conducted by therapists who are required to complete an advanced degree, take licensing exams, take continuing education credits each year or every couple of years, maintain licensing fees, and pay for liability insurance—all of which can quickly and easily add up. Charging $50, $60, or more per hour defrays some of these costs and reflects he amount of expertise required to deliver therapy services. A constant monitor on psychology and counseling services increases the amount of money these services require, but also keeps clients safe from unqualified and dangerous practitioners.
Can better help write prescriptions?
At this time, therapists working through BetterHelp are not able to write prescriptions. Although there are some online therapy platforms that do allow mental health professionals to write prescriptions, BetterHelp is not among them. Although it may seem strange not to include prescription services, mental health medication should always be administered under the careful watch of a mental health professional—a feat that is made difficult by online and other distance services. BetterHelp can provide therapy, while a general practitioner can provide prescription services to help with the symptoms of mental disorders.
