What's Telephone Therapy? Find Support By Phone

Sometimes we need help with our mental health or life challenges and decide to speak to a psychologist. However, scheduling an appointment, finding time in your day to commute to their clinic or office, and paying hundreds of dollars per session can make in-person therapy a challenge. Luckily, more remote options are available, including over-the-phone therapy.

Telephone counseling can help you with all the same issues and concerns that you would address with a licensed therapist in traditional therapy. For example, telephone counseling can help with events at work, issues with your family, medication management, relationship issues, or even symptoms of anxiety or depression. If any of these are frequent problems in your life, consider researching an online telephone counseling service or life coach.

When you take part in online therapy, you can speak with licensed therapists in live video sessions, over the phone, by email, or through messaging services. Online counseling provides the same services for getting individual talk therapy, couples therapy, marriage counseling, and family therapy. Instead of having to travel to a therapy office, though, you can get treatment online. In this article, we talk about how to get telephone counseling when and where you need it. 

What Can A Telephone Counseling Session Do For You?

Just because events aren't always under your control doesn't mean that you have to accept how they make you feel. Talking to a licensed therapist, whether in person or on the phone, can help you alleviate emotional pain and find solutions or acceptance to the situations you are going through.

Online, phone, or other distance therapy options make up the field of telepsychiatry. These remote mental health support services can include elements such as in-app messaging or video conferencing for online counseling. Online therapy, live video therapy, and counseling on the phone are available for everyone, not only those experiencing serious mental health issues like chronic anxiety or clinical depression, for example.

Why Telephone Counseling With A Licensed Therapist May Be Right For You

Many of the benefits of remote therapy are the same benefits that you would receive from in-person sessions with licensed therapists or family therapists. However, there are some benefits that you can only experience through this option or similar options like online counseling.

Telephone Counseling Can Help Beat The Stigma Of Treatment

There is a social stigma that surrounds mental illness and mental health. Too many people have formed inaccurate opinions about those who experience mental health challenges. This can dissuade people experiencing mental health challenges from openly seeking out the help they need.

The stigma is something that many people are aware of, although some don't realize it. People who are experiencing challenges with their mental health can have deep-seated shame because of this stigma. The shame often stops them from getting the help that they need.

When people have a phone, email, and messaging counseling services, they don't have to go into an office and face others finding out about their appointments. Teletherapy can offer more personal space for these individuals. 

Telephone Counseling Is Accessible

Some of the reasons that people can’t see a counselor in person include:

• Physical disabilities

• Busy schedules

• Social anxiety

With telephone counseling, there is no need to leave the house. Instead, people can get the help they need, all without getting up from their couch.

Avoid Scheduling Conflicts With Telephone Counseling

Between juggling personal responsibilities, a family, and a career, it can be difficult to get in to see a therapist for regular appointments. What makes this even harder is that many in-person therapists work only from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., so many working individuals are unable to schedule appointments without taking time off from work. 

However, online therapy services and telephone counseling are typically more flexible. This means you are more likely to find a therapist who can work with your hectic schedule.

You Can Speak To A Counselor From Anywhere

Not only can telephone counseling be more flexible with your schedule, but it also allows you to receive mental health care from anywhere. That means you can be sitting in your car during your lunch break at work or on the beach while on vacation with your family. Anywhere you have an internet connection can become a therapeutic setting. 

It Can Be More Affordable

In-person sessions, especially those at practices, can be expensive. Over-the-phone, email or messaging counseling services may be more affordable. Paying hundreds of dollars for each appointment can be discouraging because you might only be able to afford a limited number of appointments. However, with a more affordable option, you could get the help you need each time you need it.

Additional Benefits Of Telephone Therapy

You may be wondering why some qualified mental health providers and psychologists prefer to work online rather than renting an office to offer their services. Just like other people, mental health professionals also have children, are retired, or prefer to work from home for other reasons. Telepsychiatry allows them the freedom to do so while still providing a valuable service to those in need. Therefore, these therapy services are not just beneficial to patients but to  therapists as well.

Online Therapy And Counseling Via The Telephone With BetterHelp

The evidence suggesting that smartphone-enhanced therapy platforms can help address symptoms of a wide range of mental health concerns is mounting. In one comprehensive study, researchers examined the effectiveness of mobile treatments, finding that phone-based counseling can be a useful form of therapy. The report assessed the applications of smartphone-enhanced therapy for several mental health disorders, including schizophrenia, substance use disorder, and bipolar disorder. Researchers concluded that the benefits of these resources are wide-ranging. These findings are in line with those from a number of other studies, including reports on the usefulness of mobile phone therapy when dealing with depression, anxiety, and many other mental health issues.

Therapy can be a valuable resource when you’re seeking help with mental health concerns. With BetterHelp, unlike with traditional, face-to-face sessions, you’ll have the option of not only utilizing voice calls, but also video conferencing, live chat, or in-app messaging. Also, you’ll be able to reach out to your licensed counselor any time, day or night. If you need to discuss something that happened during the day, have a question, or simply want to chat, send a message, and your counselor will get back to you as soon as they are able. The qualified professionals at BetterHelp know how to guide you through a treatment plan that will put you on the path to better mental health. 

Read below for BetterHelp reviews, from those who have sought help in the past.

BetterHelp Counseling Reviews

“I love my calls with Cecilia! After every session I feel more empowered, and calm. She gives so many helpful tips on self esteem and self care. Cecilia has such a warm, thrust worthy and serene personality, it is very comfortable for me to confide in her and to open up about my feelings. Many of the situations/issues that I discuss in my sessions make me feel less than, inadequate, and even guilty, but Cecilia does a beautiful job at validating my feelings. She helps me establish healthy boundaries in my personal relationships, encourages me to stand up for myself and gain confidence in the choices I make. Thank you so much Cecilia!”

“Lissette has provided me with clarity, validation, comfort & strategies to help me get through challenges in my life. Our sessions are grounding & we discuss specific things I am able to reflect on outside of our session while I implement changes. Even through our phone sessions I can tell she is caring, realistic, compassionate, incredibly attentive, and wants what’s best for me. She’s an absolutely wonderful therapist!”

Takeaway

While you might have hesitations about remote therapy because of its relative newness, speaking with a licensed therapist through any channel has the potential to significantly improve your mental health. Whether you need it urgently in the short-term or are looking at its long-term benefits, a subscription to an over-the-phone, email, or other distance therapy service can be quite beneficial.