How Does Online Therapy And Counseling Work For Mental Health?
Technology in counseling is a relatively new pairing that is largely driven by the effort to find solutions to barriers to mental health care. Virtual reality therapy is an innovative approach that shows promise in improving the availability and effectiveness of treatment for mental illnesses. This therapy focuses on immersive experiences to promote behavior change, develop coping skills, and treat conditions like chronic pain, anxiety, or depression.
The use of technology in therapy has grown exponentially in recent years, allowing more and more people around the world to get the mental health counseling they need. If you're experiencing emotional concerns or mental disorders, there is help available through a broad range of services facilitated by modern technology. Below, we'll explore the numerous ways that people are using technology to pursue cognitive behavior therapy, couples therapy, or group therapy from the comfort of their own homes.
History of remote therapy and counseling
While it may seem like a new thing, believe it or not, therapy and counseling services first left the office as far back as 1972. That was the year the first experiments took place in creating a computer communication involving psychotherapy. In 1986, Dear Uncle Ezra was providing mental health advice in an online format, and in 1993, online depression groups were forming, offering support for mental wellness.
However, this experimental technology in counseling was perceived as questionable for its ethical implications. Further, mental health chatbots and internet chat rooms were not generally run or monitored by professionals in those days.
Initial skepticism
In the last few years, online medical and psychological services have become more widely accepted. Patients can now receive medical advice from a medical doctor or a therapist who can perform psychological testing. With online payments and videoconferencing for business, this technology for counseling makes more sense to people, including mental health providers.
People were initially skeptical about how traditional counseling, such as cognitive therapy and marriage counseling, could transfer to the internet. However, social media and other technologies helped legitimize internet communication in our daily routine. Both the professional therapist and the clients can benefit from using online services for communicating and scheduling appointments.
Family therapy & other types of online therapy used by mental health professionals
Online therapy and counseling options have become a cost-effective and convenient alternative to traditional in-person therapy. Although online therapy may not be for everyone, its ease and accessibility are some factors why remote therapy gains recognition.
Family therapy, CBT, and other types of online therapy
Thanks to technology, counselors can offer help to individuals, couples, and families through a variety of therapeutic modalities, such as family therapy or counseling, dialectical behavioral therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, and family systems. Advancements in mental health technology have allowed clients and their mental health providers new ways of interacting.
Ways to communicate with a therapist
Nowadays, you can communicate with a counselor or therapist via phone, videoconferencing, and online chat—or a mix of all three methods. For example, with BetterHelp, you can use in-app messaging to send your family therapist any thoughts or questions in between sessions, and they’ll get back to you as soon as they can.
Online talk therapy advantages for bipolar disorder & other mental health concerns
Online therapy can be especially useful for people living in rural areas or regions that have few therapists. It can be challenging for people in such areas to commute to a therapist’s office while juggling work and family responsibilities. It can also be costly, which is a big advantage of online therapy, which tends to offer affordable rates and a larger pool of counselors to choose from. By incorporating technology into their practice, therapists can even provide long-distance counseling for couples or families who live in different areas. Online therapy can also offer these benefits to those with a counselor education and appropriate professional licensurewanting to offer services without renting an expensive office or paying an expensive commute.
More convenient way to treat bipolar disorder and other mental health conditions
Individuals living with depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, or other mental health conditions have a more convenient way to attend each therapy session and treat mental illness. For someone who is experiencing depression and feeling fatigued and overwhelmed, it can sometimes be difficult to leave the house, much less attend a therapy appointment. Online sessions with a mental health nurse, primary care doctor, or therapist can provide support without the added stress of commuting.
Similarly, for someone with social anxiety, it can be daunting to go to a new office and explore their thoughts and feelings in face-to-face counseling. Online therapy can provide a solution for people experiencing these mental health challenges. A person experiencing anxiety can choose to write to their counselor on their smartphone using mental health apps rather than talking to their counselor during a live counseling session.
In-app messaging allows clients to write to their counselor or therapist
Aside from more scheduling options, this technology allows individuals to write to their therapist during stressful times via in-app messaging. They don’t have to wait until their next appointment to tell an idea or concern. They can often obtain feedback from their therapist within 24 hours rather than waiting an entire week. This feature could lead to faster progression in therapy for some individuals.
Online therapy and counseling: See and hear your therapist
Videoconferencing and the "live" feature are among the newest innovations in the online counseling field, and they’re quickly diffusing some of the criticisms related to online therapy. Counselors have long complained that text chat, possibly with mental health chatbots, does not allow mental health professionals to notice body language, visual cues, or the client's stress or incongruity, which can be important in many cases.
Online talk therapy allows a therapist to help clients remotely
Online therapy and counseling enable flexible communication with mental health professionals
For people who are comfortable using social media or online social platforms, online counseling can be an attractive option, offering comfort and familiarity. Multiple types of counselors can practice online, including those offering school counseling, career counseling, and couples counseling.
With BetterHelp therapy, you don't have to pick
When engaging in online counseling, clients don’t have to choose between one form of communication or another. With BetterHelp, clients can use the live sessions and send updates throughout the week to their licensed marriage or family therapist as things happen or when they are dealing with self-destructive behaviors or facing especially difficult situations involving family members.
This isn't usually available for clients in traditional office settings. Clients might be able to leave their counselor a message or have a quick conversation with their counselor if an urgent matter pops up in between sessions, but it is not a common practice for most in-office therapists to offer this in their services.
Efficacy of online therapy for eating disorders and other mental health conditions
Now that counselors can see visual cues and hear a client's voice in video sessions, it may be easier to convince health insurance companies to work with online therapists. There may also be opportunities for therapists to obtain licensure in multiple states as the evidence of online therapy’s effectiveness continues to grow.
Are you afraid online therapy might be too expensive?
Takeaway
How is technology used in therapy and counselling?
Therapy and counseling help individuals cope with challenges in life in healthier ways. The rise of technology in counseling and treating mental illness is most prominent in online therapy. Online therapy has helped make many mental health services more convenient, affordable, approachable, and accessible.
Some of the virtual mental health services that have arisen include therapy sessions via video or phone calls, synchronous text therapy, mental health crisis hotlines, and self-help apps.
Why is technology important for communication in therapy and counselling?
Technology can have several important benefits for communication in mental health therapy and counseling. For example, some people may feel more empowered talking about their mental health when they can do so from the comfort of their own home. Further, patients can relatively easily communicate with professionals with mental health care expertise and training.
What are the three advantages of using technology in counseling and mental health?
Three key benefits of using technology for mental health counseling with a therapist, psychologist, or any professional with expertise and training in the mental health field may include:
- Secrecy: When seeing a mental health professional trained in psychology, clinical social work, and other related fields, some people worry about bumping into someone they know at their therapist’s office. Technology enables remote mental health services so people can attend sessions from home and talk remotely about their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.
- Accessibility and convenience: Commuting to in-person therapy can present challenges, and scheduling visits during standard office hours doesn’t work for many people. Technology helps people cope with mental health concerns by enabling them to communicate easily with licensed professionals who have skills and training in psychology.
- Affordability: Online therapy and remote support groups don’t require a physical meeting space and other overhead costs. Because of this, online therapy services are often more affordable treatment options than their in-person counterparts.
Additionally, the market for mental health apps has grown considerably in recent years. While apps are not a substitute for therapy with a therapist, psychiatrist, or any licensed professional with mental health training, self-help apps are widely used and can be beneficial.
How is technology used in career counseling?
Both school counseling and career counseling programs frequently use technology for online assessments, including personality, strengths/weaknesses, interests, values, and skills questionnaires. These online assessments can score and interpret results and provide clients with valuable insight.
Other common uses of technology include offering online scheduling, online psychotherapy sessions, and virtual at-home worksheets.
How is technology helping psychology?
Technology has had several benefits to the field of clinical psychology, including increased access to mental health information, reduction in waiting lists for virtual therapy, increased accessibility, improved collaboration between mental healthcare providers, and reduced stigma associated with talk therapy.
Dr. Donna Sheperis summarized the benefits of online therapy as follows: “With telemental health, I see more high-profile clients like celebrities; I have more trans clients; I see more busy professionals who can’t take two hours to drive across town and sit in a session. It’s more convenient, and we are seeing that it is equally as effective.”
How does technology improve our mental health?
There are many ways that technology can improve mental health. For example, social media can destigmatize mental health challenges and medications, and web browsers can provide easy access to psychological studies, helpful techniques to improve self-esteem, and effective self-care strategies. Online psychotherapy services can increase access and comfort of clients in achieving satisfying relationships and alleviating symptoms, and crisis hotlines can quickly connect people with the resources they need.
One of the benefits of technology for mental health is online therapy. Through online therapy, clients can easily access and talk with mental health professionals (with a master’s degree, doctoral degree, or specialized training) for mental health treatment, even in the comfort of their own homes. Through secure video appointments, an online psychiatrist can assess a person’s thoughts and behaviors, write prescriptions, and suggest a personalized treatment plan. Online therapy can be beneficial for individuals experiencing anxiety, depression, PTSD, domestic violence, low self-esteem, relationship issues, and more.
What are the positive effects of using technology in the treatment of psychological disorders?
Some of the positive effects of using technology include:
- Mobile applications can help clients stay engaged and practice the skills they learn in therapy to treat symptoms and improve their well-being.
- Online therapy (individual or group therapy) can make it easier for people who live in rural areas to access therapy services. Some online therapy platforms, such as BetterHelp, enable clients to easily see the therapist’s area of expertise, training, licensure, and experience.
- For people with social anxiety or fears associated with seeing an in-person therapist, using a device for remote psychotherapy to improve mental wellness can feel more comfortable.
- Using devices for therapy and self-care practices can provide people with a greater sense of agency and autonomy.
- In addition to finding that online therapy is effective for many mental health conditions, researchers have identified that it’s also a cost-effective and time-flexible solution.
- Technology is so influential on mental healthcare that the National Institute of Mental Health refers to it as the “new frontier” of clinical psychology.
What is technology-assisted counseling?
Technology-assisted counseling (TAC) is another term for online psychotherapy done over the phone, video teleconference, or synchronous messaging. Through TAC, you can work with a trained professional in your chosen location. With increased flexibility and accessibility, you can talk about relationship issues, family problems, unwanted behaviors that get in the way of your personal goals, or any specific issues causing you distress. Technology-assisted counseling is an effective treatment for mental health issues. A study shows the effectiveness of technology-assisted CBT in treating anxiety and depression in children and young people.
TAC can be a short-term or a long-term treatment. Talk with your therapist to determine how many sessions you will need and whether psychotherapy through TAC is appropriate for you. Although technology-assisted counseling may treat various mental health conditions, it may not be the best treatment option for mental health symptoms that may require in-person sessions.
How has technology improved health care?
Technology has improved health care in many ways, including improving record keeping, diagnostic tools, accessibility, medications, imaging, case management, and cost-effectiveness. In mental health care specifically, technology can improve patient access to psychotherapy services, reduce wait times for service, and improve accessibility of mental health care (whether individually or in a small group).
Through technology, clients can communicate with therapists, counselors, or licensed clinical social workers via video sessions, text messaging, live chats, or in-app messaging. Technology may also allow for medication prescriptions. Through telehealth, an online psychiatrist can evaluate the patient’s thoughts and behaviors, diagnose, and prescribe medication to help clients cope with their symptoms.
Do I need therapy or counselling?
Therapy and counseling are terms that are often used interchangeably, but there could be some differences depending on your provider and other factors. One of the differences is the treatment duration. Therapy can sometimes refer to long-term treatment or psychodynamic therapy designed to treat a specific issue, such as an anxiety disorder or other mental health condition. Counseling may be more short-term and can address various problems simultaneously, such as in marriage counseling, for example. Thus, choosing between therapy and counseling could be a matter of why you’re seeking treatment and how many sessions you think you’ll need. Although these two terms may have differences, both can help improve mental health.
When interviewing a counselor or therapist, here are some questions you can ask them:
- What education do you have? Do you hold a master’s degree or doctoral degree in clinical social work, psychology, or other related fields?
- Have you received any other specialized training?
- Do you have a medical degree? Can you write prescriptions/prescribe medications?
- How do you handle complex issues?
- Can you help me have satisfying relationships?
- How do you judge a person’s thoughts?
- Do you take a holistic approach to overall wellness?
- Will we work on my personal goals in the session?
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