What is online therapy?
Online psychotherapy, known as teletherapy is a popular modality that individuals choose to receive evidenced based therapy. Online therapy can be offered over any video platform. An individual may also request to record sessions for them to view back at any time. Online Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) can be offered for a variety of mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression and therapy for self-improvement.
Why choose online therapy?
- Similar treatment outcomes: Studies have found that online therapy can be just as effective as in-person therapy for a variety of mental health conditions, including anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Convenience and accessibility: Online therapy allows individuals to receive therapy from the comfort of their own homes, eliminating the need to travel to a therapy space. This can be especially beneficial for individuals who live outside of main cities, have limited mobility, or have transportation issues.
- Flexibility: Online therapy can offer more flexible scheduling options, making it easier for individuals to fit therapy into their busy schedules.
- Increased comfort: Some individuals may feel more comfortable discussing personal issues in a familiar environment, such as their own home. Also allowing for exposure work (ERP) within the home and including loved ones if suitable.
- Similar therapeutic relationship: Research has shown that the therapeutic relationship between a Psychotherapist and client can be just as strong in online therapy as in-person therapy.
It’s important to note that not all forms of therapy are suitable for online delivery, and certain conditions may require in-person treatment. You can read more about in-person, home visits here
Is online therapy effective?
Numerous studies have been conducted to investigate the effectiveness of online therapy compared to in-person therapy and have found that online therapy is as effective as in-person therapy. A selection of these studies include:
- Meta-analysis published in the Journal of Affective Disorders, reviewed 25 studies and found that online cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) was equally as effective as face-to-face therapy for the treatment of Depression and Anxiety disorders.
- Study published in the Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare, found online CBT was equally effective as in-person therapy for treating disorders including panic and social anxiety.
- Randomised controlled trials published in the Journal of Anxiety Disorders found that online CBT was just as effective as in-person therapy for treating specific phobias. Specific phobias include phobia of vomiting (emetophobia)
- Study published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research, found that online therapy was effective for treating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), with no difference in effectiveness compared to in-person therapy.
- Review published in the Journal of Mental Health, examined various studies comparing online and in-person therapy and concluded that online therapy was just as effective as in-person therapy for a variety of mental health conditions.
For many individuals, online therapy is an effective and convenient way to receive psychotherapy. Effective Exposure Response Prevention (ERP) treatment for OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder) BDD (body dysmorphic disorder) and social anxiety can be delivered online. You can read more about ERP here
Contact
To schedule an online psychological assessment with an accredited private, online CBT Therapist please click here. You can also send enquiries via email:info@homebasedtalkingtherapy.com