How To Chart A Course For A Happier Future - Bobby Blog

Why do people like online therapy?

Many people prefer online therapy for several reasons, but two of the most common are its convenience and cost-effectiveness. You can attend online therapy from any comfortable location, including your home. Many will find it easier to attend online therapy sessions than in-person sessions because the need to travel to an office has been removed. Those who live in rural areas or areas underserved by mental health professionals also commonly cite the convenience of being able to meet with a therapist without traveling a long distance. 

While some people’s health insurance covers a considerable amount of the cost of therapy, many people are left paying out of pocket for mental health services. They sometimes prefer online therapy because it tends to be cheaper than many in-person options. When combined with the cost savings of reduced travel, many people have found online therapy to be a substantially more cost-effective option than in-person alternatives. 

Does online therapy work as well as in-person? 

The recent rise in the popularity of online therapy spurred several advances in research investigating its effectiveness. As online therapy grew more popular, researchers and practitioners were initially concerned that conducting therapy remotely could interfere with the therapeutic process and substantially reduce the effectiveness of well-established psychotherapeutic techniques. 

Such a concern is often warranted when new technology or techniques threaten to disrupt the fidelity of mental health practices, but research indicates the concern was largely unfounded. In most cases, online therapy is just as effective as in-person therapy. Some situations, such as especially severe mental health conditions or substance use, are likely better treated through in-person options, but most people will find that online therapy offers similar benefits to traditional approaches. 

Why do people go to counseling and not just blog about their problems?

A person can seek the services of a mental health professional for almost any reason, including treatment of a mental health condition, help solving difficult problems, setting goals for personal growth, or overcoming challenging life circumstances. Couples often seek therapy to increase their relationship satisfaction, and families may seek therapy as a unit to help manage difficult situations or improve cohesion among family members. 

Although many people can benefit from therapy, not everyone is sure when it is time to seek the services of a qualified mental health professional. To help demonstrate when therapy may be helpful, the American Psychological Association provided the following common signs that therapy may benefit you: 

• You frequently feel overwhelming helplessness and sadness. 
• Your problems don’t seem to improve despite your best efforts or help from loved ones. 
• You find it difficult to concentrate at work, school, or during everyday activities. 
• You feel constant worry or continually expect the worst. 
• You exhibit behavior that harms yourself or others, such as excessive drinking or aggression. 

Can therapy help people feel happier after charting a course for counseling? 

Although many people believe that therapy is only for those with diagnosable mental health conditions, a significant number of people seek the services of a mental health professional for help solving problems, overcoming difficult circumstances, or achieving personal growth. If a person feels unhappy, therapy may be able to help, even if their unhappiness doesn’t rise to the level of clinical depression. 

Evidence suggests that many types of therapy can help people increase their happiness. Positive therapy techniques may be especially effective for this, especially during adverse life circumstances. Other types of therapy, like cognitive-behavioral approaches, can help people change negative thought processes that might reduce their happiness. It might also help them change behaviors likely to reduce happiness rather than increase it. Whatever the case, if you’re not feeling as happy as you’d like, there is a good chance that therapy can help. 

What’s the difference between online therapists and in-person therapists? 

In the United States, online and in-person therapists have the same education, training, and credentials. Like their in-person peers, online therapists must possess a license to practice within their state that demonstrates they have acquired the necessary training and experience to practice psychotherapy. Therapists usually possess at least a master’s degree and are typically required to obtain hundreds or thousands of hours of supervised practice before seeing patients independently. 

Online and in-person therapists can obtain additional training in a specialty area, and many therapists practice both online and in-person. When practicing remotely, some therapists likely prefer techniques that work especially well online, like cognitive behavioral therapy, but they are qualified to use whatever techniques they believe will benefit their patients the most. Overall, there is very little difference between online and in-person therapists, and it may be worthwhile to consider seeing an online therapist if accessing in-person therapy near you is difficult.