How To Find Affordable Online Therapy: UK Counselling & Mental Health Support

The prevalence of virtual counselling has been rising sharply in the UK in recent years. This form of counselling enables individuals to connect with a credentialed mental health professional no matter where they live in the UK. However, many people might wonder how to find a reputable virtual therapist. Below, we’ll look at online counselling, its benefits, and ways to find a reputable therapist.

Virtual online counseling trends

What are common therapeutic approaches?

Virtual therapists use a variety of approaches, depending on the needs of each client. Below are just a few therapy modalities:

Cognitive behavioral therapies (CBT)

Cognitive behavioral therapy tends to be one of the most widely used modalities. Cognitive behavioral therapy usually focuses on helping the client identify and replace inaccurate thoughts about themselves, as well as exploring the link between thoughts, emotions, and behaviors.

Online therapists frequently use cognitive behavioral therapy for anxiety disorders, depression, eating disorders, and substance use disorders. When people begin to replace their inaccurate thoughts and beliefs with more constructive ones, they may experience a shift in their emotions, as well as positive behavioral changes. 

Exposure therapy for various mental health conditions like anxiety

Exposure therapy can be effective for several disorders, including obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), phobias, and social anxiety disorder. For OCD, a therapist might use this modality to gradually expose a person to an anxiety-inducing object. The therapist might ask a person to approach the anxiety-inducing object and eventually have them approach the object completely. 

For social anxiety disorder, therapists might ask a person to list anxiety-inducing social situations. The therapist might gradually expose the person to such situations, first by asking them to simply imagine themselves in a feared social context. The therapist may eventually ask the person to engage in brief real-life social situations, which may relieve their anxiety and reduce distressing symptoms over time.

Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT)

Dialectical behavior therapy is a type of cognitive behavioral therapy that was developed by Marsha Linehan to treat people with intense emotions. Dialectical behavior therapy is often used to treat borderline personality disorder. The term “dialectical” refers to the practice of accepting two seemingly opposite things at once. In the case of borderline personality disorder, a person may be taught to acknowledge difficulty with emotional regulation while recognizing that they can do better each day. 

DBT also tends to be grounded in mindfulness. Clients are often taught to simply observe thoughts as they arise without identifying with them. For example, someone experiencing intense emotions might have negative thoughts about themselves and blame themselves for their anger. Mindfulness training can enable them to observe those thoughts without identifying with them. 

Where to find support for mental health challenges: depression, anxiety

Advantages of speaking to a virtual counsellor 

Online therapy allows individuals to speak with a counsellor from anywhere in the UK. This may be helpful for those who are concerned about speaking with a mental health professional in their community. The perceived distance associated with online therapy may help people become more comfortable opening up to a therapist. 

Online therapy typically provides a larger network of therapists than what is available locally. This means that it may be easier to find a therapist who has experience in specific mental health areas. If a person doesn’t believe a specific therapist is a good fit for their needs, they can change therapists until they find the right one.

Are you interested in online therapy in the UK?

Talk to a counsellor online

Efficacy of virtual counselling