Should You Go To A Skype Therapist? Here Are The Pros And Cons
According to the American Psychological Association, the popularity of online therapy has skyrocketed since the 2020 pandemic since the beginning of the pandemic, with more and more people preferring digital interventions via Skype due to convenience and a broader range of options. However, this trend leads some people to question whether receiving high-quality care from afar is possible. There can be benefits and downsides to visiting with an online therapist via Skype or another platform. Whether or not this option is a good fit likely depends on your preferences and needs.
In this article, we’ll explore the pros and cons of going to a Skype therapist to help you determine if Skype therapy is right for you.
What is a Skype therapist?
Skype is a digital video, audio, and text messaging platform individuals and mental health professionals use to connect remotely via the web. These professionals may be known as “Skype therapists.” Some therapists offer Skype counseling in addition to in-person therapy sessions.
There can be benefits to attending therapy online, with evidence from clinical trials showing that online Skype therapy can be just as effective as in-person care. These results are promising, especially given that online therapy, particularly video therapy, has become the “new normal” for many people following the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Research on the effectiveness of online therapy
Since then, there has been much research into the effectiveness of online therapy as an intervention for a variety of mental health conditions. It may help to remember that you do not need to be diagnosed with a mental health condition to benefit from therapy. It can also serve as preventative care and a tool for promoting general mental wellness.
In response to the growing need for mental healthcare providers able to deliver treatment to their clients remotely, the U.S. federal government relaxed previous restrictions that required therapists to be registered in the same state as their patients.
Pros of Skype therapy: Is a Skype therapist right for you?
Online therapy is helping to reduce barriers to treatment for marginalized groups by making therapy available from internet-connected devices. A meta-analysis from 2020 found that online CBT therapy was at least as effective as, if not more so, traditional in-person sessions. Below is a list of more potential benefits of attending therapy online via video chat.
Affordability of Skype counseling
A 2021 study on the cost-effectiveness of online therapy for juveniles with obsessive-compulsive disorder concluded that online therapy with in-person follow-ups for non-responders was just as effective as in-person sessions, and more affordable.
Also, reviews have found that attending therapy online can be more cost-effective than in-person sessions. With online therapy, you may have a greater selection of professionals to choose from because you are less limited by location. As a result, it may be easier to find a therapist in your price range who also specializes in what you are looking for.
Convenience of online therapy
Another reason why online therapy is sometimes more affordable is that it often eliminates the need for travel. Some people must travel great distances to reach mental health care providers, especially if they live in a rural area or require a specialist. Fewer travel costs and less time spent on travel can reduce the financial burden of attending therapy.
Finally, it may also be true that online therapy can eliminate travel time and time spent in the waiting room, therefore allowing clients to take less time off work to attend sessions. Not having to take time off work or hire a babysitter to be able to attend therapy can make mental health care more convenient.
Specialized care from a Skype therapist
Not all therapists are the same. Different types of therapists may specialize in different fields of study and therapeutic approaches. Cognitive behavioral therapy and dialectical behavioral therapy are two of the most popular forms of talk therapy, but they may not be right for everyone. Some therapists may specialize in treating various disorders, such as phobias or post-traumatic stress disorder.
Also, some people may need specialized care for conditions that require targeted and expert support. Likewise, minorities, such as members of the LGBTQIA+ community, may also face barriers to treatment, such as finding a culturally competent therapist. With online therapy, you can select a much larger variety of therapists to find someone with experience in your specific areas of concern.
Comfort
For many, attending therapy from home is more comfortable and convenient than in-person care. This could be true for people who may have personal concerns about going to in-person sessions or a mental health condition that makes it difficult to leave the house, or simply prefer to attend sessions from home. For people living with physical limitations and disabilities, attending online therapy could be a huge benefit.
With online therapy, you can get the mental health care you deserve, even from your couch while you are in your pajamas. Seeing your home environment could even give your therapist greater insight into your life and who you are as a person.
Being able to control when, where, and how you attend sessions can make the process more comfortable and effective. Also, some people may be less likely to drop out of therapy if online sessions are an option.
Cons of online therapy
Online therapy may not be the right solution for every patient. Some people with serious mental health conditions, such as severe depression or schizophrenia, may require in-person sessions. Online therapists may not be comfortable offering online therapy to a prospective client if they believe it is not in the client’s best interests.
Below are a few factors that may determine whether or not online therapy is the right choice for you.
Experience
Have you attended therapy before? If you have, reflecting on what you did or did not like about therapy may help you determine if virtual therapy is the right choice for you. You may want to consider factors such as what the wait times were like and how that affected you, as well as how important face-to-face nonverbal communication is for you to feel comfortable with a therapist.
Type of therapy
Psychotherapy, or talk therapy, can be just as effective online versus in-person. However, some specific types of therapy require you to go to a location to attend. An example could be if you want to attend animal therapy, such as equestrian therapy, or drama therapy where you act out skits with a group.
Readiness
While online therapy typically offers more convenience than in-person therapy, it can also be tempting to give up. Some people may be in denial or unaware of the severity of their condition. In these cases, attending therapy in-person can be beneficial. Willingness to participate in the therapeutic process often makes a huge difference in the effectiveness of therapy.
Similarly, it is generally easier to end a video call with a click of a button than it is to physically walk out of an in-person session. For this reason, attending in-person sessions may be more beneficial for certain patients by encouraging them to continue with treatment. In-person therapy may also help some people who need to get out of the house and change their environment from time to time.
How to find a therapist online
If you decide to pursue therapy over Skype or another online platform, you will likely start by filling out a questionnaire that can help you match with a therapist who has experience in your specific areas of concern. When searching for an online therapist, the best way to be sure your therapist has the correct qualifications, licensing, and experience may be to use an established online therapy platform like BetterHelp.
When you sign up for BetterHelp, you will be asked to answer questions to determine what your needs and goals are for therapy. Usually, with BetterHelp, within 48 hours you will usually be matched with a licensed therapist within 48 hours. Also, you can always switch to a different therapist if the first one is not a good match until you find a good fit.
Takeaway
Can you go to a Skype therapist just to talk?
Yes, just like with face-to-face therapy, in many cases, you can go to online licensed therapists to receive mental health support or just to talk. You don’t need to be in a mental health crisis to receive support. Additionally, research shows that mental health treatment via phone or video chat can be highly effective for a diverse group of potential clients with various mental health concerns and therapy goals.
Are there any dangers in using Skype for virtual therapy?
Skype is a video conferencing platform owned by Microsoft. While it has safety features, it may not be HIPAA-compliant. Since therapy sessions may include sensitive information like your mental health history, personal challenges, or information about medication management, some licensed professional counselors prefer other platforms. When in doubt, most therapists recommend sticking with the best online therapy platforms–ones that are reputable and created specifically for telehealth services.
What clients are not appropriate for teletherapy?
While online and telephone therapy have many benefits, it’s not appropriate for everyone. On a basic level, a person usually needs a stable internet connection and a space to be alone for sessions. If someone is only able to do therapy sessions in the same room as other people or they lack reliable internet, they may have better results getting help at a therapist’s office.
People with certain mental health conditions, like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, may need in-person care and support from licensed clinical social workers. In general, if you’re in a crisis situation or experiencing hallucinations or delusions, it’s better to seek in-person care.
Also, insurance coverage may be another factor to consider. Does insurance cover online therapy? Not always. However, many online platforms have rates that make it affordable enough to pay out of pocket. Still, pricing and payment considerations may make teletherapy inappropriate for some citations.
Is there such a thing as a texting therapist?
Yes, many online therapy platforms allow you to directly message licensed therapists and clinical social workers on the platform, either in addition to video sessions or in lieu of them.
Is it OK to text your therapist between sessions?
Every therapist has their own preferences. However, in general, it’s not appropriate to text your therapist about non-scheduling matters between appointments. Unless you’ve discussed this with them or they’ve given you express permission to text them outside of therapy time, it’s best to reserve text messages for issues related to issues like scheduling or billing.
What are the disadvantages of text therapy?
There can be a few disadvantages to having therapy in your own home instead of a therapist’s office. For example, it may be harder to find time alone, maintain a stable internet or phone connection, or stay focused during sessions. Additionally, when you aren’t in person, it may be more difficult to pick up facial expressions or other non-verbal means of communication. When you’re texting only, you and your therapist won’t have any verbal or audio cues, which can leave room for misinterpretation. It may also be more challenging to discuss many topics as it often takes longer to text back-and-forth than it does to speak.
However, text therapy can be an option worth considering if you feel nervous about speaking with therapists or social workers face-to-face during live sessions. You may also like to have your first session or two via text until you feel comfortable enough to move to another medium like phone, video, or in-person.
What should you not share with a therapist?
You should feel safe to discuss anything with your therapist because national standards of care prioritize your ability to openly discuss things with your therapist without fear of it leaving your session. For the best treatment outcomes, you likely want to avoid telling lies or spending your entire therapy session talking about things that aren’t important to you.
Can an online therapist diagnose you?
The ability to diagnose via online therapy depends on licensing board restrictions. However, regardless of the ability to diagnose, all online therapists, including licensed marriage and family therapists, can help provide treatment plans and coping strategies to reduce symptoms for a range of mental health conditions, including anxiety, depression, OCD, eating disorders, and others.
Is virtual therapy awkward?
Whether you’re doing an in-person couples therapy session, online teen counseling, or any type of therapy in between, therapy can sometimes be awkward. In therapy, you’re often asked to discuss feelings, behaviors, and experiences that you may not have had to think or talk about before, and that can be awkward, regardless of whether you’re in person or online.
However, virtual therapy can have its own kind of awkward moments. For example, video software can freeze, audio can fall behind, or someone may interrupt your session. Regardless, the benefits of online therapy, like the ability for people in remote areas to get care or the convenience, often outweigh any awkwardness that may occur.
Can online therapists prescribe meds?
No, online therapists are not allowed to prescribe medication. Medication can only be prescribed by licensed psychiatrists, doctors, or nurse practitioners.
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