Mental health therapy

Mental Health and Therapy :

Bringing the old school practice of therapy into the world of web 2.0 is an interesting transition to say the least, considering the science is rooted in tradition. Over the past year and a half I have been providing professional counseling and therapy online predominately through internet chat, but also by phone and email. Not only have I seen amazing results in the people that I’ve worked with, I truly believe that this is going to eventually be the dominate form of therapy, in our ever quickening culture.

I work with depression, anxiety, relationships, marriage counseling, grief and loss, and many of the other things that a conventional therapist would work with. Online therapy is met with a lot of mixed feelings from both clients and professionals. Most of this is based out of ignorance. In a world where we maintain many of our relationships, both personal and professional, through phone, text, chat, twitter, facebook etc, it is not unrealistic that we can create very involved therapeutic relationships as well through these vehicles. In working with people, not only do I use the same approaches that I would use face to face therapy, I believe that it can actually be more effective than face to face therapy in many instances. This is why..

When a person reaches out for help, typically a lot of shame and embarrassment comes with it. For a client, it is intimidating and uncomfortable to sit there and be stared at by a therapist while recounting all of the problems they are going through. Due to this, a client is more likely to withhold information and deny certain thought processes due to fear of being embarrassed. Online therapy cuts through all of these potential boundaries and allows a client to feel comfortable from their own home while having the freedom of starting or stopping the session at their leisure. No one is staring at them, there is no pressure of feeling trapped in an office, the client is on their own turf and if they don’t feel a connection, they can try a different therapist. The client no longer has to worry about this therapeutic dynamic where you get plugged into a treatment plan with a counselor you may or may not like. It puts the quality of help in the hands of the person who needs help, and by having control over it, it allows them to feel comfortable opening up at their own pace when they feel most comfortable. An essential part of helping an individual is allowing them to gain control over their own life, and allowing them to control the help they receive can be crucial in them buying into it.

In addition, the rigid structure of how therapy typically works is also out the window. If a person feels the need to talk more than once a week, there is always someone available to talk to. If a person is having a crisis at that moment, there is a therapist there ready to talk. No longer does a person have to wait for a session to process these things, help is always available, at the click of a mouse. Studies are finally coming out to show that this method of therapy is just as productive as face to face. It’s hard to imagine that people will continue to drive and schedule appointments with a therapist they may not even like, when they have such easy access to hundred of professionals at the convenience of home.

One of the other benefits is that I also work with a lot of people who would otherwise never see a counselor. Perhaps they are going through a tough time and just need a professional opinion, or have hit a roadblock in their life and just need to blow off some steam. Whereas this person would have never taken the initiative to set up a counseling appointment, due to a variety of reasons, they can go on the internet, find a therapist, talk for 10-15 minutes, and possibly have the answers they need without ever having to come back. This readily accessible, solution focused practice is a major breakthrough in the mental health world. It is its own type of help that is worth serious consideration and study as it’s own form of practice.

Obviously online therapy is not for everyone and face to face will continue to have its importance. People who are struggling in great severity require a higher level of care than can be delivered over the internet. Some things cannot replace simple human contact. What online therapy does, is increase the accessibility of legitimate, effective, and professional help to people who would not otherwise see someone face to face. What a therapist sacrifices in terms of being able to see a person’s body language and hear the different intonations in their voice, you make up in being able to reach out to people who would have never otherwise considered professional help, and make real difference in their lives.

The progression of the mental health field is undeniable, despite the belief of many professionals that it is not true therapy, and their resistance to study and change, it is happening. It is not the method for purists. It is merely a form of therapy that needs to be studied and taken seriously, because it is going on right now as the mental health world turns a blind eye to it. As online therapy continues to grow in its popularity, and as the younger generations continue to replace the old less computer savvy ones, it is the inevitable course of events for the mental health field.