The ongoing pandemic changed our world and lives in more ways than one, bringing dramatic transformations to healthcare environments. Are you considering an online counseling session to seek professional help in dealing with your anxiety-related concerns? Or perhaps, you’re struggling with the trauma of adverse life experiences and lack of accessibility to traditional therapy settings?
Millions of people struggling with diverse mental health disorders worldwide lost access to their psychological support systems. Their therapist’s practice’s trusted couch and safe environment were no longer available to provide the support they needed. Social restrictions intensified the burdens and suffering of mental health illnesses. The advent of online counseling came as a relief for millions worldwide, offering them the help they need with enhanced accessibility.
Is online counseling effective in comparison with traditional therapy settings? Keep reading to find out.
Effective in Treating Mental Health Conditions
Research reveals that internet-based tools to administer online therapy are just as effective as traditional counseling. Therapists can use online therapy to conduct cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and treat mental health illnesses without significant challenges. There are hardly any online and in-person therapy differences, given the advancements in video-conferencing tools.
Online CBT and other behavioral therapies are effective and popularly used to treat multiple anxiety disorders. Practitioners are increasingly looking to revive their practice by shifting to online mediums and encouraging their clients to engage through the internet. People struggling with social anxiety, generalized anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), or panic disorder can benefit greatly from online therapy.
The popularity of online mediums has enhanced accessibility for mental health professionals pursuing higher education or expanding their clientele. Counselors and aspiring therapists can combine an online masters in counseling alongside their current profession to pursue career advancement goals. The e-learning route allows aspirants ample flexibility in fulfilling the state-mandated academic and licensure requirements.
Counseling is a much more rewarding career path than psychiatric care or rehabilitation as it allows practitioners to make a lasting impact. Full-time mental health professionals can transform their career trajectory with an online degree, switching to counseling using digital mediums. Online counseling degrees are relatively affordable and less demanding than traditional on-campus programs.
Counseling allows direct influence over patient care, treatment design, and therapeutic outcomes. And therefore, this career path comes with strict academic and licensure requirements. Online mediums allow counselors, therapists, and clients to grow and enjoy accessibility.
Eliminating Physical Constraints & Barriers
Did you know that over 11% of the world’s population suffers from a mental health or substance use disorder? That’s an alarming statistic, but what’s more worrying is that millions worldwide don’t have access to mental health facilities. Online counseling has eliminated physical constraints that prevent people in remote areas from accessing quality care.
Online therapy is an excellent option for people residing in remote areas, alpine villages, and rural communities. Suppose there’s no mental health facility or therapist near your remote town. In that case, you can turn to online therapy to find a therapist to treat your concerns. People no longer have to drive overwhelmingly long distances to schedule an in-person counseling session.
The most significant advantage of online therapy is for people struggling with physical disabilities and limitations. Individuals with physical deformities or mobility issues no longer have to suffer the discomfort of attending in-person sessions. Instead, they can access mental health care from the comforts of their home.
Enhanced Affordability & Comfort
Online therapy enjoys popularity across its consumers, making counseling much more affordable. Millions of people couldn’t access in-person therapy because of the overwhelming cost of scheduling an in-person session.
Online mediums and booking directories have promoted standardized rates and access to hundreds of counselors.
People are no longer restricted to the high-priced counseling facilities in proximity to their neighborhoods. With online counseling, they can engage the best therapists administering therapies from other cities, states, or countries.
Clients now have access to a broader pool of counselors and therapists, offering their services at various rates. What’s more, many insurance providers across multiple states are providing coverage for online therapy sessions. Therapists and counselors also enjoy affordability by eliminating the overhead expenses of maintaining office space and administrative staff.
Enhanced Comfort & Approachability
Hundreds of people with mental illnesses and social anxiety struggle to leave the house, let alone go to a therapist’s clinic. Counseling sessions are wrongfully associated with pop-cultural visualizations of sprawling out on a therapist’s couch and venting your heart out. In reality, most people struggle to feel at ease while sharing their darkest secrets in someone else’s environment.
Online therapy is a game-changer for treatment approachability and client comfort. People who aren’t comfortable in private clinics and therapy facilities can enjoy mental health support from the comfort of their homes. Teletherapy is a formidable tool to design approachable treatments that don’t demand patients to exit their comfort zones.
Final Thoughts
Online counseling has emerged as a beacon of hope after the COVID-induced restrictions that denied accessibility to mental health services. It’s a step towards improving quality care standards and burgeoning affordability with client-centric models. It’s indeed the future of mental health, allowing millions worldwide to access the world’s best counseling services.
