Does online therapy actually work?

This is a question I have been asked fairly frequently and rightly so! I was sceptical about whether you can truly connect with another human through a computer screen having provided face to face counselling for seven years.

So, the question is, can I have counselling online?

Short answer: Yes, online therapy works really, really well.

I’ve been amazed both at how effective it is and how many benefits there are for my clients, when providing online therapy rather than person.

It was January 2020 and online therapy was far from my thoughts. I was turning away people who were looking for online sessions. This was not something I offered, nor wanted to offer. I had no experience or interest in online working and I will be honest, I was sceptical of it’s efficacy. The therapeutic relationship is such a deeply personal, human connection, so much gets shared between us in the therapy room, I just couldn’t imagine how this would transfer to the internet.

Two months later the global pandemic brought about the first of many unexpected lockdowns that are now etched into most people’s memories. Along with the rest of the world, I realised I had to adapt to the new environment, and that many people still needed support, in fact, more so at that time than ever. 

I sought guidance from my professional body and completed courses in the ethical and legal considerations, and the practicalities of providing online therapy. I also explored the research which was emphatic that online therapy was just as effective as in person sessions. I had considered online therapy as a new way of counselling, but in actual fact, online therapy has been practiced since the 1990’s.

I tentatively made a start and yes, it was a steep learning curve, however I was pleasantly surprised. Initially, I was working with existing clients who I had met in ‘real life’ already, we were temporarily switching online (or so we thought). We could see and hear each other clearly, the human connection that we had in my therapy room was alive and kicking online too.

As the weeks went by, it became apparent that this really was an effective way of conducting therapy sessions, not only for existing clients but for new clients too. There are countless, wonderful humans who I have had the privilege of meeting and forming a therapeutic relationship with online who would never have had the opportunity to access the support they needed the traditional way. They have reaped enormous benefits from the therapy, I am regularly told by people I have never met in person how the sessions have changed their lives.

Not only this, but accessing therapy from home often means my clients are finding they can open up more freely, sooner. There is no waiting room anxiety or fear of bumping into someone right after an emotional session. 

Nobody arrives late and or flustered due to travel disruptions or trouble finding parking and snow days are not a problem. In an increasingly digital world, this way of working is very convenient for many of my clients who can fit sessions in any time, any where, when they travel or work remotely. 

This month marks five whole years of my online therapeutic practice. Many, many deep, meaningful and therapeutically beneficial relationships have formed, and developed in this time. As with anything in life, of course online therapy is not for everyone. I can however say honestly that online therapy really does work and nobody is more surprised about this than me.