Online Therapy Anxiety Treatment
Online therapy anxiety treatment has become a tremendous resource for many people. When the pandemic hit, many therapists began to offer online counseling services for their clients. Access to mental health services has always been important. More so now than ever before.
Many people are considering online therapy to help them with issues they are facing. But some are also hesitant about online therapy. While online therapy is a great resource, it can leave people feeling concerned. If you have concerns about online therapy, know that you are not alone.
You may be wondering if online therapy will be effective for your anxiety. Here are seven of the most frequently asked questions that I get about online therapy for anxiety.
1. Is It Safe/Confidential?
This question is common for online therapy in general. But, since it is asked so much, I would like to go over it here.
Online therapy for anxiety, depression, or anything else, is definitely confidential. Many clients are concerned that, because technology is so accessible, it leaves their information more vulnerable.
As therapists, we are required to only use encrypted and secure HIPAA-compliant platforms. So, from note-taking right down to video calls, everything we use is confidential and safe.
2. Will It Help My Anxiety?
Traditionally, therapy has been face-to-face. When considering online therapy, also called, teletherapy, to help treat your anxiety, you may think it’s not as effective.
Actually, online therapy has been shown to be just as effective as in person. In some cases, it may be even more beneficial to clients. For instance, starting off with anxiety therapy online may help if you have an intense fear of leaving your house. It will help you to slowly work on ways to overcome this without it being completely overwhelming.
And, since you can do it from the comfort of your own home, online therapy is more accessible for many. You don’t have to worry about fighting rush hour traffic or traveling a far distance.
3. Will I Have A Better Chance Of Finding A Therapist?
Many people have realized the importance of working on their mental health. Especially during the last year.
If you are in a smaller area, your choices of therapists to work with may be limited. And the options you do have typically have a long wait list. When you have anxiety, you often want to start finding relief as soon as possible, which makes it problematic when you can’t find support.
Fortunately, online therapy works to solve several of these problems. It helps because it opens up the pool of therapists you can work with. How? Because any therapist who is licensed in your state (if the USA) and in your country (if UK) can work with you. So no matter if they are a half hour away or far away, they can support you.
This means that you likely won’t have to wait on a long wait list to help you to see some relief from anxiety.
4. How Can I Share Information If Not Meeting Face to Face?
Most therapists are realizing that clients (and therapists) find it helpful to be able to share information such as a journal entry or website links for resources. If you are not meeting in person you may wonder how this can happen. The latest software, called client portals, allow clients and therapists to communicate securely and confidentially.
In essence, a client portal is a communication tool that lets someone share. If you are struggling with a tool, or between session task, it is important to let your therapist know so this can be addressed in the next session. Client portal makes this easy.
5. What About The Cost?
Cost will vary depending on the therapist, experience and location. It should not be more expensive than in person. An additional benefit with online therapy is that as mentioned, you have access to search for many more therapists regardless of location, so you can have more choices at the price point you can afford.
6. Can I Choose My Location For Online Therapy Anxiety Treatment?
Yes. Absolutely. This is a unique benefit to online therapy. The only thing to be mindful of is making sure that you won’t be overheard as the therapist can’t manage the confidentiality on your end. With that in mind, you can get creative. If you need to, you can have online therapy in your car, in the park, at the beach, or even on your own hammock!
7. Does Online Therapy Anxiety Treatment Work the Same as In Person Anxiety Treatment?
Yes. The only difference is that it will be online. In the past online therapy could have meant many things, including email therapy, text based chat therapy, and video therapy. More recently online therapy has come to mean therapy using video and audio at the same time. Because of this, it feels very similar to seeing a therapist in person and many clients actually prefer this because of the convenience, flexibility, time saving and greater choice this offers.
Dealing with anxiety is hard. However, thanks to online therapy, you don’t have to do it alone. Reach out to my Honolulu or London office to begin receiving support from the comfort of your own home. Click to read more about Online Anxiety Treatment.
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I am a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in Hawaii and an Accredited CBT Therapist in the UK with over 15 years of experience. I specialize in anxiety treatments and online therapy. I have received advanced specialist training in Cognitive Behavior Therapy and Compassion Focused Therapy. Over the years I have helped many suffering with anxiety to learn how to manage their thoughts, emotions and behaviors and ultimately feel better. Please feel free to contact me at my Honolulu or London clinic to set up an Online Therapy Anxiety Treatment Test Drive.
