Online Therapy
Online therapy is professional psychological therapy, only over the Internet! This could mean therapy using online video chat, text-only chat or sometimes email. However, online psychological therapy generally refers to therapy using online video. Some clients use online therapy in conjunction with traditional one-to-one sessions, however, a growing number of people are using online therapy as a stand alone service as an alternative to the more traditional office visits. Online therapy is much like coming along for a therapy session in person but without any of the inconvenience of leaving your your home or workplace. This means that you can now get the help you need whenever and wherever is most convenient for you, all at the click of a button.
Is Online Therapy Effective
For those suffering from anxiety, depression, mood or eating disorders, the science is suggesting that online therapy is just as effective as one-to-one therapy. There are always exceptions to this however. If you book an online session with me and we decide that one-to-one therapy would be more appropriate I will discuss this with you and we can work out the best way forward together.
Advantages of Online Therapy
You might think that opting for online therapy over therapy in person means that the therapy you receive is in some way inferior to that offered in one-to-one appointments. You may have concerns that the relationship you have with your therapist will not be the same and you won't get the most out of therapy. Before I started offering this service I have to admit I had these same concerns. When I offer clients therapy I want to be sure I am giving them the best and most appropriate care for them, so I did a bit (okay a lot) of reading around this. What I found was that the research indicates that clients who use online therapy report that they quickly develop a strong and effective relationship with their therapist. The therapeutic relationship is one of the most important factors in therapy, and with the online therapy service I offer we will be able to see one another as well as talk comfortably and confidentially, allowing us to develop a strong and therapeutic bond. The research also indicates that the effectiveness of online therapy in relations to traditional face-to-face sessions is comparable. This means that we should expect to make the same progress in our online sessions as we would if we were meeting in my office. Online therapy also has many other benefits over office-based therapy including a decrease in travel and lost work time, shorter waiting times, no need for childcare, and a greater sense of personal control over sessions. Also, online therapy is accessible worldwide, so for those who travel frequently it ensures you are able to continue with your therapy with regularity and consistency.
Is Online Therapy Private and Confidential
Client confidentiality is extremely important to me. Confidentiality helps to build a trusting and open therapeutic relationship from the outset. As a Clinical Psychologist working with the online world safety and confidentiality are of utmost importance to me. There are literally hundreds of online therapy sites offering therapy over the internet. Some might use Skype or Google Hangouts as the platform for therapy, whilst others, like myself, offer therapy through VSee. One of the things to be aware of when it comes to online therapy is that many sites out there are offering therapy using platforms that are not HIPPA compliant. HIPAA is a health care law that, among other things sets very high standards for the protection of your personal health information. If the platform that the therapist is using isn't HIPPA compliant then there is no guarantee that the information you are sharing is completely private and confidential. Each country has its own rules and regulations regarding online therapy and here in Norway online therapy must be in keeping with the Norwegian Privacy Act (Personvernloven). VSee is a simple and secure online platform which allows us to meet online without any fuss. We can literally meet anywhere and feel safe in the knowledge that . If you have your phone, iPad or laptop and an internet connection we can have a therapy session! So you can rest assured as your privacy is my highest priority.