Having your personal therapy sessions online via your laptop or mobile phone is a really fantastic option for many of my clients. In this blog, I will give a few insights into how it works and what the benefits are. I’ll also help you decide if online counselling is for you.
What is online counselling?
Online counselling can take a few different forms, but for my practice, online counselling is about 1-1 video calls using an encrypted video calling platform (I tend to prefer Zoom, but I also use others where it suits the client or their device better). We agree a day and time for our sessions, and we meet online via video call, just the same as if we were meeting face to face.
What are the benefits of online counselling?
There are several benefits to having your therapy online, and I will explain a few of them here:
- It’s so convenient.
With online counselling you can agree the best day and time for you, and work around your schedule. You only need to have an hour free, and especially if you are working from home, or doing shifts, you can find it quite easy to slot in the time. This can make a big difference compared to having face to face sessions where you need to factor in travel time there and back, which might mean needing twice as much time or more set aside for your therapy. - No travelling.
Talking of travel, it’s not just the time that it adds. Travelling can also add stress to seeing your counsellor face to face, if you have to worry about parking, or catching the bus to get there on time. Many of my clients are really happy that they don’t have to worry about how they get to me, they just click on the phone or the laptop at the agreed time. No stress! - Your own space.
The other big benefit of online counselling is that you can have the session in your own space, where you feel most comfortable. You can choose wherever suits you best, whether it be sitting up on your bed, or cuddled into your favourite chair, perhaps on the sofa with your blankets and cushions if you need them, or with your pet alongside you. You can feel totally at home, because you are! You are also welcome to take your device outside, and have the session sitting in a garden or a park, anywhere as long as you feel ok about talking. - Your own space – afterwards!
Many of my clients find that one of the best things about online counselling is that they can chill out after the sessions in their own space as well. They don’t need to put a face on to get straight back into the world, they can go and make a cup of tea and relax, or get a cuddle from the dog before they get back to their working day. It can be really helpful to be surrounded by your own things, or have some privacy, if the session has been an emotional one. - Accessibility.
I have been so happy to offer online therapy so that I can finally be fully accessible to all my clients. Private counselling rooms can be in places that are hard to access, and many counsellors don’t have the set-up in their homes for people with mobility issues. With online counselling my clients can reach me without any worries, including those who have health issues that mean they might not know until the day or hour if they would be up to leaving the house.
What are the downsides of online counselling?
Having therapy online may not be the right choice for everyone. I offer a free initial phone consultation for all potential clients where we can talk about what you’d like to get out of counselling, and we will also discuss whether online counselling is right for you. The main thing is how you feel about it yourself. If it feels like it could be a good choice then it is definitely be worth looking into.
Online counselling is now an affordable and accessible option for so many people. My clients and I see the benefits from it every week. Get in touch with me today to find out more or to ask me any questions.
Best wishes on your journey.
