Online counselling is effective and will be more widely used in the future. Communication takes place in so many different forms and counselling is no exception.
Open up in the safety of your own home
The benefits of online counselling include being in the comfort of your own home when discussing your innermost thoughts and feelings. Being at home is a huge bonus for many clients as they feel safe in their surroundings. It can be more difficult to open yourself up to a total stranger when you are in unfamiliar surroundings. Studies have shown that individuals receiving therapy or counselling at home tend to open up quicker when they are at home than when they are in a new environment.
In this way, counselling can make progress quicker and the client will be able to reach their goals for therapy in a shorter time frame.
Easily accessible
If you are seeing a counsellor online, there are fewer interruptions to counselling. You could go on holiday and still schedule in a therapy session if you felt the need to. Online counselling could be viewed as a mobile form of therapy that you can access anytime, anywhere.
Confidentiality
All therapy is confidential. The only exceptions to this are child protection issues and possible harm to yourself or someone else. A counsellor has a duty of care to share that information but a good counsellor will explain this to you beforehand. They will also tell you if there is something they will need to share. They won’t go behind your back without your knowledge unless there are important reasons to do so.
Enjoying online counselling adds an extra layer of confidentiality as there isn’t the possibility of being seen going into or exiting the therapist’s office. You are assured confidentiality.
Mental health support
Online counselling provides great benefits to those who need mental health support. At times, a client may need support of friends and family too, and online counselling can make this easier. A friend or family member can be nearby in another room to be there after the therapy session has ended.
Online counselling can reach people in rural areas and this flexible way of conducting counselling means many more people can gain access to mental health support. Counselling can help people who suffer from anxiety, depression, phobias and many other mental health issues.
It can be reassuring to know that you can get this support at home. Thi with disabilities and limited mobility can also greatly benefit from online counselling.
Mental health support is growing and is being taken more seriously. Government budgets are increasing where mental health is concerned and the stigma is slwoly being erased because more people are opening up about their mental health issues and talking more… (YAY!!).
Mandy X
Photo by Brooke Cagle on Unsplash
Author: Mandy Kloppers
Mandy is a qualified therapist who treats depression, anxiety, OCD, PTSD, trauma, and many other types of mental health issues. She provides online therapy around the world for those needing support and also provides relationship counselling.
