Online therapy is referred to as telepsychology or e-therapy under the branch of telehealth. Online therapy sessions are offered to California residents who prefer to engage in any of the services described utilizing video-conferencing.
Online therapy or e-therapy has become increasingly popular due to the practical nature of receiving services. Online therapy is beneficial for clients that are at a distant location from the practice, but who would like to receive treatment from a specific provider or clinic. Other times, online therapy has been beneficial for those who may not feel comfortable seeing a therapist face-to-face and feel more at ease connecting through technology. Online therapy removes barriers that exist for certain people within our community who may otherwise not receive care.
It is important that the client’s presenting concerns be appropriate for this type of care. An initial assessment will determine whether this is a viable treatment option for your specific concerns. Online therapy has shown to be effective for managing generalized anxiety, panic, social anxiety, OCD, PTSD or trauma. Other concerns that can be addressed through online therapy include life transitions such as divorce, relationship difficulties, stress management, grief & loss, and other life stressors. Populations that are likely to benefit from this form of treatment are those who are in more rural communities where you have limited selection of mental health care, women who have young children at home, busy executives who may be traveling often, and those who have physical or mental health limitations that prevent them from leaving their home. Evidenced-based approaches are tailored for online therapy as well. There are benefits as well as limitations to this form of treatment, which will be discussed early on with you. More research is still being conducted in the field to know whether other issues not listed here could benefit from online therapy.