By Jennifer Wolfe-Hagstrom, BA, MSW, LICSW
Photo by Sharon McCutcheon on Unsplash
If you’d like to listen to me read this blog post to you, click here.
Before 2020, online therapy was a bit fringe, not something many therapists I knew were comfortable with.
When I started my private practice in 2018, I knew that making a path for more people to have access to mental health services was something I wanted to be a part of. I have been doing teletherapy since 2018 and have discovered some great added benefits to seeing your therapist on a screen.
For those of you who aren’t sure about this online therapy business, I have some things for you to consider.
Before I get into my list I want to be clear, I’m not talking about an app that claims to provide therapy, or a service that only consists of texting a therapist. I’m talking about consistent therapy with an ethical, highly trained, licensed mental health clinician, where you are meeting on a weekly or bi-weekly basis for about 50 minutes a session. That is what I (and many other professionals) consider to be actual teletherapy.
While we are on the disclaimer route, I’ll also note that this blog post is not therapy in any way but merely some of my thoughts based on my experience.
Now, on to the perks!
No commute!
I mean, this one is so obvious and yet such a game changer. No more needing to calculate how much time you need to allow before and after your session to make sure you aren’t late for work. You can literally fit your appointment into a typical day, it’s as easy as scheduling a work meeting. And did I mention that you won’t have to deal with traffic or try to decompress after your session while trying to merge on the highway?
2. Easier to fit into your schedule!
I hinted at this one above but I think it is important enough to get its own mention. One of the biggest issues with people having consistent therapy is scheduling. Really, it’s the worst part of my work as a therapist. Now with teletherapy you can just check your schedule, find a one hour time block that is open and boom, ya booked!
3. Finding your best BEST fit therapist is possible!
With online therapy there are more opportunities to find providers. Since mental health professionals can offer online therapy to anyone located in the state(s) they are licensed in, the pool of therapists for you just got a whole lot bigger. When there are more options you have an increased ability to find your best fit therapist, which is what everyone wants, after-all. If you were doing in-person therapy there may be some great options of providers who would work well with your particular needs but were maybe just too far away to travel to every week. Now with teletherapy, you can work with this specialized therapist who will likely “get you” more and be able to help you better.
4. Increased feelings of safety.
No one likes to go into a new environment for the first time not knowing what to expect, especially when you know you are about to be asked a lot of sensitive questions. If you’re trying out teletherapy, you will be able to set yourself up for feeling safe and secure even with the difficult questions. You can be in your own home, in your own favorite spot, knowing that no one else can hear you, and that there won’t be the chance of bumping into someone you know in the waiting room.
5. Decompressing after sessions just got easier.
If you’ve been in therapy before you know that every now and then you’ll leave a session and need to collect yourself, so to speak. There was a time years ago that I made a little ritual for myself after leaving my therapist’s office. I’d get the bathroom key, head straight to a bathroom stall, lock the door, and deep breathe until I felt ready to face the world. Sometimes I would have to look at someone or interact with someone on my way to the bathroom and it was always so uncomfortable. I just wanted to be alone to cry or stop crying or just be still without anyone watching me. With teletherapy you don’t have to worry about any of that. When your session ends you can just turn off your device and do whatever you need to do in your own space to decompress. My favorite after-session activity is closing my eyes, sitting up/stretching, and breathing deeply with long slow exhales until I feel like coming back to the rest of the world.
6. Comfort!
Ok, picture this: you are about to log on to your weekly therapy session. You are sitting in your favorite spot, maybe the coziest spot on the couch, with all of the pillows and blankets you could ever need huddled around you. You’ve got some ice water in a water bottle or a warm mug of tea (or both) within arm’s reach. You can prop up your feet or lean back in your seat. Maybe you have a furry friend purring on your lap or a loyal companion lying right next to you. And if weighted blankets are your jam, you can have one on your lap before the session even starts.
7. You can wear your pajamas!
Yes, this can fall under the “comfort” category, but come on! You can literally be in your comfiest, coziest pajamas while talking to your therapist about the worst part of your week. You can be wrapped up tight in your fluffy robe during trauma processing sessions. Or you can just embrace a day where you don’t need to change out of your pajamas at all, who doesn’t want that every once in a while?!
I hope these initial perks of teletherapy have got you thinking about checking it out for yourself, or helping your child to do so. At the very least, I hope that you feel like therapy is a bit more accessible. Let me know what you’re thinking in the comments below!
If you are looking to start up some online therapy, live in New Hampshire or Vermont, and think that I might be a good fit therapist for you, I’d love to hear from you! Check out our contact page to submit a form, or email me directly at jennifer@kindnesscornerfarm.com
Be well, be kind, and show yourself some love!
-Jennifer
