The pandemic has greatly transformed healthcare provisions, where some of us may find ringing our GP’s and finding we are triaged on the telephone, before being offered a face to face appointment as frustrating.
With therapy however, the use of digital technology has been seen for many years. At Thought Works Therapy in particular, the team have been delivering therapy via remote modalities for over 5 years (and we know it works).
Research published in 2018 by BMC Psychiatry, identified internet delivered CBT as widely used and as effective when treating depression and anxiety disorders. Online therapy can help improve accessibility if people are working, travelling, living far from the city and living far from face to face clinics. Online therapy can also be helpful to people with long term health conditions.
Additional Benefits of Remote Therapy Include:
- Being at home, where it can be comforting to talk about difficult things
- A great deal of flexibility and reduced travel times
- Provides more choice on therapists you would like to work with
- Save on travel costs
During Treatment
Prior to your session your therapist will inform you of the platform you both will use for sessions. Zoom, WhatsApp, Face-time, and Microsoft Teams tend to the best platforms.
Find a nice comfortable, quiet place for your session. If the environment is loud or you are driving, sessions will not go ahead. Try not to be disturbed during your session. This is your protected time to have your appointment.
Have a pen and paper available for your appointment as therapy is interactive. Your therapist may share their screen to show you some resources. They may also draw diagrams to help with the understanding of psychology terms. Using a computer, tablet and laptop can be helpful if your therapist is sharing their screen particularly with therapies such as EMDR. We understand these may not always be easy to access therefore the therapist may send you resources before your session.
Let’s look after our eyes during screen time. Sit comfortably at arms length from your screen, and ensure there is adequate lighting. Have your camera on, so you can see each other (If you feel nervous, discuss this with your therapist). Try to have your device standing on its own, to save your arms from aching.
After the session, try to plan something in to help you relax following treatment. Plan a walk, connect with friends and family, listen to music, watch some tv, try some yoga, or tai tai-chi.
Overall, it’s safe to say online therapy is beneficial, as with all therapy, it is strongly dependent on your relationship with your therapist. Allow time for this to progress and develop.
