Therapy to Fit Your Lifestyle (& Busy Schedule)
Maybe making the drive to a therapists office just doesn’t fit in your schedule.
Or maybe the logistics of driving, finding parking, and navigating through an office building adds more stress than the session relieves.
While online therapy has been available for many years now, more and more people are discovering the convenience of receiving counseling sessions online. During the social-distancing efforts of the coronavirus pandemic, online therapy has become even more popular—and necessary.
Online therapy works with your schedule, from the comfort of your home, or during the break in your day at the office.
I’ve been using online therapy with women and couples for twenty years. I feel confident in both helping you navigate the process and in the results – online therapy works!
What Is Online Therapy?
Online therapy is counseling with a professional, licensed therapist over the internet.
Video conferencing is the most popular option, where you and the therapist can see one another on screen.
Online therapy offers convenience for both the time and place of our sessions. No matter where you live in New York City, or whether you live in Houston or the Woodlands, you can access the benefit of counseling with an experienced professional .
The online therapy I offer is personal and effective. Using live video sessions, I will be able to see your facial expressions and body language, and you will be able to see mine.
I’m a dually-licensed psychologist with licenses in both Texas and New York (TX License # 3-1129 NY License 013614-1), so you can rest assured you’re working with a qualified mental health professional with over 20 years of experience. I’m also a certified EFT couples therapist.
All the Details You Wanted to Know About Online Therapy
You’ve been thinking of starting therapy for a while now, but it’s been harder than you thought to find the right fit. And now you’re going to do all of it online.
If you’ve never met with a therapist online before, you probably have questions. Below, you can find the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about this unique form of therapy.
How does online therapy work?
For my online sessions, I use Zoom.
All you’ll need is a smartphone or a computer with internet access and a camera/microphone setup.
When you schedule an appointment, I’ll email you a secure meeting link. Right before the time of your appointment, simply open that email and click on the link. Try to join the session a couple of minutes early in case there are any technical adjustments you want to make. When our scheduled session begins, I will open the virtual meeting room and we can begin our private session.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services issued a notice approving the use of web conferencing software like Zoom and Google Hangouts for therapy during the COVID-19 pandemic. If you have a strong preference for a video-conferencing software other than Zoom, I will likely be able to accommodate you.
What if I’m not tech-savvy?
Most of my clients are pleasantly surprised by how easy it is to get therapy online.
I also have lots of experience guiding clients through any technical difficulties with the online platform. Zoom is extremely easy to use, but if for some reason we are unable to get it up and running, online therapy works across all sorts of platforms. If necessary, we can use another web conferencing service for your therapy sessions, one you might be more familiar with or more comfortable using.
We find the time and environment that works best for you.
Part of the benefit of an in-office therapy session is the calm, focused atmosphere. I will work with you to achieve this same atmosphere despite any distractions that may be surrounding you.
Sometimes, this means I offer my clients suggestions for minimizing distractions or increasing privacy. Other times it means I offer strategies for tuning them out. We will work together to find the best solution for you.
5 Reasons to Choose Online Therapy
1.Effective
Online therapy works.
Researchers found that online treatment for depression was as effective as in-person treatment for depression. Those who received online treatment experienced a reduction in symptoms of depression (Wagner, Horn, & Maercker, 2014).
Perhaps even more compelling, a review of 64 studies also found that internet-delivered cognitive behavioral therapy (iCBT) was equally as beneficial as face-to-face treatment. These results proved true for subjects experiencing both depression and anxiety (Andrews et al., 2018).
Even though you may be feeling depressed or anxious, online therapy can work for you too.
2. Saves Time & Money
It can be difficult to carve out the hour for a session, let alone the time it takes to find your keys and commute across town. Add children to the mix and you may also need to coordinate and pay for childcare.
Online therapy saves you all that logistical time.
Additionally, online therapy works for your budget. Whether it’s saving on gas and parking or the convenience of hopping online for a session, it can save you money. In fact, in 2014, researchers discovered that not only were internet-based sessions effective, they were also cost-effective for up to a whole year following treatment (Bergman Nordgren et al.).
3. Convenient
You can attend your online counseling session from home, from your office, or even from your car.
This means you can fit it in whenever it’s convenient for you–during breaks at work, while your baby naps, or during the time you might normally commute if you weren’t working from home.
Individual sessions can be scheduled for 45-minutes or even 30-minutes.
Couples therapy works best with the full 60-minute time block, but you can schedule it for the time your kids are playing, or whichever timeslot makes sense for both of you. One cool feature of online therapy is that you can still have a couples session even if one of you is traveling.
4. Easily Accessible
My sessions are available to clients located anywhere in the states of Texas and New York. All you need is internet connection.
For busy professionals with long hours at work, you can schedule a session for a break in your workday or head straight home after work and have the session from the comfort of your couch.
With the increase in tension between couples during the pandemic and working from home, it’s a relief to know that an experienced couples therapist is available just by opening your laptop. And if you or your partner are traveling, you can still maintain the regular cadence of sessions.
Or, if you’re pregnant and morning sickness or other complications have relegated you to your bed, you can work with a specialist in couples therapy and pregnancy related issues while you’re propped up on pillows.
5. Safe
During this time of COVID-19, online therapy works as a safer alternative to in-person sessions. You can maintain social distancing and continue with therapy in a way that allows you to see your therapist’s facial expressions.
It’s safer and more personal than meeting in person with a face mask.
Online Therapy is Real-Time Support
If you’re looking for flexible, accessible support, contact me for an individualized online therapy session. We can choose a time that fits your schedule and meet every week, or as we decide we need to.
Online therapy is just as effective as in-person therapy for all of life’s struggles. And working with a professional experienced in online therapy ensures you will get the most out of your experience. Whether you need therapy for pregnancy-related issues, grief counseling, or couples counseling, I am available to help. Please feel free to explore my website to learn more about my services.
Online Couples Counseling: Virtual Marriage Counseling
It’s no secret that this pandemic has been hard on couples. You’re together even more than normal, often piled on top of each other in what has become a mishmash of office and personal space. You’re stressed about health, life changes, and lack of normal social outlets.
And dating during a pandemic is even harder than before!
Online therapy can create a safe space to work through issues that may be arising during this time. For many, it becomes a time in the week when they can let out some of the frustrations and anxieties that have built up.
What’s more, online therapy helps grow the connection between you and your partner and create strength in your relationship.
Do you need the help of an online therapist?
I offer online therapy for women and couples in Houston, The Woodlands, and New York City. As a certified Emotionally Focused Couples Therapist I use the research-proven method known as Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) to help couples develop and maintain emotional connection and support each other through stressful times. I’ve helped highly distressed couples become available and responsive to each other, access their resiliency, and strengthen their relationships.
I have over 20 years of experience in working with online therapy.
If you would like to schedule a session, email me for a free 10-minute virtual consultation: irena@permalink.com or call (281)-267-1742.
References:
Andrews, G., Basu, A., Cuijpers, P., Craske, M.G., McEvoy, P., English, C.L., Newby, J.M. (2018). Computer therapy for the anxiety and depression disorders is effective, acceptable and practical health care: An updated meta-analysis. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 55(Apr. 2018), 70-78. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.janxdis.2018.01.001
Bergman Nordgren, L., Hedman, E., Etienne, J., Bodin, J., Kadowaki, A., Eriksson, S., Lindkvist, E., Andersson, G., Carlbring, P. (2014). Effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of individually tailored Internet-delivered cognitive behavior therapy for anxiety disorders in a primary care population: A randomized controlled trial. Behavior Research and Therapy, 59(Aug. 2014), 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brat.2014.05.007
Wanger, B., Horn, A.B., & Maercker, A. (2014). Internet-based versus face-to-face cognitive-behavioral intervention for depression: A randomized controlled non-inferiority trial. Journal of Affective Disorders, 152-154(Jan 2014), 113-121.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2013.06.032
