Online therapy is becoming increasingly popular and websites like eTherapi.com are riding this wave of popularity. The internet is no longer used only to passively consume information; convenient access to mental health care with licensed therapists has been added to the list of its uses.
With online therapy gaining traction, it’s important to know in what cases online therapy should be considered.
Choose Online Therapy If
You are too embarrassed, or too uncomfortable to make an appointment with a therapist in person. You don’t want to run the risk of having to explain yourself with a work colleague as you are about to walk into your counsellor’s office;
You live in a remote area underserved by traditional counsellors, far from any therapist, and even farther from therapists that come recommended or that you know to be good at what they do. In particular, expats and minorities often have an easier time finding a suitable therapist online than in their local communities;
You have a busy schedule and find leaving your workplace to head to see your therapist during office hours a challenge;
You find therapy a bit too expensive for your budget. A website like eTherapi allows you to see a therapist online once a week for only $49/session, or even less if you use your health insurance;
You have a physical impediment that makes it difficult to physically go see a therapist;
You don’t know if you need therapy, are not sure that therapy is for you and are not feeling very excited about investing a lot of time into it;
You and your therapist decide that you would like to meet often, e.g., once or twice a week;
You prefer having some time to compose your thoughts before communicating them. This is particularly true with messaging-based therapy: some people achieve a higher level of insight when on their own, but in general evidence shows that writing about traumatic events contributes to improved mental health over talking about them, as it gives people time to pause and reflect;
With so many good reasons to choose online therapy, before we end this post we find it important to remind you that you should not choose online therapy if you are not functioning at a moderately or high level. People in severe situations should consider in person counseling, at least at the start of their therapy journey.