Most of us are conscious of our physical health. We know to exercise, eat well, and get an adequate amount of sleep every night. However, now more than ever, people have started to pay attention to their mental health.
There is less of a stigma than ever before against individuals who experience anxiety, depression, or other mental health issues, and many people attend therapy, even if they don’t experience a diagnosed mental health disorder. Although therapy can be relatively inaccessible to some people due to its high cost, ambiguous insurance coverage, and the time it can take out of a busy schedule, accessible options are indeed available.
Many websites now offer therapy with trusted, licensed therapists from the comfort of your own home through online therapy.
Online therapy may seem awkward or scary at first. However, just like any other form of therapy, online therapy is completely confidential and you’re paired with a therapist who is right for you. You can even decide to change therapists if the person you’re currently seeing is not a good fit.
Online therapists genuinely care about your wellbeing and want you to gain the skills you need to improve your mental health, just as therapists who hold in-person sessions do.
In case you need more convincing, here are six fantastic benefits to online therapy
- You create your own schedule
Therapists don’t typically have very open schedules. For in-person therapy, you may have limited choices for available sessions per week, but with online therapy, you are more likely to be able to plan a session whenever you are free. You can also choose to take more or fewer sessions per week depending on your schedule or desired rate of progress.
- You don’t need to set time aside for the commute
It may go without saying, but online therapy can take place anywhere that you have access to a computer. This means that you don’t need to set aside valuable time in your schedule to commute to and from your therapist’s office.
- Cost is usually much lower
Another perk of online therapy is affordability. Many in-person therapists charge as much as several hundred dollars for a 50-minute session and often this is either partially or not covered by insurance. On the other hand, online therapy sites will often charge only a fraction of that price and may offer several different payment options for different kinds of services.
- Much more comfortable
Even though it might feel awkward to speak to a therapist over the phone from your home at first, many patients eventually report that this is a much more comfortable way to attend therapy. Not only do you have more privacy, but you have access to anything in your own home that might make you feel more at ease during your session.
- Great for patients who live in rural areas
Often it can be hard to find a good therapist to suit your unique needs outside of big cities. Although this is changing, for the time being, patients in rural areas can access quality therapy through online services without the lengthy or downright unreasonable commute.
- COVID-19 friendly
In the age of the pandemic, it is safer to stay indoors. Even going to doctor’s appointments to take care of your health in other ways can increase your risk of contracting diseases. However, attending online therapy from the comfort of your own home eliminates the risk of catching the coronavirus or any other germs at your session.
In this technological age, it makes sense that more services are offered online, and mental health services are certainly no exception. Online therapy makes taking care of your mental health, easier, cheaper, more convenient, and more accessible to all. Try an online therapy session today.