Not only are people struggling with being isolated from their friends and families but if your therapist is far from you, which is the case for a lot of college students, you might also be struggling from being isolated from your professional support system.
Now is a really difficult time to try to find a therapist, especially if you are doing so for the first time. Fortunately, there are online therapy programs available and it is an especially timely moment to try one.
1. It’s easier to be vulnerable.
One reason that people are quite resistant to trying therapy is because it can be quite uncomfortable to share difficult emotions with a stranger face-to-face.
Not only is looking someone in the eyes difficult for some people but saying how you feel aloud can also be hard. It takes practice to be so open with your vulnerabilities and this is something that first-time therapy goers probably won’t be used to.
There are many online therapy options that allow a degree of control and comfortability that in-person therapy does not. If you choose to do video call therapy, there is still a barrier between you and the therapist and the feeling of being scrutinized is lessened.
There’s tele-therapy which allows you to speak with your therapist over the phone. This can help you to feel less vulnerable because the person on the other end cannot see you. You can be as emotional as you want without fear of judgment.
There’s also email correspondence therapy. This option allows you to take time and formulate your responses to your therapist. A possible fear of in-person therapy is that you won’t be able to articulate your needs to the therapist and therefore, you will not receive the treatment that you need.
With online therapy, you can take your time and make sure that you’ve included every detail that you believe is necessary. It’s also more accessible because you and your therapist don’t have to respond to each other right away, so it works well with varying schedules.
2. It’s a safe alternative during the pandemic.
With COVID-19 still a threat to people’s health, safety is a primary concern. Many therapists aren’t even offering in-person sessions because to protect themselves and their patients.
Online therapy offers the safest option right now because there is no risk of breaking social distancing rules or endangering your life in any way. It could also be more comfortable and promote more natural conversation than going to a therapy session with a mask on.
3. You can be more flexible with your schedule.
Because many people have moved because of the virus, you might be much further from your usual therapist. Schedules will likely be quite different than they were before because many people are working from home and living with friends and family.
Online therapy makes it so that you and a therapist can keep in touch with each other at times that work best for the both of you. Options like email correspondence allow you to have more flexibility because you don’t have to have the same schedule as your therapist to keep in contact with them.
You also don’t have to travel to the office, which is especially convenient because you may be far from your usual therapist and traveling long distances can be quite difficult during this time. Partaking in online therapy is the most convenient way to seek counseling at this time.
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Due to the unprecedented nation-wide lockdown, many of us have either lost access to our usual therapist or can’t try in person therapy for the first time. Online therapy is a viable opportunity and right now is the perfect time to learn if it’s right for you.
Even if it isn’t a perfect match, it can help you to prepare for in-person therapy sessions if you wish to try them even after the pandemic is over.
Reflect & Refresh 