Online Therapy
Online coaching and counseling has become an increasingly desired method of therapy as our lives have become increasingly fast-pasted. After the shelter-at-home safety protocols put in place to reduce COVID-19 spread, online therapy, coaching and counseling has become mainstream and provides convienient assistance for your growth needs.
People generally don’t come into therapy when things are bad, they come in when they’re bad enough. Maybe you’ve had some relationship issues, some anxiety, depression, PTSD, or eating issues. However, now those issues are overwhelming you, because, like all of us, you are now faced with a quickly changing and uncertain world. Your lifestyle may have changed dramatically, either due to job and income changes, little time alone because kids and spouses are no longer at school or work, or suffering from the isolation and touch deprivation of living alone. If you have wounds that are still unhealed or depression, anxiety and loneliness that have been just barely manageable, or ways of coping that already weren’t working so great, the challenges arising as you face this pandemic head-on may be leading you towards that proverbial straw that breaks the camel’s back.
Online therapy is only a phone call or a video chat away. Online counseling and coaching can be just as connective and effective as in-office therapy. Additionally, there are some added benefits of online counseling:
- Safety: Virtual psychotherapy, coaching and counseling sessions are the best way to minimize the risk of transmissibile illnesses for you and your loved ones.
- Ease:
- There’s no need to deal with the stress of driving to and from your provider’s office, often in rush hour traffic.
- Connecting by video can be a lifeline when depression or anxiety make it hard to get out of bed, or when medical conditions make traveling for therapy painful or impossible.
- Completing forms is easily done online.
- You can maintain appointments from almost anywhere.
- Availability: With online counseling your therapist selection is not limited to your geographic region. You can choose the counselor that best fits you, not just the ones you can physically travel to see.
- Confidentiality: If you have concerns about others knowing your whereabouts, online therapy, coaching and counseling provides and added layer of confidentiality, which is secured by the privacy compliant software that I use.
You may have questions or concerns about online counseling
Does insurance cover online therapy?
While many insurance companies have started offering coverage for online therapy, I no longer work as a psychotherapist, but rather a spiritual midwife and holistic counselor. As such, I do not take any medical or mental health insurance.
Is Online Therapy Effective?
Yes. A study published in 2017 by the University of California in Berkeley reported patients showed significant improvements in depression, stress, anxiety, self-esteem, relationships and family. It also showed improvements in anger, trauma/abuse, career, grief, sleep, and sex.
One of the great benefits of virtual counseling is you have a wider selection of therapists and counselors available to you. That means if you live in small town or are seeking a specialist, online therapy may give you options that just wouldn’t be available to you otherwise. Most cities do not have a holistic counselor, such as me, who integrates spirituality, life coaching, iinternal family systems therapy, somatic (body-integrated) psychotherapy, yoga therapy, and embodied meditation. If this type of service calls to you and there is no one in your area, online counseling may be the best option for you.
Will My Sessions Be Confidential?
I hold your privacy as sacred. I use zoom’s HIPPA (privacy) compliant service. I can work with other platforms at client’s request (Signal, google chat, etc.). The billing system I use, IvyPay, is also HIPPA compliant. Note that those without US numbers cannot use IvyPay and usually pay via PayPal.
There’s No Better Time Than This Challenging Time to Seek Help
Times are changing and it’s understandable that you may need some time to adapt. If you’re struggling, I invite you to contact me to schedule a free phone consultation to find out how online therapy, coaching and counseling can help you to live your best life
