Uncategorized Archives

Dec 08 2021

Benefits of Getting Online Marriage Counseling

Online Marriage Counseling:

Marriage requires work and commitment. Even the best of relationships can have their ups and downs. Sometimes couples need to reach out to others to save their relationship. Professional marriage counseling can help the couple see beyond their biases or anger and come to a mutual understanding. A third-person perspective can help a quarreling couple get on the right track to resolving their differences.

But sometimes visiting the local marriage counselor’s office isn’t an option. Here’s a look at some reasons why you should consider eTherapy Pro’s online marriage counseling:

1.Online Marriage Counseling Is Effective

Multiple studies and surveys have shown that online marriage counseling can be just as effective as traditional therapy if the participants are willing to work for it. A study conducted in 2019 revealed that most couples that underwent online therapy reported feeling positive and believed the therapy was beneficial for their relationship. If you’re hesitating to consider this option because you’re not certain it will be effective, try a few free sessions just to see it for yourself.

2. Online Marriage Counseling Is Convenient

Online Marriage counseling is more convenient than traditional counseling options. You can attend the sessions from the comfort of your home instead of visiting the counselor’s office. That can save time, reduce frustration, and motivate patients to attend the sessions consistently. This convenience often contributes towards the success of the counseling.

3. Online Marriage Counseling Is Discretion

If you’re going through marital problems, you don’t want people to know about it. Most couples want to keep their disagreement to themselves and wish to avoid gossip. Unfortunately, visiting a marriage counselor’s office can be a clear indication that something is wrong, especially if you live in a small touch where neighbors like to gossip. Online marriage counseling is much more discreet because you can attend the sessions from the privacy of your home. There’s no need to share any personal or identifiable details with your therapist either.

4. More Comfortable

Online therapy still requires effort and can be an uncomfortable experience for some. No one likes to be vulnerable to strangers but it is easier to do so when you’re in a familiar environment. Attending counseling sessions from home or even from the privacy of your bedroom can make a big difference. Without the strange environment to add to the discomfort, couples have an easier time opening up and becoming candid about their feelings and concerns.

5. More Suitable for Long-Distance

Some spouses live apart from each other because of professional or personal commitments. Resolving differences through traditional therapy can be difficult if one spouse is in Chicago and the other in New York City. Long-distance marriages can benefit more from online marriage counseling as both spouses can participate in the sessions regardless of their location. Modern communications technologies make it easier for people to have real-time conversations regardless of the distance between them. In this case, online therapy is definitely more effective than the traditional approach.

If you want to know more about online marriage counseling, visit our website eTherapy Pro and get all of the information you need to make an informed decision.

If you have been experiencing Depression please start a FREE trial of online counseling and get help today.

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Disclaimer:

The views and opinions expressed in this post and any associated articles are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect opinions or policies of eTherapyPro. These posts and articles are shared for your enjoyment and consideration. Read them or not at your sole discretion and liability. They are not intended to replace counseling services rendered by licensed professionals. Consult with your counselor before implementing any content from these articles into your life.

Aug 30 2021

Manage Stress with Promising Techniques to Relax your Mind

Stress management is the goal of any form of intervention to achieve anxiety relief. Stress is a specific response of the body to emotions and thoughts arising in the mind. Stress not only exhibits changes in behaviors, but also physiological changes which are all characteristics of stress and anxiety. Stress and anxiety are often used interchangeably. However, the distinction between them is that stress is a response of the body to anxiety.

Stress management is therefore an integral part of the treatment of anxiety. Psychologists and counselors often work hard with the patients suffering from anxiety disorders to teach them how to manage their stress and therefore how to stop anxiety. They teach their patients about what does anxiety feel like, what is an anxiety attack, dealing with anxiety and how to calm anxiety. The last two are basically the methods of stress management which we shall describe in detail in this article.

Stress management techniques:

The following are some of the most practiced stress management techniques having excellent efficacy in controlling stress:

Regular physical exercise Regular exercise in the form of walk, cycling, stretching, swimming or any other aerobic exercise is one of the best ways to manage stress on a long-term basis. Regular exercise has proven to decrease stress levels in individuals significantly and is often the first and most important techniques advised by a therapist to any patient of anxiety disorders.
Breathing exercises Breathing exercises are specifically designed exercises focusing on breathing by the patients of anxiety disorders. Deep breathing is commonly demonstrated to the patients and they are asked to practice it regularly throughout their and especially in moments where they perceive high stress. Deep breathing not only provides relief from acute stress at once, but it also reduces the appearance of signs of anxiety on a long-term basis, if practiced regularly.
Progressive muscle relaxation technique Progressive muscle relaxation technique is a slow and progressive relaxation of the muscles of the body. In this technique, groups of the muscles of the body are allowed to relax progressively in groups starting from muscles of the forehead or muscles of the feet. Once completed, progressive muscle relaxation leads to disposal of stress from the body. Muscle relaxation is accompanied by deep breathing to yield greater results in stress management.
Living in the present One of the most effective ways of managing stress is learning to live in the present. People suffering from stressful periods and anxious states are often apprehensive about the future or remorseful about their past. Focusing on the present gets rid of both of these states to ensure a stress-free time.
Mindfulness Mindfulness means focusing on something deeply to get rid of stressful thoughts.
Meditation Techniques Meditation focuses on living in the present and mindfulness. Meditation techniques like yoga, Tai Chai and prayers help a lot in managing stress.

If you have been experiencing Depression please start a FREE trial of online counseling and get help today.

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Disclaimer:

The views and opinions expressed in this post and any associated articles are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect opinions or policies of eTherapyPro. These posts and articles are shared for your enjoyment and consideration. Read them or not at your sole discretion and liability. They are not intended to replace counseling services rendered by licensed professionals. Consult with your counselor before implementing any content from these articles into your life.

Aug 15 2021

Cost of Online Therapy vs In Person Therapy

Cost of Online Therapy Vs In Person Therapy:

It happens too often. You want help, you know you need help, but you cannot afford it. Whether it is going to the doctor for a cough that won’t go away, or seeing a therapist for a depression that you have had for most of your life, sometimes cost is simply a reality. You need to take that into account as well. We understand that. Going to therapy can be demanding, but it does not always have to be expensive. Let’s look at the differences between the costs of therapy online versus seeing someone in person.

Going to see a counselor in their office has several perks. You do get to see them face to face, which may make it seem more personal and connected to you. It also has one major benefit when it comes to cost. Insurances do not often cover online counseling. Insurances are often some of the last to try new things when it comes to your care, preferring traditional methods first, so online counseling may not be what they cover. As always, check your coverage, but as of right now, few cover it.

The big detriment to in-person counseling is that it generally ends up being more expensive. Prices for an hour of therapy range from $60 to $300. Insurances may cover most of that if you have it, but you will also likely be faced with an out-of-pocket copay that can range from $10 to $80. Some copays may be so expensive they effectively prohibit you from seeing a specialist anyway, which would be what a therapist would be counted as.

Then there is the reality of having to have transportation and time off from work to go to the counselor’s office. What it costs does not end simply with what this person charges.

How far away is the office?
How much gas does it take to get there?
How long do you have to have a babysitter and how much does that cost?
These are all factors to take into account as well.

Our Cost of Online Therapy:

Now, online counseling fees also have their ups and downs. One of its biggest benefits is that the rates are often much more reasonable. Online counselors can meet you while they are at home, so they can have low overhead and give you better rates as a result. Our site, for example, charges $35 a week for sessions, payable monthly at $140. This is significantly more affordable than an out-of-pocket rate of $90 an hour at $360 a month. Even looking at insurance, copays on average will be around what we charge, and no one has to fill out any insurance forms or seek any reimbursement from them. Your insurance company does not need to even know you are seeing a therapist.

The downside to this is that insurance does not reimburse for online therapy, or cover it at this point. There is also the other reality of having to have the equipment to see a counselor online, tablet, laptop, etc. You also need to have an internet connection that can handle a video conferencing site, which may be more than what some people have. It also costs you time and electricity with your device.

There may not be a simple answer as to which is the more effective therapy (Cost of Online Therapy vs. Person Therapy), as both have their advantages and disadvantages. Online counseling will almost always work out to be cheaper than seeing someone in their office, and this is often true even if you have insurance. The main question would be do you have a strong internet connection? If so, then exploring online counseling is something you should do.

If you have been experiencing Depression please start a FREE trial of online counseling and get help today.

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Disclaimer:

The views and opinions expressed in this post and any associated articles are those of the authors and do not necessahttps://etherapypro.com/start-your-free-trial/rily reflect opinions or policies of eTherapyPro. These posts and articles are shared for your enjoyment and consideration. Read them or not at your sole discretion and liability. They are not intended to replace counseling services rendered by licensed professionals. Consult with your counselor before implementing any content from these articles into your life.

Aug 09 2021

Understanding Acute Stress Disorder: Symptoms and Diagnosis

Acute stress disorder (ASD) is an anxiety disorder, and more specifically a trauma and stressor related disorder, where the person has suffered a trauma, or witnessed a trauma, and certain symptoms follow. The disorder may sound very similar to post-traumatic stress disorder (PSTD), and some argue that ASD is a precursor to PTSD, as they are very similar. The differences include ASD having solely anxiety and fear-based symptoms, while PTSD has some symptoms that are not normally associated with anxiety. For an ASD diagnosis, the symptoms must occur anywhere from three days after the traumatic event, to one month later.

Acute stress disorder symptoms can include:

A subjective sense of numbing, detachment, or absence of emotional responsiveness
A reduction in awareness of his or her surroundings (i.e., “being in a daze”)
Derealization
Depersonalization
Dissociative amnesia (i.e., inability to recall an important aspect of the trauma)

While it is easy to see what causes acute stress disorder, it is harder to determine who will develop this anxiety disorder. The stressful event is obvious, but many people are able to cope with trauma without developing ongoing symptoms. What is known is that people with other mental health conditions seem to be more vulnerable to developing ASD. Also, having had a history of trauma and stress, and an avoidant coping style are shown to be connected to developing ASD and PTSD. An avoidant coping style means that a person attempts to bury their problems rather than address them.

One thing that is known to help people cope with trauma and stress is a psychological debriefing, following the stressful event. A psychological debriefing is often very helpful in preventing the development of any further mental health problems after a trauma. A debriefing is a structured group session, where everyone involved in the trauma talk about what they saw and experienced, their reactions, and receive some basic education on what is normal coping and what is potential problematic coping. Preventative interventions are frequently seen as the intervention of choice after a traumatic event.

There is also treatment available for people who have already been diagnosed with ASD. Cognitive behavioral therapy and mindfulness interventions have been shown to help treat anxiety disorders. Medication is available to help treat some of the symptoms of the disorder, and education of appropriate, and helpful ways to cope with an anxiety disorder.

Being a part of a life-threatening trauma can be hard enough, but sometimes it’s the after effects that are most painful. If this sounds like you or someone you care about, please reach out for help. The sooner you get the help you deserve, the easier it will be to overcome the symptoms.

If you have been experiencing Depression please start a FREE trial of online counseling and get help today.

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Disclaimer:

The views and opinions expressed in this post and any associated articles are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect opinions or policies of eTherapyPro. These posts and articles are shared for your enjoyment and consideration. Read them or not at your sole discretion and liability. They are not intended to replace counseling services rendered by licensed professionals. Consult with your counselor before implementing any content from these articles into your life.

May 21 2021

Rural or Remote Populations and Online Therapy

The information age has given us many ways to connect and stay connected with one another. Social media and the ease of instant communication wherever we are has given us unprecedented abilities to talk with one another. It has given us access to many thing, including healthcare. For people in rural or remote areas, having access to proper healthcare has been limited, and they would have to drive for hours to get to a doctor or therapist. This is not the case anymore.

The majority of the U.S population has access to the internet at home or at work. On average almost ¾ of the nation has access to the internet, with almost 70% having broadband connection in their home. And with smartphones, most of the country has access to the internet and online services in the palm of their hand.

This does unfortunately break down when it comes to poor, rural or remote areas of the nation. Here the percentage of people who have internet access drops to just about half, from three-quarters. It also cuts broadband or high-speed internet access as well, which is an inherent limitation to many internet sites, as well as being able to communicate online via video streaming.

This gets balanced out, however, by opening counseling to people that are not able to make it in to an office setting for a variety of reasons. Distance is a serious limitation, as well as the time it would take to get to a counseling appointment in another city, another county or another side of the state. The time needed to go for an hour session could be longer than the session itself for many in a rural population. It also helps those with health or mobility issues, that limits how much time they can be away from home or moving around. In short, this brings therapy to many people who need it.

Online counseling and therapy also gives people more options for counselors, that are not present for those in rural areas. There simply are not many counselors in a rural area, and if you do not want to see that person for any reason, you are stuck. Or if they cannot see you, they may not be seeing new clients or cannot meet on the only day you are free, this gives you options.

One final consideration for the use of online counseling is that it gives people in a rural area a better sense of privacy when they are talking to a therapist. Realistically, people in a small town know each other’s business, whether you want it to be so or not. If you do not want others to know you need to talk to someone about your anxiety, your past or for whatever reason, online counseling can give you that security you need.

Online counseling, especially in rural or remote areas, can give people the hope and help that they need, without traveling hours at a time. Although there are many limitations in rural areas, therapy online can give people the best chance they can at getting help and healing.

If you have been experiencing Depression please start a FREE trial of online counseling and get help today.

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Disclaimer:

The views and opinions expressed in this post and any associated articles are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect opinions or policies of eTherapyPro. These posts and articles are shared for your enjoyment and consideration. Read them or not at your sole discretion and liability. They are not intended to replace counseling services rendered by licensed professionals. Consult with your counselor before implementing any content from these articles into your life.