remote counseling 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.

May 08 2021

Online Counseling: Beyond the Pros & Cons

Although multiple studies have found the outcomes of online vs. face-to-face therapy to be extremely similar, there are certainly some differences. The main “con” for online counseling is the human factor. For some people, especially of generations that didn’t necessarily grow up communicating via FaceTime and other digital methods, the concept of e-therapy may seem strange. It may be difficult to imagine opening up and trusting an individual who has never been met face-to-face. Even though scientists have been studying various forms of telemedicine for over a decade—including demonstrating it to be effective—for some people, not having conversations face-to-face may be a dealbreaker.

However, it’s impossible to know if e-therapy won’t work unless it’s tried; many skeptical people have been pleasantly surprised, especially because the quality of online communication has grown so much. It’s also important to look beyond possible doubts at the sheer list of “pros” that come with accessing therapy online. The most important argument for online counseling is simple accessibility.

Many Americans live in areas that are underserved by mental health professionals; the current mental health and addiction crisis that our country is experiencing is a powerful reminder that many people simply don’t have easy access to therapy and support that could be life-changing or even life-saving. Finding a local counselor who specializes in whatever area the client needs is difficult on its own, let alone finding a therapist with immediate availability who is also within a reasonable geographic distance. For the 60 million Americans who live in rural areas, this problem is compounded by the fact that there is a shortage of basic primary care medicine in these areas, let alone mental health care. For these communities, simply being able to access care from home instead of having to travel dozens of miles may mean the difference between therapy being viable or not.

When considering the pros and cons of online therapy, it’s also important to recognize how crucial therapy can be (in any form), and that it’s impossible to quantify the precise increase in quality of life. Simply put, the reduction in barriers to access provided by online counseling make the adjustment to delivery method worth it for anyone who is struggling. For example, an exhausted mother with an infant who is seeking help for depression may find herself having to choose between extra sleep or a time-consuming drive to the therapist’s office that also requires lining up childcare. In this situation, the barriers to traditional care could seem overwhelming. When e-therapy is considered as an alternative, the mother may finally be able to get the help she needs, helping raise her personal quality of life as well as her skill and attentiveness as a parent.

When therapy is used as a method of accountability for making big life changes—such as getting sober—the “pros” of getting any kind of help at all again outweigh whatever personal adjustments are required by the change in delivery between e-therapy and office-based care. For example, the opiate addiction problem has significant overlap with rural and underserved communities. Studies have found time and time again that getting professional support makes a big difference in whether someone manages to stay sober or not over the long term. Many people in rural or underserved areas who are in recovery may only have a local AA meeting as a source of support—and that method doesn’t work for everyone. Part of this is because addiction is often a means of self-medicating a diagnosis like depression or anxiety. These conditions need to be dealt with on their own with a qualified therapist to stop the symptoms that a recovering addict was attempting to control with drugs or alcohol. So when deciding whether online therapy is worth it, these factors are incredibly important for anyone struggling with substance abuse.

Many more situations go beyond the basic arguments of whether or not online counseling is a worthwhile alternative to old-fashioned therapy in an office. The concept may seem strange, and some traditionalists may ultimately be uncomfortable with it, but for the vast majority of people, removing the commonly occurring barriers to treatment for mental health conditions is ultimately reason enough to give it a try.

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.

Apr 22 2021

How Can You Know if your Online Therapist is Reputable?

If you’ve decided that online therapy is right for you, the next step is researching a provider. Just like with brick-and-mortar therapists, it’s important to take steps to make sure that the online counselor you’ll be seeing is a qualified professional by looking only for licensed providers. It’s important to understand the various kinds of training and certifications available to therapists, because there are many different kinds. Common licenses include LPC (Licensed Professional Counselor), LPA (Licensed Psychological Associate), MSW (Master’s in Social Work), LMFT (Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist), alongside doctorate-level degrees like PhDs, PsychDs, or MD/DOs.

While there are a variety of training methods and professional license types, all of them require the therapist to adhere to certain professional standards; the difference is simply which kind of training has been involved. Why is licensure so important? While there are undoubtedly plenty of great people doing counseling work without a license, making sure that you hold to this standard has several benefits, the first being that you’re sure to get someone who has undertaken formal training and passed exams. Another benefit is that insurance is more likely to cover licensed counsellors instead of, say, energy healers or religious leaders.

When trying to decide which type of professional therapist is the best fit, it’s important to note that different types of licensing may have different hourly rates, too. As a general rule of thumb, those holding doctorate-level degrees tend to charge more than those that hold a graduate degree, like an MSW. Whichever type of therapist you ultimately decide to go on may also depend on your particular needs, such as whether or not you might need medication prescribed.

If researching by type of therapist is too overwhelming, simply begin your search by looking up licensed therapists that specialize in the particular area you need help with. Next, it’s time to evaluate the websites of e-therapists to help decide whether a practice is legitimate or not. Remember that the first or second search result may not be the best, as these are often rankings that sites pay for, much like an old-fashioned ad. In regards to the practice itself, there should be an associated confirmed address if you search it by name. Why should this matter in the case of online therapy? Even if the therapist(s) run the practice entirely virtually, having a registered address helps verify that the business is being run legitimately. On the website itself, there should be clear, professionally-shot photos of the therapists along with brief biographies summarizing where they’ve been educated, what certifications they currently hold, and any areas of specialty. If you need an extra layer of reassurance, you can search the status of any therapist’s licensure in the state they are registered to practice in. If this information is unclear at any time, simply move onto the next e-therapist.

Most reputable online therapists use integrated software right from the site to conduct counseling appointments via secure video chat. Other online therapists may use an external app, but it’s important to do a quick check to make sure the app is legitimate (eg, available in Apple and Android stores) before downloading anything. While some therapists do use Skype or other popular chat tools, it’s recommended that this is only done with therapists that the patient has already worked with in-person, because not having dedicated communication software or a gateway on the website may indicate less-than-top quality or a therapist that isn’t actually experienced doing remote counseling sessions. The last step in verification is to call the practice to enquire about payment options, setting up an introductory appointment, and discuss exactly what technology will be used to access the therapist and how it works. Most reputable therapists are more than happy to discuss all of these things over the phone, including holding a brief discussion or interview to gauge initial compatibility.

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

Free Trial

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.