How effective is online therapy?

Online therapy, also known as e-therapy, involves providing mental health services and support over the internet. This can occur through email, text messaging, video conferencing, online chat, messaging or (internet) phone. There are different variations of online therapy, ranging from unguided (no communication with therapist) to guided (communication with therapist) and from a-synchronic (for example e-mail contact and online modules with therapist feedback) to synchronic contact (video calling, phone consultation).

With COVID-19, online therapy has become the ‘new normal’ in mental healthcare. But although online might feel new to you, it is in no way a new phenomenon. People were using phone consultations to provide mental health support as early as the 1960s. But if you define online therapy as offering mental health advice via the internet, you could claim its history started in 1986 with the creation of Dear Uncle Ezra, a Cornell University question and answer forum where people frequently discussed mental health issues. Several notable mental health advice columns and forums followed Dear Uncle Ezra. During the 2000s online therapy gradually became more popular and widespread. Businesses and therapy practices began trying to expand so they could treat thousands of clients at once.

One of the great advantages of online therapy is that it can offer mental healthcare to larger groups of people, including those who for various reasons are not able to physically see a therapist. But many people wonder: is online therapy as effective as face-to-face sessions?

Luckily, a lot of research has been done by this topic in the recent years. One of the leading researchers in the Netherlands is Heleen Riper, who hosted a webinar for mental health care professionals transitioning from face-to-face to online contact with clients. In the various research studies she worked on, the overall conclusion is clear: online therapy for depressive disorder, panic disorder, social anxiety disorder and generalized anxiety disorder is equally effective as ‘treatment as usual’ (face-to-face). Moreover, some research shows that online therapy improves adherence to treatment and was preferred over face-to-face sessions by some clients.

If you want to get the most out of your (online) treatment, or need help with mental health problems? Please contact us to see how we can help!

Source: https://www.heleenriper.nl/ ; webinar by Ehealth Specialists

COVID 19: from face-to-face to online treatment

Since the worldwide outbreak of COVID-19 many things in our day to day life have changed: most of us are working from home, we are no longer celebrating birthdays and weddings, we are taking precautions when we see our friends and family and our leisure time is spent less in public space.

If you are in therapy or are about to start treatment, another aspect has changed as well: you are no longer seeing your therapist in the office, but have adjusted to online contact or doing phone consultations.  This can feel strange at first, but it is our job as therapists to help you get acquainted with this ‘new’ form of therapy and to create a warm and safe therapeutic online relationship.

Whether you are already in therapy or about to start, here are a few guidelines to make the transition from face-to-face to online therapy as smooth as possible:

1.       Make sure you are in a safe and private space
Something that is natural when you are in your therapist’s office but not necessarily when you are at home with your family: a place where you can talk, undisturbed and in private. This is an essential part of therapy, so that’s why it’s important to discuss your therapy with your housemates and make sure you can have the time and space to have your sessions without being disturbed.

2.       Think about de-therapy
Many of our clients at Kühler & Trooster make great use of the Vondelpark right after their sessions. Going for a walk is a great way to de-therapy: taking the time to unwind and process your therapy session, so that you don’t immediately rush to the rest of your day. Especially if you are working from home, it can be tempting to squish therapy into your working day. However, processing your therapy is also part of therapy, so make sure you have a bit of time before therapy to prepare, and take a break or walk after your session to de-therapy.

3.       Make sure you are comfortable
Get in a comfortable chair, allow yourself a big class or water or warm cup of coffee or tea so that you are comfortable during your session.

4.       Think about visibility and connection
Check your Wi-Fi connection in advance and consider which part of your house or room is most suitable for therapy. Dark corners or opposite a window can be difficult because your therapist has a hard time seeing your face, and therefore cannot follow your expression and emotion optimally.

5.       Communicate your feelings
Make sure to talk with your therapist about how online treatment is working for you. If you feel uncomfortable, it can be worthwhile to discuss what is bothering you to see if he/or she can help break certain barriers and establish a way that works for you.

Even though online therapy might feel new to you, it has actually been here for decades. Research has shown positive effects, also when compared to face-to-face sessions. For more information about the effectiveness of online therapy: stay tuned for our next blog!