Online Counseling: The Pros and Cons of Online Therapy

How Does Online Counseling Work?

Seeking support through counseling is a courageous choice to make, and when you are ready to begin your therapeutic process, you want to find a therapy format that works best for you and your healing needs. While some individuals find benefit from attending in-person counseling in a more formal setting, others are looking for counseling that is accessible and flexible to work within their lifestyle and healing needs. 

Online counseling through You Behavioral Health offers patients a comprehensive treatment plan that is tailored to meet their specific needs and symptoms from their mental health or behavioral health condition. Our team will take the time to get to know you personally to ensure that we provide you with a treatment plan that is authentic to you and your goals for stabilizing and maintaining optimal mental health and behavioral health.

When you first begin your online counseling program, you will meet with our accredited mental health clinicians who will complete initial assessments and mental health evaluations to help our team gain perspective on the severity of your symptoms and the current stability of your mental health condition. This information will allow our team to understand your specific needs for a treatment plan that will work within your current needs and goals for counseling and treatment.

Through our individualized treatment plan, you can virtually connect with our licensed clinicians from any safe and comfortable environment. As you move through your therapeutic process, you will be invited to participate in various evidence-based therapy methods that are clinically driven to empower you to establish a strong foundation in recovery that will foster balance and stability within your mental health and behavioral health. Patients can find holistic and healthy ways to manage their mental health symptoms that will ensure they avoid self-destructive or unhealthy coping skills but rather embrace coping methods that will foster optimal health and well-being.  

To discover how the mental and behavioral health care programs can help patients at You Behavioral Health via our online platform, give us a call at (855) 206-2268 to get started.

5 Benefits of Online Counseling

Online counseling offers patients several benefits that will help to enhance their healing process and provide stability in their mental health and overall well-being. With the recent pandemic, many individuals have found that virtual options have become convenient and accessible for your everyday busy lifestyle. Many have found that virtual treatment options offer the same exceptional care you can receive in person while doing it from the comfort of your own home. 

Online counseling offers patients the following benefits: 

• Easy access- Online therapy makes it easy for individuals to access the help they need when they need it. Rather than waiting for a spot to become available in a treatment facility, online counseling options allow you to begin your therapeutic process when you are ready to do so. Engaging in online therapy helps break down any barriers to your success by removing the need to commute to your therapy session and access your session from anywhere you feel comfortable and safe. 
• Convenience- Online therapy allows you to choose when to engage in your counseling session that works best within your current schedule and responsibilities. You can choose to participate in your therapy session wherever you are comfortable and at a time that works for you. 
• Cost-effective- Accessing online therapy is a cost-effective method to access support as it reduces the cost of paying for inpatient treatment services including accommodation, food, and any medical treatments you would need. Your cost of therapy will only include the cost of your specific therapy sessions which will reduce the cost of your treatment program. 
• Eliminate any stigmas- Having to travel for therapy or engage in an in-person therapy session can often feel like you don’t have any privacy in your healing process. When you engage in online therapy, you can tell the people that you want to know and maintain privacy about it from others. This helps reduce the stigma and allows you to focus on your healing journey without distractions.
• Online therapy offers a communication style that is comfortable for many. The modern world has become dependent on virtual communication methods for day-to-day life. Online therapy can feel more comfortable and normal for many, especially the younger generations who have become accustomed to online communication. The more you feel comfortable with the methods of communication, the more likely you are to open up to your healing process and therapy processes.

Potential Drawbacks of Online Counseling

If you are deciding if online therapy is the best option for you, it is important to look at any potential drawbacks for you and your therapeutic process to determine if you will get the most out of your healing process. Online counseling can have the following drawbacks to your success: 

• Lack of nonverbal communication methods. When you engage in in-person therapy, you can connect with your therapist verbally and non-verbally. Your therapist will be able to pick up on your non-verbal cues to help inform them of your needs. However, in video format, therapists can pick up on some non-verbal communication, there are times this may be missed, and if you are someone that communicates more with your non-verbals then this may be a drawback to your success in online therapy 
• Reliant on internet connection. Accessing online therapy requires the patient to have access to a steady, strong internet connection. Depending on where you are accessing your online counseling session, there may be times when your internet connection becomes weak. When logging in to your therapy sessions, you must find a place with a strong connection so that your communication does not get interrupted. 
• Limits to therapeutic care. Some forms of mental health treatment require patients to be in person to receive. Additionally, when patients are joining virtually, they are often still maintaining their work, school, or family responsibilities which can impact the ability to stay fully engaged in our healing process or lead to a person feeling burnt out which can change the efforts put into your levels of care. 

How to Make Sure You’re Getting What You Need From Online Counseling

When you begin your online counseling, there are steps you can take to ensure that you are receiving the support and therapy that you need to successfully move through your therapeutic process. When you first begin your counseling sessions, take the time to ask questions about your treatment plan and what you can expect. During the initial process, you must identify your goals for treatment and the areas of your health and well-being that you would like to work on. Being upfront and honest about your hopes for treatment will support your clinician in developing a treatment plan that is relevant and tailored to meet your needs. It is also important that you take the time to self-reflect on the levels of care that you are searching for from your therapist to ensure that you are receiving the support you need throughout your healing process. 

You Behavioral Health’s Online Counseling Options

At You Behavioral Health we believe that receiving effective mental health support can be easily accessible and affordable. Our online therapy approaches are facilitated by licensed and accredited mental health clinicians and psychiatrists that will provide you with leading evidence-based therapy methods that will support you in stabilizing your mental health condition while also working with you to develop the tools you need to manage any presenting symptoms of your mental health condition through natural, holistic methods. Our online therapy sessions allow you to log on and connect with our team of licensed clinicians from anywhere in the world at times that fit best for you. Each patient is offered a specific treatment plan that is tailored to meet their individual needs and goals for recovery. Call one of our compassionate clinicians at (855) 206-2268 today to hear more about how our online therapy methods can support you in treating your presenting mental health conditions and support you to gain the life you want of stability, health, and wellness.