Online Therapy

Is COVID-19 standing on your way of feeling safe in the world?

Are you feeling like the current changes seem like a lot to process and are you constantly irritable or emotional?

Are you experiencing fear of what is yet to come and wonder how much longer it will last?

Are your days staying at home becoming harder and harder on your relationships with your partner and/or your kids?

Are you feeling a tremendous amount of stress trying to meet the demands of your job from home while also tending to your kids’ educational and emotional needs?

Are you feeling lonely or isolated as a result of the loss of “physical” connection with others? 

Have you lost your job as a result of this new situation and wondering what the next steps could be?

If this is you, you are not alone

Most of us are having a hard time getting a grasp of what has happened during just a few weeks and most of us have never experienced something like this.

We feel like our world has changed and it has. We know that this will be temporary, but we don’t know for how long and we are not entirely sure how much will things change us and the world around us.

We have lost the freedom to do things as we know them and have been limited to stay away from loved ones and friends (the ones we don’t live with). We wonder about our limitations if something was to happen to someone we love.

Abruptly, we have had to adjust and help our loved ones adjust to an entirely new routine. We have had to assume new roles that perhaps we feel far from confident or joyful to assume. Like homeschooling our children or finding a way to focus on work at home when our children are also confused and longing for our time to comfort them and have an opportunity for all of us to have fun together.

We may be adapting to living all together in small or limited spaces and knowing that we must do our best to get along, but the days get long, and we are not feeling quite accomplished.

Things have changed around the world with COVID-19 and people are feeling a loss at different levels.

Some have been hit by the economic toll and have lost their jobs. Some are working from home but unsure how long they will be able to maintain their financial stability. Some have lost their main source of income and may be depending on their savings or loans that they worry about paying back in this climate. Some have had to close their business and unsure if they will be able to reopen. Some may be waiting to get unemployment benefits or some type of government relief to deal with this crisis.

We are feeling the loss of normalcy and we also experiencing different feelings about what the future holds for us when we are so uncertain about lots of things. This virus is something we know is out there, but we can’t see it. This breaks our sense of safety and we are grieving as individuals, as families and as a nation.  

Online therapy can help your process and guide you through these uncertain times

The good news, however is that we have more than 15 years of experience working with individuals, couples and families facing different life stressors and transitions and this is something we can support you with.

In our sessions together, you will have the space to share your specific concerns, how this new situation has changed your life and affected you particularly, and then start getting some guidance and support as you are able to accept and find some meaning during this confusing and challenging time. In sessions we can find ways to move forward. We can assess together how certain decisions and changes in our day-to-day interactions with our loved ones and in our new routines can be healthier and more helpful. 

In our sessions, we will also address and look at your specific needs, your worries and expectations to build on your qualities and strengths as a person and identify some of the behaviors/patterns that may not be helpful.

We will look at any feelings of isolation, uncertainty, fear and loss of safety and security. In our work with people struggling with big challenges such as this one, we believe that there is not just “one way” to go about your big struggle because we are complex beings, and everyone has a different story and different needs.

In therapy sessions, we can help you identify what matters the most to you, and what rings true to your specific needs so that you can discover a whole new way in which you can better approach the current situation. Together we can work through this.  

What to expect from Online Therapy

Online therapy includes the use of telecommunications and web-based applications to provide assessment, diagnosis, intervention, education and information across distance. It may include providing non face-to-face mental health, counseling and psychotherapy services via technology such as telephone, e-mail and videoconferencing. Online therapy is very similar to face-to-face therapy.

During the initial sessions, we will assess your specific needs and concerns and learn about your expectations about engaging in online therapy sessions.

What are your goals, what would you like to accomplish and what are you struggling with the most?

When we have a better understanding of what is not working, what your feelings are and what you expect, we can then develop a treatment approach that can meet your unique needs.

In sessions you will find a safe space where you can freely express yourself and discuss your needs and you will find the support your need to help you manage your fears, learn new skills to cope and find a new meaning with this challenging experience affecting us all.

Online sessions are 45 minutes and we have a 24 hour cancellation notice for online sessions as we do for face-to-face sessions.  

Is online therapy effective and can it really work?

Online therapy is a treatment modality that has become more popular in recent years.  It is easy and secure.

It has a few advantages like reaching individuals who might not otherwise have access to treatment, and it can reduce costs and save time for both the practitioner and the client. Additionally, videoconferencing has overall empirical support for outcomes like traditional psychotherapy modalities.

In our practice, people using online therapy have reported overall positive experiences. Although the online experience can be “new and different” for someone used to traditional face-to-face psychotherapy sessions, clients using this modality have found ways to adapt quickly to it and they enjoy the convenience and report experiencing similar outcomes.

In the end, what seems to matter the most for our clients is to feel heard, understood and to have a safe space to reflect, consider different options and consider certain changes that may alleviate their concerns.

Is online therapy private?  

It is so important to have privacy during online sessions. For online sessions we use a HIPPA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) compliant and easily accessible online platform to ensure the privacy of our online sessions together.

On your end, you will want to do everything possible to find a private space where you will not be interrupted for the duration of the session. During these days, since you may have family members around, we recommend you figure out ways to have that private and uninterrupted space by doing things like turning on entertainment in another room, sharing caregiving responsibilities with your partner/significant other/family member if you have children, or have them listen to something using their headphones if they are older.

You also want to be comfortable by sitting in a place where you have what you may need during the session, like a glass of water or tea, a pad and pencil if you find writing down things may feel useful for you, and a box of tissues in case you need them.

We recommend turning off notifications from your electronic devices while you are in session and not getting any calls as much as you possible can so you can devote the time you need for yourself.

Is online therapy worth the investment?  

This is a valid and common concern for anyone who is thinking about starting therapy and frankly, adding an additional expense considering the current situation is a big concern for many of us. 

Remember your mental health is as important as your physical health, and therapy can honestly be the best investment in your sense of well-being.

People tend to invest in their physical well-being without thinking too much about it, because it’s a “necessary” expense. Think about it, if you were in physical pain most of the time, most likely you would end up going to the doctor to figure out what’s causing it and seek relief or a solution through treatment.

Taking care of your mental and emotional well-being is extremely important too and especially during such uncertain times it can be so helpful.

When considering if therapy is a good investment or not, you can ask yourself a few questions.

Can I afford not to do anything about this?

What will I be missing if I decide to postpone this for now?

What could I gain if I decide to invest in addressing my concerns within the context of support and confidentiality?

Ultimately, the investment in therapy might be very little compared to the long-term costs of not doing anything about what you are struggling with.

If you’re interested in working with us through online therapy, please schedule a free 20-minute consultation call or fill out our contact form to discuss beginning therapy with us.

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