*Collaborative post.

I am passionate about mental health and I think a lot more needs to be said about it. Many of us shy from talking about any sort of mental health challenges we may be facing, and we shouldn’t. I believe talking helps, and the more we talk about our mental health, the more others will talk about theirs. Hopefully all the talking helps get rid of the stigma that is still associated with mental health issues. If you are having mental health problems and you are thinking of getting some form of help, you may feel overwhelmed with the amount of information you find. It can be tricky to decide on where to start and how to go about getting help.

What is online therapy?

Online therapy is the provision of mental health counselling via the Internet.  Therapists use many different mediums such as apps for texting, video chatting, voice messaging and audio messaging to provide this service to their patients. Online therapy can occur in real-time, such as in phone conversations and online chat rooms. It can also occur in a time-delayed format, such as through email messages and text messages.

Why online therapy?

There are now opportunities to get in touch with therapists online, rather than the traditional way. So if the thought of meeting a therapist one on one is too much, you can now opt for having the meeting online. Millions of people opt for online therapy because it is convenient. You can speak to your therapist from the comfort of your home via your laptop or phone.

Another important reason why many people now go for online therapy is so they are not limited to only therapists in their area. They can pick a therapist from anywhere in the world and they can also get privacy as no one will see them go into an actual office. This is very important if you want to keep your treatment private.

Is online therapy replacing traditional therapy?

I don’t believe online therapy is out to replace traditional therapy, but I think it is taking over gradually. The reason why it is starting to take over is thanks to the online based society we now live in. At the end of the day, it is opt to you to decide on what sort of therapy/counselling you need. If online counselling works better for you, then by all means go for that. I think it is great we now have options for getting help with our mental health, and it is good to know online therapy for those who prefer that. You can find a list of therapists here.

The future

Online therapy is here to stay and I am pleased this option is now available. I think it is a great way to get help/counselling. It is very convenient and accessible, and there are lots of options available. I believe it is comforting to know that we don’t have to leave the house to speak a counsellor or therapist.

What do you think? Please share your thoughts in the comments section below. Thanks for reading.