One of the best things you can do to take care of yourself is to get your mental health intact. This involves seeking help and talking to a mental health professional. However, more than half of the population that suffer from mental health problems do not seek or receive treatment. There are many reasons that contribute to a large number of individuals not receiving care including cost, convenience, fear and just not being aware that care is available.
Since the birth of online therapy websites, the statistics involving people not receiving mental health treatments are steadily declining. Online therapy is quickly becoming the choice preference for people to talk to therapists and acquire the mental health care they need.
Top 5 Reasons You Should Talk to an Online Counselor
Online counseling has already been proven to yield high success rates and is considered highly effective. In fact, some reports demonstrate that online therapy can be even more effective than in-office therapy. Additionally, online therapy also boasts many other important benefits that far outweigh the benefits of undergoing in-office therapy.
If you are still uncertain whether online therapy could be ideal for you, then you should consider these top 5 reasons you should talk to an online counselor.
Cost-Effective: Cheaper Than In-Office Therapy
Finding affordable therapy is not an easy feat to accomplish. Statistics report that the average cost to receive in-person mental health care via therapy can cost from $75-$250 for just a 30-60 minute session. Since most individuals benefit from visiting a therapist up to 2x a week – this can get very expensive, especially if your therapy visits are not covered by insurance.
This is the major reason why so many individuals are not getting the mental health care they so desperately need. Whether you have no insurance. your plan does not cover therapy or if you just have a limited budget – online therapy is cheap, affordable, and sometimes even free of charge (depending on the site you use.) You can save pennies on the dollar and receive unlimited support through your assigned online counselor if you opt for online therapy.
Anonymity
Another obstacle that can prevent someone from seeking mental health treatment, is awkwardness, embarrassment, and stigma that many individuals fall victim to when needing assistance or help from a mental health professional. Although, it is a little different to undergo therapy via chat, email, direct message, and video chat, being at home & at ease can make someone feel more comfortable in acquiring the help they need and be encouraging for them to meet their goals.
Most online therapy sites do not require that you use your real name. Instead, you can choose a username or nickname that your counselor/therapist will use to address you. This type of anonymity and privacy is not only beneficial, but it is highly influential in determining a person’s overall success rate with therapy.
Convenience & Practicality
The convenience and practicality of talking with an online counselor is of huge benefit to a new patient. For those who do not have reliable transportation to attend in-person therapy, online therapy is their only option to receive regular therapy. Online therapy removes the complications that can come from needing transportation and being required to travel.
Additionally, individuals who have busy schedules can take advantage of scheduling sessions at their convenience and according to their own schedules. Therapists and counselors online accommodate their patients and are available 24/7.
More Choices for A Better Counselor/Therapist Match
Website and online therapy platforms such as BetterHelp work to help you be matched to a counselor. You will be asked a few questions and to fill out a form asking you about your counselor preferences such as:
- Do you prefer a male or female?
- What age do you prefer your counselor to be?
- Do you want a Christian counselor?
Once they receive all of your information, the therapy platform then uses their software and database of counselors to supply you with one that specializes in your niche and that meets all of the criteria you have requested. If for any reason your first therapist choice proves to be a bad fit, then you are able to switch and request a new therapist.
The abundance of options of counselors enables you to get mental health care that is tailored to your immediate needs and specifications. This supplies you with many more choices other than in-office visits that may limit you to receive therapy in a certain area and that only allow you a few options of therapists to choose from.
Abundant Communication Options & Preferences
Perhaps the best advantage of talking to an online counselor and using one of the top online therapy websites is that your choices of communication options and preferences to undergo therapy are abundant. The majority of the platforms that offer counseling services to patients online give you the choice of talking to your counselor through direct messaging & chat, communicating back and forth in emails, speaking with a therapist on the phone, or attending sessions through video chat (much like skype works.)
Being capable of using any device such as a computer, laptop, tablet, or smartphone and accessing the site’s application (IOS or Android) is a cinch! It’s much easier to talk to your counselor anywhere you are. Whether you choose to be in the comfort of your own home or want to squeeze in a session during your lunch hour break – talking to a counselor online is a breeze.
Bottom Line
Online therapy and counseling platforms are revolutionizing the mental health industry by supplying patients suffering from anxiety, depression, relationship issues, and those with other mental health problems to have more accessibility to therapy services. Additionally, talking to an online counselor comes with a host of benefits that even face to face therapy and in-office sessions cannot deliver.
If you need to talk to an online counselor for any reason, please consider the many online counseling websites that can assist you in addressing any of your mental health needs.
