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Types of Online Therapy

Goda Brzozauskaite
  • Apr 05, 2022
  • 6 min read
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Not long ago, you could easily see a psychotherapist and schedule a session to meet in person. The global pandemic struck the world and changed the way we interact within society.

However, the year 2020 has brought with it a rapid digitization of many businesses, jobs, and education. Psychotherapy, for example, has easily transitioned to the online space since it is mostly based on verbal contact. As a result, online counseling has emerged as an effective option.

With so many different types of online therapy to choose from, you may be wondering: what is the best option to choose from? In this article, we will outline your potential options to help you in deciding on the best online therapy for you.

TedX covered an interesting speech on why you should consider therapy:

How Does Online Therapy Look?

You will find that there are different types of online therapy modals:

  • Text therapy or audio messaging
  • Video therapy
  • Therapy through emails

In terms of payment, there are many types of online therapy. Some may be based on a subscription or per-session payment.

However, the main difference between online therapies is the therapeutic approach. There isn’t a single way to help people. Psychology has evolved in different ways across history. There are several paradigms or schools of thought, which leads in various types of online therapy.

  • Evidence-based paradigms, such as cognitive behavioral therapy. This paradigm uses scientific studies to test its methods and works by changing negative behavioral or thinking patterns with more adaptive alternatives. 
  • Psychodynamic approaches, such as psychoanalysis, work by tackling unconscious feelings or traumas you might have. 
  • Humanistic-existential paradigms see an individual on a path towards self-actualization. They center around the idea that people can improve with proper guidance. The guidance lies in the relationship between the client and the therapist, which has to be based on congruence, empathic understanding, and unconditional acceptance.

What online therapy approach you choose depends on your problems and preferences, as all of them have unique characteristics.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Online

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is one of the most common types of online therapy and treats a wide range of mental disorders. It helps with depression, eating disorders, and anxiety. It also deals with problems with relationships or poor sleep.

As stated above, CBT centers on changing negative thoughts. It could look something like this:

  • Instead of thinking, “I’ve had a terrible performance today, and I am a horrible person,” you could think, “I’ve had a bad performance, but maybe today was simply not my best day.”

Changes in your thoughts will later reflect in your behavior as well. 

There are various types of CBT therapies, like online dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) or online rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT). DBT, for example, is an online therapy focused on teaching people how to be in the present moment, to develop healthy alternatives to regulate their stress and emotions. It is also concerned with improving relationships with other people.

CBT might be what gives you the push towards healing, and research concludes that this kind of online therapy is as effective as in-person treatment.

Psychodynamic Therapy Online

If you feel that CBT is not for you, there are other types of online therapy available. Online psychodynamic therapy might be a great alternative. This therapy is a successor of psychoanalysis, founded by Sigmund Freud. It works by tackling the unconscious mind and uncovering possible traumas that can influence you towards developing the mental disorder you may have. 

Online therapy, like in-person treatment, focuses on bringing the unconscious thoughts or memories back into the conscious mind and facing the associated problem with them.

Person-Centered Therapy Online

Person-centered therapy online is based on the humanist belief that, with the proper direction, an individual can heal on their own. The therapeutic act here is secondary to the relationship between you and the therapist. It just reinforces the benefits of the relationship. This relationship should be based on congruence, unconditional acceptance, and empathic understanding. 

Through online therapy, you will receive honest feedback and a safe space to open up about your internal struggles. The relationship with your therapist might help you unlock your inner capacity towards healing by giving you the confidence that you can work out your problems.

EMDR Therapy Online

Online eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy is an evidence-based intervention that helps you deal with emotional distress or trauma. 

The EMDR therapy online focuses on reliving traumatic experiences by triggering them in brief sessions while the therapist directs the movement of your eyes. EMDR is efficient because it helps you lessen the impact of your traumatic experiences by diverting your attention.

This decreases your psychological response to the triggers that may cause you distress and help you in the healing process.

Relationships Therapy Online

Online therapy for relationships is not only for couples but also for single people.

If you are single, online counseling might focus on improving your communication skills and interaction with other people. 

For couples, online therapy might revolve around the exploration and management of relationship issues, improvement of interactions, and resolution of conflicts. The issues that might lead you towards seeking therapy might be:

  • Troubles expressing your feelings towards your partner
  • There is contempt within your interactions
  • A very demanding job that impacts your romantic life
  • Experiences of infidelity or abuse

However, it doesn’t always have to be problems that make you want to seek online therapy. You could simply want to have a better relationship or intimacy, and your therapist can help with that.

Sex Therapy Online

Online sex therapy aims to improve your sexual satisfaction and interactions. You will simply talk it through with a therapist, or it could involve exercises that your therapist might assign you as homework. 

Sex therapy online is completely confidential, and some services even offer anonymity.

People can resort to online sex counseling for a variety of problems, such as:

  • Low libido
  • A feeling of sexual boredom
  • Erectile dysfunction
  • Problems with premature ejaculation

Regardless of the reason for searching for online counseling, working with a therapist might help you get your sex life back to its previous fights. 

Mental Health Therapy Online

There are many ways through which life could go wrong. You can simply live your day-to-day life and suddenly get struck by something that affects your well-being. 

And if you don’t take care of it, the problem can grow in its destructive capacity. Seeking help through therapy or online counseling will prevent this. Here are a few examples of mental health disruptors that could arise in your life:

  • A constant worry about the evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic
  • Arguments and violence within your relationship
  • A highly stressful work environment
  • A painful breakup
  • Lack of energy and drive towards doing anything
  • Severe sleep problems

Online therapy is a comfortable and affordable way to reach for help. Online therapy chat done via messaging allows you to talk with a therapist as much as you need and reach out to them anytime, without scheduling sessions. 

Addiction Therapy Online

Having substance and behavioral addiction can damage the financial, emotional, and social life of a person. 

Online therapy for addiction could help you address the underlying issues that might contribute to your behavior and help you with a recovery plan for the long term. The therapeutic process can be anonymous, and you can talk with your therapist via text therapy as well as video therapy from the comfort of your own home.

Choosing the Best Online Therapy for You

It may be difficult to decide which therapy is ideal for you, but you should do your research and consider what each therapy has to offer.

Also, don't be afraid to try more than one therapy. There are several sorts of online therapy available, and you may always try something new. Even if you choose subscription-based services, providers allow you to switch therapists at no extra cost. Finding what works best for you is critical to the success of therapy.

If you are willing to try online therapy, we can connect you with a licensed therapist within the same day. Fill a questionnaire about your problems, and we will do the rest. 

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