Challenging Myths about Online Therapy

There is a pervasive stigma attached to seeking help from mental health professionals in our society.

This can become even more exacerbated when pursuing treatment through online therapy. Common myths surrounding online therapy distract from the benefits these forms of therapy can offer, as many people think that less authentic, less compassionate relationships are built online between clients and their therapists, therefore making online therapy less effective. Others may believe that fitting online therapy into their schedule somehow feels harder than fitting in-person therapy into their schedule. In addition, fear of inadequate levels of safety and privacy when discussing personal information keeps individuals from reaching out for help, when in actuality the depth of a safe, respectful therapeutic relationship doesn’t have to require face-to-face contact. Today, we are here to bust these myths and provide you with some encouragement if you were on the fence about online therapy.

Perhaps the most common myth is that it is harder to build a connection with your therapist through a screen.

Depending on your age, this may be true. Younger children tend to struggle with online counseling because it requires focus for the 50-55 minute session. However, for teens and adults, building a connection is just as easy online when they have a therapist that is the right fit for their unique needs and personality. Whether it’s through an online game of Battleship or your therapist asking questions about the items in your background, creating rapport can be established quite quickly online.

Additionally, engaging in therapy sessions from your own home creates a sense of safety and allows your therapist to meet you in a space where you feel most calm and comfortable. Sure, instead of finding parking, you’ll be ensuring you have a strong WiFi connection. And instead of commuting you will be making sure your computer or phone is charged before the session. All said, engaging in online therapy can be equally as effective as in-person services.

Strides continue to be made in providing online therapy-based secure connections for online therapy making countless individuals worldwide eligible to seek further assistance with their mental health. Consider individuals, couples, and families who live in very rural areas. Their closest grocery store may be 30-45 minutes away, so they make very intentional trips into town that may not be able to include in-person therapy. Not to mention, the global pandemic forced many people to shift gears to work from home part-time or even full-time. When this is the case, adding another meeting to the calendar during a lunch break or after work hours can be much more convenient than fighting rush hour traffic to get to an office.

Additionally, progress concerning user experiences keeps expanding our ability to ensure safety and privacy.

The online platform we use at Pacific Coast Therapy is called Simple Practice. Simple Practice is very well named, as it is so easy to use! Upon completing the intake process with our intake coordinator, you are signed up for email reminders for your sessions. You will receive an email with your meeting link 48 hours prior to the session, and a text message with your meeting link 24 hours prior to the session.

One way we can ensure privacy from outside intruders, and/or family members you worry about accessing your information is by creating a unique meeting link for each session. This means, if you try to click the link for your session from two weeks ago, you’ll get an alert that the link is no longer valid. We take confidentiality and your privacy very seriously and do all we can to ensure you feel comfortable and safe on our online platform.

To sum it all up, online therapy in California provides a safe, convenient alternative to in-person therapy.