The basis of any effective therapy is the quality of the relationship between the client (you!) and the therapist (me!). If you don’t ‘gel’, you probably won’t get as much out of the sessions as you need to.
In order to build that relationship, you need to be relaxed and comfortable. You need to be somewhere you feel untroubled, calm and cosy. Somewhere you feel in control of, somewhere you can be yourself.
On-line therapy simply means therapy offered over a video link. It works exactly the same way as face-to-face therapy, in real-time and the relationship built allows the client to explore themselves to find out what they need to know. On-line therapy also offers other benefits though, that face-to-face counselling can’t provide:
- You can remain in your own home. If you are anxious about leaving the house, this might be a very attractive feature for you. For most people, it means you are at your most relaxed and comfortable, so therapy can progress more quickly.
- You can access therapy during the working day. If you are at work, taking an hour out for an additional ‘meeting’ with your therapist means minimal disruption to your day. As long as you can find a quiet room where you won’t be disturbed, you can fit therapy in at a convenient time for you.
- No travel is required, you don’t have to worry about directions, parking or traffic.
In the past, counselling has always taken place in a ‘therapy room’ provided by the counsellor. This can give the client the opportunity to leave their ‘normal life’ behind and go somewhere independent, with no reminders of daily life, so that they can be absorbed in themselves.
Since COVID however, circumstances forced many therapists to begin offering on-line sessions. Just like in many work-places, people had to work from home, team meetings and even family gatherings became Zoom calls. This had always been considered a poor alternative to being face to face in the past, because how do you build a relationship through a computer screen?
It turns out though, you can build a really good relationship on-line. It’s something we’ve quickly become used to, and now we’re even discovering the benefits it offers.
On-line therapy might not be suitable for everyone. Only you know what works for you. But if you give it a try, you might be surprised.