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Online
Therapy vs. Traditional Therapy
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Online
Therapy |
Traditional
Therapy |
Anonymous
You never have to be seen by your therapist. If you are
self-conscious, have a high-profile that you want to
keep low, or you open up best when you are hidden from
view, then chat-type therapy is ideal for you. |
Non-Anonymous
You are always right there in front of your therapist.
This may not always be advantageous if you are feeling
introverted, shy, embarrassed or nervous. |
Convenient
You can have a therapist at your fingertips any time of
day or night. It’s as easy as logging on and letting us
know that you want to meet with a therapist. |
Inconvenient
You need to wait seven days between each appointment or
try to get in earlier, if your therapist has an opening.
You need to get dressed and go to your therapist’s
office. |
Time-Effective
You can schedule 15, 25 and 50 minutes sessions. You
don’t have to take time off of work; you can easily fit
an appointment into your workday. |
Time Consuming
A session during the day can turn into a few hours when
you figure in travel and parking time. You may need to
schedule appointments after work or on weekends and thus
take away time with your family. |
Cost-Effective
Many times you only need a 15 or 25 minute session, and
with online therapy that is all you have to pay for.
Also, when online you are more likely to not waste
valuable time. |
Costly
Traditional therapy can include additional expenses,
such as travel expenses and childcare. In addition,
therapists typically work on a sliding scale, with the
most common rates being between $80 and $135 per hour. |
What is Online Therapy?
Who should use online therapy?
How much does it cost?
When is online therapy not
appropriate?
What is Online Therapy?
Online counseling is a proven new way to both provide
and to participate in professional mental health
services over the Internet. Just as with face-to-face
therapy, online counseling is provided by licensed,
experienced therapists with expertise in a variety of
mental health related areas.
Who should use online
therapy?
For many people, professional mental health services are
simply not available, or are difficult to access. This
is true for a number of reasons. For others, the
convenience, time savings, or affordability of online
counseling are important considerations. Other
attractions of online counseling include privacy, ease
of access, greater comfort with written, rather than
face-to-face interaction, time to reflect on and absorb
communications, or the ability to better pace counseling
work by email. If any of these reasons apply to you, or
perhaps others I haven’t mentioned, and if you are at
least moderately comfortable with computers and with
written communication, you could easily benefit from
online counseling.
How much does it cost?
Online counseling is very affordable, especially when
compared to traditional, office-based counseling. Please
see the fees page for
more detailed information on fees and payments.
When is online therapy not
appropriate?
If you are in a crisis situation, such as actively
planning suicide, other physical danger, or serious
illness requiring immediate attention, online counseling
is not appropriate for you. You should cal your local
crisis hotline, 911, or other trusted capable adult.
Also, if you are a minor, online counseling without
written parental consent is not appropriate.
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