Benefits of Online Counseling You Might Not’ve Thought Of
Prior to the pandemic, online counseling services were much harder to find than they are now. When the pandemic hit, there was a lot of reluctance to try telehealth. Now that so much time has passed, mental health therapists and clients alike have discovered the many benefits and conveniences of online counseling services. Interestingly enough, we still see some hesitation to give telehealth a try (especially in people who have never experienced it), so we wanted to share about the many telehealth benefits that our clients have shared with us.
Online counseling is convenient, and it saves time.
The reality is that many of us are leading very busy lives. It’s easy to push self-care and therapy to the back burner. With online counseling, people with busy schedules are able to fit counseling in with more ease as they’re able to attend sessions from their home or workplace. Doing so means that people are saving time by not having to commute or deal with traffic.
Online counseling is easy.
While change, technology, and trying new things can make many people nervous, the reality is that online counseling is really easy. The platforms that mental health therapists use are designed to make participating in online sessions as easy as a click of a button. Many counselors will provide you with information about preparing for your first telehealth session prior to your first appointment to help you feel at ease. You can take a look at the information we share with people who come to LifeSpring by clicking here.
Online counseling is confidential and secure
Some people worry that online counseling will not be confidential or secure. Mental health practitioners are required to abide by HIPAA even when providing counseling services online. This means that mental health providers need to follow best practices and utilize telehealth platforms that are going to protect you and your information.
Telehealth gives people greater access to counseling services.
Depending on where you live, your options for participating in counseling services may be limited. Some areas experience shortages of mental health providers which also means that you have a limited number of options with regard to the type of mental health therapy you receive. With telehealth, you’re able to access counseling services from mental health providers who are located anywhere in your state. This means that you have more options when choosing a mental health therapist and the type of counseling services you engage in. Interested in working with a Brainspotting therapist but don’t have one in your town? That’s no longer a problem because you can now work with a Brainspotting therapist located in a different part of your state.
Online counseling keeps people safe and healthy.
The importance of telehealth became incredibly apparent at the start of the pandemic. Many counseling practices were forced to move their services online in order to keep themselves, their staff, and their clients safe. Mental health practitioners and their clients have appreciated the ability to continue working together, despite the situation. Over the past 2 years, online counseling services have ensured that people have been able to get the support they need from the comfort and safety of their own homes.
Now that online counseling is commonly practiced, people no longer have to push themselves to make their in-person appointment when they’re feeling a little under the weather. Assuming that someone feels well enough, they’re now able to move their appointment online. This can be especially helpful for people who deal with chronic health issues that can sometimes make it difficult to leave their homes to keep an appointment.
If you’ve tried telehealth before, there might be other benefits that come to mind as well. These are just a few of the benefits that stand out to us and the people we’ve worked with. If you’ve been sitting on the fence about online counseling, we hope that this article will give you some motivation to give it a try.
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Interested in Online Counseling for Anxiety, Depression, Grief and Loss, or Trauma?
If you’re a Marylander who knows that counseling is the direction you need to take, the therapists at LifeSpring Counseling Services are here to help. We offer online counseling services for mindfulness, depression, anxiety, trauma, and grief and loss. We also offer Brainspotting as a specialized service, and Brainspotting can be done online, too!
Here’s how you can get started! Online counseling for anxiety, depression, grief and loss, and trauma aren’t the only services offered at our Maryland office
The counselors and social workers at our Maryland office also offer counseling services for trauma, grief and loss, boundary setting, communication skills, and difficult life transitions. We also offer specialized counseling services including Brainspotting and spiritually-integrated counseling. Because we are located next to several local universities, we also work with college students and international students.
Written by: Melissa Wesner, LCPC/LCMHC
Certified Brainspotter, Brainspotting Consultant
Photo Credit: Ivan Samkov, Thirdman, and Pixabay
Date of Download: 10/18/2021
