What to Know About the Benefits of Online Therapy
More mental health provider options exist than ever before, and still, there are so many underserved people without access to mental health therapy. While some lack of access is due to financial and health insurance reasons, other times, people have trouble with transportation or scheduling to get to an in-person therapy appointment. The good news is that telehealth appointments that gained popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic have remained valuable and viable options for online counseling through the current landscape. If you’ve never considered it before, today we’ll discuss the tremendous benefits of online therapy and why it might be right for you.
Flexible Scheduling
A common obstacle that people face when considering therapy services is figuring out how to fit it into their already busy schedules. Typical office hours often coincide with the working schedules of people who wish to attend therapy, and while some therapists do have longer office hours to accommodate clients, even those schedules can become limited, too. Online therapy allows people to fit appointments into cracks of their day without having to factor in things like commute time, childcare, or transportation. Having therapy during a lunch break from the car might make it possible for a mother who wouldn’t have time after work due to after-school activities and family time. In another case, someone who wouldn’t have a ride to therapy can now access online therapy without needing to figure out a way there.
More Provider Options
One of the best benefits of online therapy is access to a wider variety of therapists. While most people who attend in-person therapy seek the convenience of a local therapist, licensing for therapists typically only restrains them within their licensed state. For example, as long as you are a resident of the State of Florida, Genesis Counseling of South Tampa is available to you as a provider option even if you don’t live in the greater Tampa area. This allows people to get very specific about the type of therapist they’d like to have and what they specialize in.
For example, if you’re specifically looking for a therapist who specializes in trauma, neurodivergence, marriage counseling, or other specific needs, having access to a larger variety of providers in your state that you can access through an online therapy appointment makes it much more likely that you’ll find great mental health support that meets your needs.
Comfort and Privacy
Although therapy sounds like a great idea to many people, some still struggle with feelings of shame or fear of stigma when it comes time to actually seek support. Online therapy removes the privacy concerns of going to therapy in public and allows you to attend appointments from the comfort of your office, home, car, or wherever else feels safest and most convenient to you. If you’re not sure if you’re at a place where online therapy is right for you just yet, our blog When to Ask For Support is a good place to start. Although all therapists are obligated to protect your safety and privacy, taking an appointment at the place you feel safest helps to ensure you’re able to be present and participate.
Continued Care
While Genesis Counseling offers online therapy in Tampa, the beautiful thing about online appointments is that they can continue even when you’re traveling throughout the state. When you start with online therapy, you don’t have to worry about beginning again with another, closer therapist if you move across town or to another part of the state. Vacation to the other side of Florida? No problem! Online therapy can remain a part of your regular routine. In short, online therapy breaks down typical barriers that prevent people from giving more traditional sit-down therapy a try.
Cost Considerate
As a result of all the benefits of online therapy that have been mentioned, online therapy is often also cost-considerate. It eliminates the cost of things like transportation, possible childcare, or taking time off work. It can also eliminate the consequences of not seeking therapy at all, which can ultimately be very costly as well. In addition to the online-specific benefits of therapy, insurance coverage, cash pay, and sliding scale options may be available as well, depending on your specific mental healthcare provider.
When we break down access barriers to mental healthcare and help more people receive the mental health support that they need, the world is a better place. If you’re considering therapy and unsure what your best options are, please drop us a note with your question, and we’d be happy to help! If you’re ready to get started with online therapy through Genesis Counseling of South Tampa, feel free to request an appointment here now.
