Is online therapy, counselling and coaching effective?
And is online therapy right for you?
A healthy mind and a balanced emotional body are vitally important to everyone, regardless of our background, gender, age, life-stage, race or the work we do.
Being mentally fit gives us the freedom to embrace and enjoy the things in life that bring us happiness, being able to appropriately respond to and recover from setbacks and adversities and generally balance the mental, physical, social and spiritual areas of our life.
Just like physical health, mental health requires constant awareness, attention, and nurturing. Together, they are a recipe for a live well lived, but neither can give us a sense of overall well-being without the other.
It is important to understand how mental health impacts on our sense of balance and to recognise the signs that tell us that we may need help.
Overview
What is Online Therapy?
Online Therapy is a way of providing medical and supportive care remotely, usually through video consultations. It may sound a little futuristic, but it is simply a combination of two of the most basic urges in society: the desire to connect and communicate and the wish to help those in need.
Online Therapy is a term often used loosely and interchangeably with psychotherapy, talk or talking therapy, counselling, career coaching, social support, "life coaching" or simply therapy.
It is important that any clinical and non-clinical interventions referred to as therapy, counselling or coaching are conducted by duly licensed professionals registered with recognised professional bodies and subject to formal codes of practice, conduct and/or ethics enforced by such bodies. Clients must be cautious about who they trust with their personal information and who they accept advice from.
It describes a range of interventions and irrespective of the term used, mental health counselling can benefit people struggling with emotional difficulties, life challenges, and mental health concerns.
Therapy can help improve symptoms of many mental health concerns and illnesses. In longer term therapeutic interventions, people also learn to cope with symptoms that continue to present after treatment has started.
Research shows that therapy-based outcomes are more sustainable and outlast improvements that medication on its own can achieve. Psychiatric disorders are commonly treated with a combination of therapy and medication. While prescription medication can alleviate certain symptoms of mental health disorders, therapy teaches people the skills necessary to actively address symptoms on their own.
These skills, once learnt, can be applied to many aspects of our lives and once internalised, benefit us well after therapy ends. The more control and confidence we acquire in managing our symptoms, the more they can continue to improve, making it less likely that we will need further treatment.
Mental health issues are common. Statistics from the South African Depression and Anxiety Group show that 1 out of every 6 South Africans suffers from a common mental health condition, while 23 South Africans commit suicide daily.
But only a small proportion of people with mental health issues seek or receive help. Untreated mental health conditions often worsen and may have other negative effects. They could also lead to:
- Inability to participate in work or school activities
- Difficulty in relationships
- Inability or lack of responsibility in taking care of children
- Increased health risks
- Hospitalization
- Self-harm
- Suicide
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT
ONLINE THERAPY, COUNSELLING & COACHING
Do I “Need” Therapy?
When a person’s daily life and function is affected by mental health or emotional issues, therapy may be recommended as the main or complementary treatment. Therapy can help you understand your feelings, why you might be experiencing them, and how to cope.
Not everyone has a safe, private and confidential space or an impartial person to talk to about their life challenges. A therapist can help you unpack concerns such as:
- breakups and relationship difficulties
- addictions and codependency
- parenting difficulties
- mental well-being and copying skills of children and adolescents
- depression and anxiety
- trauma, abuse, grief
- self-confidence, general resilience and well-being
- career counselling, assessments and guidance
Being told or telling someone to go to therapy or that they need it can feel stigmatizing.
It may be difficult to watch a loved one deal with mental health challenges, but it is important for people to choose to seek help on their own—as long as they do not pose a danger to themselves or anyone else.
Encouraging someone you care about to investigate possible therapy options, even offering to review potential therapists with them, is generally a better way to show support. People who feel coerced into therapy may find it difficult to overcome their resistance to the pressure of their environment and can find it difficult to put in the required work for therapy to be effective.
While therapy can help people work through issues that lead to thoughts of suicide, it is usually not the best option for people in crisis.
If you or anyone you know is being abused, in a crisis or may be in danger, please use the appropriate Emergency contacts to get immediate help through phone, text message, or online chat.
Should I start Therapy?
Deciding whether you need therapy and being ready for it is a process. It may take some consideration on your part. If you are generally a resilient person, you may want to start with small manageable changes first and wait to see if time, your new perspective, lifestyle adjustments, or the support of trusted friends and family helps you to improve whatever you’re struggling with.
The American Psychological Association suggests considering therapy when something causes distress and interferes with some part of life in a way that noticeably affects you, particularly when:
- Thinking about or attempting to cope with the issue takes up more than an hour of your day;
- The concern causes you embarrassment or makes you want to avoid people or conversations about it;
- The concern has caused your quality of life to decrease or your problems to increase;
- The concern has caused your school or work performance, or relationships to deteriorate;
- You have made unusual changes in your life or developed unusual habits to cope with the issue;
It’s especially important to consider getting help if you feel helpless in relation to your symptoms, if they could cause harm to yourself or others or if, as a result of your symptoms, you may become a danger to others.
- Sense of being overwhelmed. You might feel like you are being pulled many different directions or have too many difficulties to cope with. You might worry to such an extent that you cannot rest or even breathe. Stress and overload can lead to serious health problems.
- Fatigue. This is a common physical symptom that accompanies many mental health concerns. It can indicate depression. Fatigue can cause you to sleep more than usual, neglecting self-care or your household or have trouble getting active in the morning.
- Anger, resentment or revenge that is disproportionate to the stimulus. Everyone feels strong negative emotions at times. Even passing rage happens and is not necessarily dangerous. But when these feelings don’t pass, are exaggerated in relation to the situation that has caused them, or if they lead you to take violent or otherwise harmful actions against others, seeking support could be the most responsible thing to do.
- Panic attacks and fear of them. People may fear being in places where they might experience panic, helplessness or embarrassment or become trapped. In its most intense form, such fear may cause people to never leave their houses.
- Anxiety and intrusive thoughts. It’s normal to worry about things from time to time, but when excessive worry causes you to struggle to focus on your daily activities, enjoy light-hearted moments, takes up a noticeable part of your day or causes you physical symptoms, therapy can be helpful.
- Indifference. Losing interest or enthusiasm in activities that usually bring you joy in socialising with the people closest to you or life in general can be a warning sign of depression or a serious mental health concern.
- Despair. Feeling hopeless or losing motivation or feeling negative about the future, can be a sign of depression or another mental health condition. Feeling despair or hopelessness while overcoming or soon after a period of difficulty, is not unusual. But when it persists, it may lead to thoughts of self-harm or harm to others and requires professional help.
- Withdrawal. Most people need regular time alone to rest, recuperate and remain centred. Introverts may need even more time alone than others. But if you feel distressed or resent being with other people, therapy can help you unpack the underlying causes and find ways to address them.
I’ve Already Tried Therapy and It Did not Work
Therapy does not always work immediately. Even in an effective and successful therapy situation, it can take time for symptoms to noticeably improve or disappear altogether. Investing time and money into therapy and seeing little change may lead to frustration, disappointment and your reduced commitment to continuing the work necessary to achieve the desired results. Many people prematurely stop going to therapy as a result.
Sometimes interventions do not help right away.
Many factors can impact how effective therapy is and there is no single appropriate approach that will work for everyone. Not every professional will be a good fit for everyone, either. Having a negative experience with a particular professional or a certain type of treatment can make it difficult to trust the process enough to try therapy again, even if you want support.
It can help to look for a specialist who treats what you are experiencing. If you haven't been diagnosed, you can usually request an introductory session at a negligible fee with therapists which you feel may be a fit for you to discuss your symptoms, their preferred way of working, your prior experiences with what worked or didn't work for you and your expectations this time around.
An ethical therapist will let you know if they are able to competently assist you considering all factors. If they cannot, they usually are able to recommend a more suitable professional and clarify for you where your expectations of the process may need some adjustment on your part.
If you felt misunderstood or not heard in your prior therapy experiences, or if you experience different symptoms this time around, a different therapist or a different approach might be a better option for you.
Being misdiagnosed can affect how effective therapy will be for you personally. A second, or even a third, professional opinion is just as valuable in mental health as it is in medicine. Particularly if you have a serious concern.
STRUGGLING TO COPE?
Why Should I Pursue Therapy?
You should always consider both sides of the coin. In deciding about going to therapy, you need to give some thought to potential drawbacks. Costs, level of personal motivation and engagement with the process, preparation work required and time commitment are often seen as obstacles for people seeking support.
It can be frightening to start unearthing, from deep within, trauma or other painful events from the past, much less discuss the details with a stranger.
Even if you are not dealing with trauma, working through issues that make you inherently uncomfortable is not easy, and therapy is not a quick fix. Therapy requires honesty, with yourself and with the professional you work with.
But if you are willing to do the work, therapy can be the most rewarding healing and education you have ever invested in. It provides you with a safe space where you can share anything with a trained professional who is there to guide, understand and help.
Unlike well-meaning friends or family, a licensed professional is trained not to project their own judgements and experiences upon your situation or into their suggestions for you.
It is often the objectivity and impartiality of external help that is the most crucial differentiator between the effectiveness of self-help and therapy.
Benefits of therapy
What one invests time and energy in, one can build or improve. The benefits of therapy are numerous and depend on the concerns that compelled you to seek external help:
- Self-awareness and self-knowledge. Therapists listen to your story and help you connect the dots. They might offer a different perspective, guidance or recommendations if you are confused, but they are not there to write you a script for what to do. Therapy is designed to educate and empower you to assess situations and take action on your own.
- Therapy can help you achieve your goals. If you are not sure of what your goals are or should or could be, a trained professional can help you reach clarity and set realistic milestones to progress in your desired direction.
- Therapy can help you build and nurture relationships. Whether you’re single or in a relationship, therapy can help you address difficulties with relating to others, personal insecurities, concerns around trusting others, controlling overbearing tendencies or anything else preventing you from experiencing the joy of having fulfilling relationships in your life.
- Therapy improves overall health. Global research has long proven a link between the health of the mind and the body. Untreated mental health issues often cause a deterioration in physical wellness. And to the contrary, people in good emotional balance deal with and recover from physical health complications more easily.
- Therapy can catalyse improvement in all areas of your life. Not because it is a magic wand that miraculously makes all problems disappear, but because it helps you focus on yourself and on how you wish your life to be. If you know exactly what you want and how to get there but are not sure what’s keeping you from making the lasting changes to achieve your vision, therapy can help you uncover the reasons.
Is Online Therapy for Me?
Online Therapy has been around all over the world for many years now and there have been several meta-studies done on the subject. The findings of the body of research on the effectiveness of online therapy are not only impressive but stand high above expectation.
Numerous studies have confirmed the overwhelmingly positive value of online therapy and coaching for clients and provide strong support for the adoption of online psychological interventions as a legitimate and sustainable therapeutic activity.
The provision of online therapy, counselling and coaching has many advantages, accommodating individuals who cannot or will not access direct face-to-face psychological services due to geographic location, medical conditions, financial or other constraints or, more recently, social distancing.
Benefits of online therapy over traditional face-to-face therapy that clients generally report include:
- Continuity of care and support
- Lower costs
- Unlimited choice
- Improved access to care
- Improved work-life balance and convenience
- Preventative care
- Comparability, client empowerment and control
- Less exposure to illness and infections
What next step should I take?
If you are unsure about committing to therapy or whether online therapy is the way to go for you, many therapists offer a deeply discounted first consultation to talk through what you are dealing with.
Based on your symptoms, they can help you assess the appropriateness of pursuing online therapy specifically in your case.
Try an introductory session online in the comfort of your own home and at a time that suits you best. Use the convenience and power of online therapy to make the changes you want to see in your life.
Begin your search for a therapist, counsellor or coach today!
Find out if Online Help is for you...
The state of your mental health dictates your thoughts, emotions and reactions.
Mental well-being requires ongoing awareness, attention, and maintenance.
Online therapy, counselling and coaching is growing worldwide and is effective.
Download our Mental Health Guide to find out if it is for you.
Is online therapy, counselling and coaching effective?
And is online therapy right for you?
A healthy mind and a balanced emotional body are vitally important to everyone, regardless of our background, gender, age, life-stage, race or the work we do.
Being mentally fit gives us the freedom to embrace and enjoy the things in life that bring us happiness, being able to appropriately respond to and recover from setbacks and adversities and generally balance the mental, physical, social and spiritual areas of our life.
Just like physical health, mental health requires constant awareness, attention, and nurturing. Together, they are a recipe for a live well lived, but neither can give us a sense of overall well-being without the other.
It is important to understand how mental health impacts on our sense of balance and to recognise the signs that tell us that we may need help.
Overview
What is Online Therapy?
Online Therapy is a way of providing medical and supportive care remotely, usually through video consultations. It may sound a little futuristic, but it is simply a combination of two of the most basic urges in society: the desire to connect and communicate and the wish to help those in need.
Online Therapy is a term often used loosely and interchangeably with psychotherapy, talk or talking therapy, counselling, career coaching, social support, "life coaching" or simply therapy.
It is important that any clinical and non-clinical interventions referred to as therapy, counselling or coaching are conducted by duly licensed professionals registered with recognised professional bodies and subject to formal codes of practice, conduct and/or ethics enforced by such bodies. Clients must be cautious about who they trust with their personal information and who they accept advice from.
It describes a range of interventions and irrespective of the term used, mental health counselling can benefit people struggling with emotional difficulties, life challenges, and mental health concerns.
Therapy can help improve symptoms of many mental health concerns and illnesses. In longer term therapeutic interventions, people also learn to cope with symptoms that continue to present after treatment has started.
Research shows that therapy-based outcomes are more sustainable and outlast improvements that medication on its own can achieve. Psychiatric disorders are commonly treated with a combination of therapy and medication. While prescription medication can alleviate certain symptoms of mental health disorders, therapy teaches people the skills necessary to actively address symptoms on their own.
These skills, once learnt, can be applied to many aspects of our lives and once internalised, benefit us well after therapy ends. The more control and confidence we acquire in managing our symptoms, the more they can continue to improve, making it less likely that we will need further treatment.
Mental health issues are common. Statistics from the South African Depression and Anxiety Group show that 1 out of every 6 South Africans suffers from a common mental health condition, while 23 South Africans commit suicide daily.
But only a small proportion of people with mental health issues seek or receive help. Untreated mental health conditions often worsen and may have other negative effects. They could also lead to:
- Inability to participate in work or school activities
- Difficulty in relationships
- Inability or lack of responsibility in taking care of children
- Increased health risks
- Hospitalization
- Self-harm
- Suicide
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT
ONLINE THERAPY, COUNSELLING & COACHING
Do I “Need” Therapy?
When a person’s daily life and function is affected by mental health or emotional issues, therapy may be recommended as the main or complementary treatment. Therapy can help you understand your feelings, why you might be experiencing them, and how to cope.
Not everyone has a safe, private and confidential space or an impartial person to talk to about their life challenges. A therapist can help you unpack concerns such as:
- breakups and relationship difficulties
- addictions and codependency
- parenting difficulties
- mental well-being and copying skills of children and adolescents
- depression and anxiety
- trauma, abuse, grief
- self-confidence, general resilience and well-being
- career counselling, assessments and guidance
Being told or telling someone to go to therapy or that they need it can feel stigmatizing.
It may be difficult to watch a loved one deal with mental health challenges, but it is important for people to choose to seek help on their own—as long as they do not pose a danger to themselves or anyone else.
Encouraging someone you care about to investigate possible therapy options, even offering to review potential therapists with them, is generally a better way to show support. People who feel coerced into therapy may find it difficult to overcome their resistance to the pressure of their environment and can find it difficult to put in the required work for therapy to be effective.
While therapy can help people work through issues that lead to thoughts of suicide, it is usually not the best option for people in crisis.
If you or anyone you know is being abused, in a crisis or may be in danger, please use the appropriate Emergency contacts to get immediate help through phone, text message, or online chat.
Should I start Therapy?
Deciding whether you need therapy and being ready for it is a process. It may take some consideration on your part. If you are generally a resilient person, you may want to start with small manageable changes first and wait to see if time, your new perspective, lifestyle adjustments, or the support of trusted friends and family helps you to improve whatever you’re struggling with.
The American Psychological Association suggests considering therapy when something causes distress and interferes with some part of life in a way that noticeably affects you, particularly when:
- Thinking about or attempting to cope with the issue takes up more than an hour of your day;
- The concern causes you embarrassment or makes you want to avoid people or conversations about it;
- The concern has caused your quality of life to decrease or your problems to increase;
- The concern has caused your school or work performance, or relationships to deteriorate;
- You have made unusual changes in your life or developed unusual habits to cope with the issue;
It’s especially important to consider getting help if you feel helpless in relation to your symptoms, if they could cause harm to yourself or others or if, as a result of your symptoms, you may become a danger to others.
- Sense of being overwhelmed. You might feel like you are being pulled many different directions or have too many difficulties to cope with. You might worry to such an extent that you cannot rest or even breathe. Stress and overload can lead to serious health problems.
- Fatigue. This is a common physical symptom that accompanies many mental health concerns. It can indicate depression. Fatigue can cause you to sleep more than usual, neglecting self-care or your household or have trouble getting active in the morning.
- Anger, resentment or revenge that is disproportionate to the stimulus. Everyone feels strong negative emotions at times. Even passing rage happens and is not necessarily dangerous. But when these feelings don’t pass, are exaggerated in relation to the situation that has caused them, or if they lead you to take violent or otherwise harmful actions against others, seeking support could be the most responsible thing to do.
- Panic attacks and fear of them. People may fear being in places where they might experience panic, helplessness or embarrassment or become trapped. In its most intense form, such fear may cause people to never leave their houses.
- Anxiety and intrusive thoughts. It’s normal to worry about things from time to time, but when excessive worry causes you to struggle to focus on your daily activities, enjoy light-hearted moments, takes up a noticeable part of your day or causes you physical symptoms, therapy can be helpful.
- Indifference. Losing interest or enthusiasm in activities that usually bring you joy in socialising with the people closest to you or life in general can be a warning sign of depression or a serious mental health concern.
- Despair. Feeling hopeless or losing motivation or feeling negative about the future, can be a sign of depression or another mental health condition. Feeling despair or hopelessness while overcoming or soon after a period of difficulty, is not unusual. But when it persists, it may lead to thoughts of self-harm or harm to others and requires professional help.
- Withdrawal. Most people need regular time alone to rest, recuperate and remain centred. Introverts may need even more time alone than others. But if you feel distressed or resent being with other people, therapy can help you unpack the underlying causes and find ways to address them.
I’ve Already Tried Therapy and It Did not Work
Therapy does not always work immediately. Even in an effective and successful therapy situation, it can take time for symptoms to noticeably improve or disappear altogether. Investing time and money into therapy and seeing little change may lead to frustration, disappointment and your reduced commitment to continuing the work necessary to achieve the desired results. Many people prematurely stop going to therapy as a result.
Sometimes interventions do not help right away.
Many factors can impact how effective therapy is and there is no single appropriate approach that will work for everyone. Not every professional will be a good fit for everyone, either. Having a negative experience with a particular professional or a certain type of treatment can make it difficult to trust the process enough to try therapy again, even if you want support.
It can help to look for a specialist who treats what you are experiencing. If you haven't been diagnosed, you can usually request an introductory session at a negligible fee with therapists which you feel may be a fit for you to discuss your symptoms, their preferred way of working, your prior experiences with what worked or didn't work for you and your expectations this time around.
An ethical therapist will let you know if they are able to competently assist you considering all factors. If they cannot, they usually are able to recommend a more suitable professional and clarify for you where your expectations of the process may need some adjustment on your part.
If you felt misunderstood or not heard in your prior therapy experiences, or if you experience different symptoms this time around, a different therapist or a different approach might be a better option for you.
Being misdiagnosed can affect how effective therapy will be for you personally. A second, or even a third, professional opinion is just as valuable in mental health as it is in medicine. Particularly if you have a serious concern.
STRUGGLING TO COPE?
Why Should I Pursue Therapy?
You should always consider both sides of the coin. In deciding about going to therapy, you need to give some thought to potential drawbacks. Costs, level of personal motivation and engagement with the process, preparation work required and time commitment are often seen as obstacles for people seeking support.
It can be frightening to start unearthing, from deep within, trauma or other painful events from the past, much less discuss the details with a stranger.
Even if you are not dealing with trauma, working through issues that make you inherently uncomfortable is not easy, and therapy is not a quick fix. Therapy requires honesty, with yourself and with the professional you work with.
But if you are willing to do the work, therapy can be the most rewarding healing and education you have ever invested in. It provides you with a safe space where you can share anything with a trained professional who is there to guide, understand and help.
Unlike well-meaning friends or family, a licensed professional is trained not to project their own judgements and experiences upon your situation or into their suggestions for you.
It is often the objectivity and impartiality of external help that is the most crucial differentiator between the effectiveness of self-help and therapy.
Benefits of therapy
What one invests time and energy in, one can build or improve. The benefits of therapy are numerous and depend on the concerns that compelled you to seek external help:
- Self-awareness and self-knowledge. Therapists listen to your story and help you connect the dots. They might offer a different perspective, guidance or recommendations if you are confused, but they are not there to write you a script for what to do. Therapy is designed to educate and empower you to assess situations and take action on your own.
- Therapy can help you achieve your goals. If you are not sure of what your goals are or should or could be, a trained professional can help you reach clarity and set realistic milestones to progress in your desired direction.
- Therapy can help you build and nurture relationships. Whether you’re single or in a relationship, therapy can help you address difficulties with relating to others, personal insecurities, concerns around trusting others, controlling overbearing tendencies or anything else preventing you from experiencing the joy of having fulfilling relationships in your life.
- Therapy improves overall health. Global research has long proven a link between the health of the mind and the body. Untreated mental health issues often cause a deterioration in physical wellness. And to the contrary, people in good emotional balance deal with and recover from physical health complications more easily.
- Therapy can catalyse improvement in all areas of your life. Not because it is a magic wand that miraculously makes all problems disappear, but because it helps you focus on yourself and on how you wish your life to be. If you know exactly what you want and how to get there but are not sure what’s keeping you from making the lasting changes to achieve your vision, therapy can help you uncover the reasons.
Is Online Therapy for Me?
Online Therapy has been around all over the world for many years now and there have been several meta-studies done on the subject. The findings of the body of research on the effectiveness of online therapy are not only impressive but stand high above expectation.
Numerous studies have confirmed the overwhelmingly positive value of online therapy and coaching for clients and provide strong support for the adoption of online psychological interventions as a legitimate and sustainable therapeutic activity.
The provision of online therapy, counselling and coaching has many advantages, accommodating individuals who cannot or will not access direct face-to-face psychological services due to geographic location, medical conditions, financial or other constraints or, more recently, social distancing.
Benefits of online therapy over traditional face-to-face therapy that clients generally report include:
- Continuity of care and support
- Lower costs
- Unlimited choice
- Improved access to care
- Improved work-life balance and convenience
- Preventative care
- Comparability, client empowerment and control
- Less exposure to illness and infections
What next step should I take?
If you are unsure about committing to therapy or whether online therapy is the way to go for you, many therapists offer a deeply discounted first consultation to talk through what you are dealing with.
Based on your symptoms, they can help you assess the appropriateness of pursuing online therapy specifically in your case.
Try an introductory session online in the comfort of your own home and at a time that suits you best. Use the convenience and power of online therapy to make the changes you want to see in your life.
Begin your search for a therapist, counsellor or coach today!
Find out if Online Help is for you...
The state of your mental health dictates your thoughts, emotions and reactions.
Mental well-being requires ongoing awareness, attention, and maintenance.
Online therapy, counselling and coaching is growing worldwide and is effective.
Download our Mental Health Guide to find out if it is for you.