The importance of online therapy in the coronavirus pandemic

Here are the reasons why online therapy fits our needs in the face of COVID.

In times of crisis due to COVID-19The social and health emergency should not make us lose sight of the fact that health is not just about preventing and curing observable physical ailments in the human body; in fact, it is not even limited to the absence of pathologies.

Health includes well-being as something global, and this implies that we cannot forget something as important as mental health, especially in the face of contexts capable of making us face very difficult and stressful situations, as well as uncertainty.

Fortunately, in recent years a form of psychotherapeutic intervention has been consolidating that adapts very well to our needs during the coronavirus pandemic. This is online therapyThis has come to stay and, although it was already rapidly becoming popular before the appearance of this pathogen, with the appearance of COVID-19 it has become fundamental. Let's see why.

The reasons why online therapy is essential in times of COVID-19

Here are the main reasons why online therapy is an essential resource in the face of the pandemic.

Its effectiveness is equivalent to face-to-face therapy.

The first aspect to bear in mind is that the change of communication channel does not mean that the efficacy of the treatment is lost.. It is true that there are some specific cases in which online psychotherapy is complicated or practically impossible due to logistical issues (for example, when it is necessary to use resources such as Neurofeedback or Virtual Reality with special glasses), but where it can be performed without material limitations, this form of intervention with patients is as effective as the "traditional" one performed face to face with the therapist.

2. It involves a lower risk of contagion

The first great advantage of online therapy is obvious: if you do not have to leave your home and travel to the psychologist's office, the risk of contagion of this period is reduced, the risk of contagion of that period of time invested in "going to the psychologist" is reduced to zero..

This is of great benefit to people at risk of COVID-19 and also to those who live with them, including people who need to be almost always available to support their elders, the sick, etc.

3. Lower costs

Especially in times of economic crisis, many people and families value the idea of having a form of psychotherapy offered at a lower price than face-to-face therapy. As online therapy means lower costs for psychologists and health centers, this is usually also reflected in what the client pays for the therapy. is also reflected in what the client pays.

On the other hand, having the security of being able to pay for all therapy sessions is also associated with greater commitment to treatment, and therefore a lower dropout rate and better final results.

4. No geographical limits

These weeks, something that in any other year would have seemed almost straight out of a science fiction novel is a real possibility: confinements applied to regions and even entire countries..

Faced with the need to tackle the spread of the virus, in several cases people's mobility is severely limited and even those who are able to leave may encounter various obstacles: problems with carpooling, disruptions to the frequency of public transport or the safety of these vehicles, etc. With online therapy, none of this matters.

5. Offers professional support in a more agile way

In a situation where the constraints of trying not to get infected greatly reduce our freedoms, most people look for everything to be done in a more flexible way, most people want everything they have to do during the week to be as simple as possible.. In this sense, online therapy is ideal, because it does not require too many intermediate steps and it is not difficult to match schedules, as we do not have to invest time in traveling or in making sure we will find the place, arrive on time, etc.

All you have to do is schedule a first session, make the payment as indicated, and connect to the video call platform when the time comes. As long as we have an Internet connection and a quiet place where we can be alone, we don't even have to do the sessions always in the same place.

Looking for psychotherapeutic assistance?

If you are interested in professional psychotherapeutic support, count on us. At Avance Psychologists we have been treating patients for more than 20 years, and we currently offer both face-to-face and online therapy. Among our team of mental health experts we have accredited professionals with specialties in adult psychotherapy, child and adolescent psychotherapy, couples therapy, speech therapy, psychiatry, neuropsychology, coaching, and more. On this page you will find our contact details and more information about how we work.

Bibliographic references:

• Change, P.M. (2011). Effectiveness of cybertherapy in mental health: a critical appraisal. Stud Health Technol Inform 167: pp. 3 - 8.
• Derrig-Palumbo, K., and Zeine, F. (2005). Online Therapy: A Therapist's Guide to Expanding Your Practice.
• Soto-Perez, F., Franco, M., Monardes, C., & Jimenez, F. (2010). The Internet and clinical psychology: a review of cybertherapies. Journal of psychopathology and clinical psychology, 15(1): pp. 19 - 37.