Pilar Conde: "Online therapy is no different from any other therapy, what changes is the way of access".

We talk about how the online psychotherapy service is and how it works.

New technologies have brought about changes in many areas of our lives, and of course in the way we relate to others. Today, we can shop online, study a career online and even go to psychological therapy without the need to attend a clinic in person.

In this sense, online therapy brings many benefits and is just as useful as traditional therapy. There are many people who have improved their well-being and quality of life with this type of psychotherapy.

Interview with Pilar Conde, director of Origen-alive

Knowing the above, we wanted to talk to Pilar Conde, health psychologist and technical director of the psychotherapy center, so she could tell us how online therapy works and explain its advantages.

Juan Armando Corbin: Good morning, Pilar. Tell us about Origen, why was it created?

Pilar Conde: Origen was created with the aim of allowing access to psychological treatments, coaching and pharmacological processes, at any time of the day and from anywhere. The contracted treatment can be either face-to-face or online.

What exactly does online therapy consist of, and what advantages does it have over conventional therapy?

The online treatment procedure is the same as the face-to-face one. The treatments are divided into an evaluation phase, a hypothesis or psychoeducational phase, an intervention phase and a follow-up phase.

The difference is that the material between sessions will be given in digital format and through e-mail, and the interaction between people and professionals will be through an electronic device. In our case it is not necessary to have a program installed, since we send the link to the e-mail, and by accessing it the connection is opened.

As for the advantages, it is not necessary to miss therapy sessions due to work or travel, nor is it necessary to waste time going to and from the office, which makes it easier to reconcile work and personal life. In addition, the sessions can be carried out from any place where the patient is comfortable, such as the living room of their home or on their terrace and it is possible to have psychotherapy sessions with the professionals of Clínicas Origen even if the patient is not in the same city.

How does online therapy work? What steps should a patient interested in this type of therapy follow?

It is very simple, the interested person has to enter www.origen-alive.com and choose the treatment that he/she considers fits his/her needs, among the existing treatments, which are adjusted to different profiles. At origen-alive we have online and in-person therapies available at the clinic, both of which will be carried out by the specialists at Clínicas Origen.

The process of purchase or reservation of treatments online is very simple, with a user and following the steps of purchase in very few clicks the interested party will have the key to be happier.

Once contracted or booked, a consultant from our clinics will contact you to inform you about our clinics, give you an appointment with the psychologist and assess your needs and suitability for the treatment, which is completely free of charge, the chosen treatment will be validated or modified so that it is really effective.

In online therapy, is the trust between the therapist and the patient lower due to the physical distance? And the adherence to the treatment?

Nowadays technologies and the way people relate to each other has changed. Online therapy has many benefits as I have mentioned, and technology allows us to evolve and adapt to a greater number of needs and personal circumstances. If used in a creative and professional way, it will benefit and enhance the therapeutic process and the trusting relationship between patient and therapist.

Adherence to treatment can even be facilitated, since it is easier to access from anywhere than the travel required for face-to-face sessions.

Do you think online therapy is equally beneficial for any person or any type of problem?

Online therapy is no different from any other therapy, what changes is the access route. If people have predisposition and motivation, it should not be an inconvenience. There are certain symptomatology that could be thought of as a drawback, for example in people with agoraphobia, who tend not to leave home.

In principle it could be seen as a difficulty, but if we are creative we will see how it can be used to their advantage. For example, it may be that this type of access allows access to some people who, for various reasons, are not initially willing to attend in person and can help them in that process. In other situations, you can do the online sessions on the street, accompanying you in the expository process.

What psychological problems do you most frequently treat at Origen-alive?

We treat many problems, although anxiety disorders and mood disorders more frequently. We also work with coaching processes.

What skills do you think the psychologist should enhance in online therapy sessions?

In any type of therapy the psychologist must have developed empathy, active listening, unconditional acceptance, training, experience. In online therapy, we would add the ability to handle the necessary applications, such as email and a program to conduct online sessions.

What differentiates Origen-alive from other online therapy clinics?

Origen-alive is a clinic specialized in online treatment, and we have a specific program for the sessions that does not require the installation of any program on the computer. Our methodology facilitates the understanding of everything the patient works on in the session, and the psychologist sends the material weekly to the patient's email.

One of our objectives is to break down the barriers about the existing prejudices when going to a psychologist. For us, going to a psychologist is synonymous of intelligence, of being aware that in order to improve and grow psychologically, emotionally and socially, it is necessary to be trained by a professional, in this case a psychologist.

Origen-alive patients belong to a network of clinics and their psychologists are part of a team of professionals, who receive continuous training. We also ensure that all our professionals have the health accreditation to practice, as well as the mandatory requirements for the practice of therapy.

The fact of belonging to a network of clinics such as Origen, makes our patients benefit from the discounts and promotions of our clinics. At Origen we care about the welfare of our patients, and for this reason we ensure that the treatments they receive are of the highest quality.