What is the first online psychotherapy session like?

A description of the first steps in opting for this form of psychological therapy.

Increasingly, online psychotherapy is emerging as a favorite option for many clients and patients who welcome the advantages of this modality of psychological intervention.

This is not surprising, given the freedom it provides and the ease with which it can be accessed. the ease with which the psychologist's consultation can be accessed via the Internet are factors that many benefit from. The limitations of time and space do not have to weigh us down when it comes to accessing psychotherapy services.

However, the idea of attending therapy via the Internet is often somewhat confusing for those who are considering this option and are not very familiar with the options provided by the distance format supported by the new interconnection technologies. So let's take a look at what the first online therapy session is like..

This is how the first online psychotherapy session begins.

At the beginning, what distinguishes online psychotherapy from face-to-face psychotherapy is minimal. The contact between the therapist and the patient is fundamentally the same in both cases, since nowadays most of the first steps in establishing communication occur on the Internet, either through the psychologist's website or through a directory of psychologists. It is, in short, an e-mail message or a phone call.

From there, the practitioner may consider the possibility of online or face-to-face therapy.or it may also be the case that the potential patient expresses the intention to use only the online format.

In any case, it is important to keep in mind that even if you are going to receive care online, the service will be provided by a mental health professional clearly identified by name, surname, and professional number, not by a computer program or by a virtual interface unrelated to any human component.

Tomás Santa Cecilia, an expert in online therapy with more than 25 years of experience and one of the pioneers in the use of this modality in Spain, points out that this therapy modality is subject to the same quality standards as face-to-face care in a physical office, and the same psychologists who can attend through the Internet are trained to practice face-to-faceThe type of service is the same, and only the medium in which it is provided changes.

At the same time that the day and time of the first online psychological therapy session is established, the patient receives simple instructions on what to do to start the session, which will take place by videoconference.

Exploration of the problem

Once the connection has been initiated, both the professional and the patient have on their computer screens a live image of what they are seeing on the screen. a live image of what is captured by the other person's webcamThe image and the sound are both directed at the patient's face.

Videoconferencing is the basis of online therapy, as it provides a context in which both parties can share elements of verbal and non-verbal communication, and also gives the possibility of sharing audiovisual content in real time (which can be useful in various phases of therapy).

In the first few minutes of what can technically be considered the first online psychotherapy session, formal introductions are made. This phase is intended to create a communicative flow in which patients feel comfortable. Then, the patient, invited by the professional, explains what he/she is looking for or what his/her problem is.

This explanation does not have to be very prepared, and can be relatively spontaneous and improvised, given that later on patient and therapist will negotiate the establishment of much more concrete goals.

In any case, it is important to note that these explanations are not given "on camera", since the session takes place not looking at the camera (which would be uncomfortable for many people, but looking at the therapist. The online format itself is designed to be very similar to the interaction that would occur when the two of them are in the same room..

On the other hand, even if at this stage of therapy the patient has a lot of information about the case and the therapist does not yet have it, the therapist often intervenes to help the patient structure his or her explanations. If necessary, the patient can share videos or photographs to provide more information about his or her case, as long as these documents do not violate the privacy of other people.

A remote but not impersonal session

Most of this first videoconference session, which usually lasts less than an hour, is devoted to the patient explaining and communicating his or her concerns and aspirations related to the problem or need being addressed. related to the problem or need to be addressed.

The professional acts as a guide to make these explanations go towards one or another area of life, but does not give orders or abruptly interrupt the other person without giving them the opportunity to continue explaining themselves. Tomás Santa Cecilia points out that the fact that there is a screen in between is not in any case an excuse to offer a more distant and impersonal treatment to the patient, but a resource to be used to allow a type of communication that fits better with the availability of both parties.

Of course, psychologists adopt a professional role and do not try to pass themselves off as friends of the patient, but that does not mean that they are not empathetic and close, nor that they do not make relevant decisions in a totally unilateral manner. The creation of consensual therapeutic compromises is always sought.that allow the therapy to move forward. Thus, the first online therapy session ends already pointing towards the objectives of the next session, in which there will be a recapitulation of what has been shared in the first session and proposals to start walking towards the objectives set.