Since the 1980s, the widespread use of technology and internet all over the world has caused some life practices to change and transform. Accessing many services over the internet has enabled us not only to be limited to the facilities where we live, but also to not waste time. Since the beginning of 2020, every service that can be used over the internet has started to be of vital importance due to the pandemic experienced all over the world. So, when we think about it in this context, how can we evaluate the online therapy service? Why do we need online psychotherapy services? What are the advantages and disadvantages of online psychotherapy and can we benefit as much as face-to-face psychotherapy?
What is Online Therapy?
Online therapy is the provision of psychotherapy services over the internet in cases where the therapist and client cannot conduct face-to-face meetings for different reasons. The forum named “Dear Uncle Ezra”, which was established at Cornell University in 1986, can be considered the first example of online therapy. People could post their problems and questions on this forum, and their questions were answered by anonymous mental health professionals. With the development of internet technology, long-term meetings such as traditional therapy with video calls began to be planned beyond just answering questions. With the effect of the pandemic period, we started to see that online therapy is more preferred and applied.
What are the Advantages of Online Therapy?
Online therapy is more accessible and practical as we do not need to plan and spare time to go to the therapist’s office in online therapy. We can hold sessions in any place where we can express ourselves comfortably and feel safe.
In rural areas, we may have difficulties in reaching competent psychotherapists. For this reason, we may have to travel to larger cities in order to receive psychotherapy services, and we may have difficulty attending sessions on a regular basis. This can prevent us from getting enough benefit from psychotherapy. In such a case, online therapy is more sustainable both financially and in terms of time.
We may not be able to get out of where we are due to our physical ailments, and for this very reason, we may need psychological support. Through online therapy, psychotherapy service can reach a wider population.
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Due to the quarantine experienced during the pandemic period, many people’s working system and relations with their social environment had to change. Adding to this the concerns about the COVID-19 virus and the problems in getting used to the new order, we have become more disadvantaged in terms of psychological disorders. In such a period, we can reach psychotherapy services in order to increase our psychological resilience without risking our physical health with online therapy.
What are the Disadvantages of Online Therapy?
The therapeutic relationship is a unique relationship that is based on mutual trust between the therapist and the client, where the goals and course of therapy are agreed together and increases the benefit in therapy. Establishing this relationship may take time and it may be more difficult to establish a therapeutic relationship, especially since face-to-face communication cannot be established in online therapy.
Since face-to-face communication cannot be established in online therapy, the therapist may have difficulty observing clues that can provide information about the client’s mood and thoughts, such as body language, gestures and facial expressions.
Online therapy may not be suitable for every client (such as suicidal thoughts, psychosis, etc.). For this reason, it would be appropriate to see online therapy primarily as an evaluation session and to continue in line with the guidance of the therapist.
During online therapy, technological problems such as freezing of the image, inability to reach the sound, and dropping the call may disrupt the flow of the conversation.
Is Online Therapy as Effective as Face-to-face Therapy?
When we consider the advantages and disadvantages of online therapy, we may question whether online therapy is as effective as a traditional therapy interview. Research in this area shows that online therapy is as effective as traditional therapy in the treatment of many mental health problems. In 2014, Nordgren et al. observed that online cognitive behavioral therapy had a positive effect in the treatment of anxiety disorder. At the same time, the development of the clients who received this treatment maintained its continuity. In a 2018 study conducted by Andrews et al., online cognitive behavioral therapy was found to be as effective as face-to-face therapy in the treatment of major depression and anxiety disorders.
Although online therapy was applied before the pandemic period, it has become a more important option during the pandemic period. In this process, the client and the therapist who continue to meet with the traditional method.
