Types of Online Therapies You Should Consider Today

Just a few years ago, most therapy sessions were completed in a brick-and-mortar setting. They involved in-person, face-to-face meetings with your therapist and required you to travel to their location. Of course, that was before the COVID-19 pandemic changed therapy forever. 

The COVID-19 pandemic brought about a variety of changes for businesses of all kinds. With social distancing guidelines and government shutdowns, many people didn’t feel comfortable in a brick-and-mortar setting and were always searching for an alternative way to practice therapy. 

That started to spur a new type of therapy called online therapy. While it’s been available for several decades, it hasn’t always been a preferred option for many. Thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, online therapy is allowing therapists to help people from all over without limitation.

So, what can online therapy do for you?

Online therapy isn’t much different than in-person therapy. You’re still meeting with a therapist, they’re evaluating your symptoms, they’re helping you become the best version of yourself, and they’re available as often as you’d like. It’s nothing more than therapy that takes place online.

Today, you’re actually given several options when partaking in online therapy. Most offices and therapists are available through text messaging, audio messaging, and video chat to ensure you receive the help you need, when you need it, and however you need it — it’s extremely versatile. 

It’s an excellent option for those that don’t have any therapist offices in their geographical area, as well as those that have physical limitations that make it hard to travel away from their home. It’s convenient, heavily-accessible, affordable, and a great way to get the help you need daily.

Different Types of Online Therapies

Much like in-person therapy, online therapy isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. There are a number of different types of online therapy that are designed to be used in a variety of different situations. Anyone seeking online therapy should ensure they’re matched with the right type of therapy. 

To ensure we’re all on the same page about what’s available with online therapy, we’re going to detail five of the most popular forms of online therapy, what they are, and how they can help you live a better life. We all deserve a quality life and with online therapy, we can all accomplish that.

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, also known as CBT, is one of the most popular forms of therapy. It’s based on several core principles, including psychological problems being caused by faulty thinking patterns and behavioral patterns that can be changed over time with the right treatment.

When changing someone’s thinking patterns, the therapists will help the individual identify their distortions and gear them more towards reality. They also help them understand the motivations of others, improve problem-solving skills, and increase their amount of self-confidence. 

When changing someone’s behavioral patterns, the therapists might help the individual face their own fears, opposed to avoiding them. They also might utilize role playing to prepare them for certain situations and teach them how to better calm their mind and nerves on a daily basis.

• Dialectical Behavior Therapy

Dialectical Behavior Therapy, also known as DBT, is actually a type of cognitive behavioral therapy that was originally developed to treat borderline personality disorder. Today, DBT is used to treat a variety of mental illnesses including depression, PTSD, and eating disorders.

The main goals behind Dialectical Behavior Therapy is to help the individual live in the present moment, improve the relationships they have with other people, and teach them how to better cope with the stress and anxiety they feel on a daily basis. It was created by Marsha Linehan.

It’s a form of therapy that utilizes something called dialects, which is based on the theory that change occurs when there’s a healthy dialogue between opposing forces. It focuses on pushing for positive change in an individual’s life by way of self-acceptance and validating their actions.

• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

Speaking of self-acceptance, another popular type of online therapy is Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, also known as ACT. This type of therapy focuses on helping the individual accept and embrace their thoughts and feelings, opposed to fighting them. 

It utilizes a commitment to self-acceptance, commitment to mindfulness, and a commitment to solving the individual’s problems — rather than running away from them. When we run away, we only increase the distance between them and the potential solution to the problem or issue.

Believe it or not, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy can be utilized in just about everyone’s life. It’s an excellent therapy option for those with general or social anxiety disorders, anyone with chronic pain, depression, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), and eating disorders.

• Family Therapy

There’s nothing more important in this world than your relationship with your family members. They’re there for you when no one else is, but that doesn’t mean these relationships are ever going to be perfect. That’s where family therapy, a form of psychotherapy, comes into play. 

Family therapy will generally include any and all of the family members involved in the conflict. It’s focused on helping these family members better communicate with one another and helps them find a solution to help resolve conflicts between two or more members of the family. 

It’s generally a form of short-term therapy, but it can be long-term if the issues persist. It can be between a mother and son, a father and daughter, two siblings, a wife and husband, or the entire family. Any form of stress, grief, anger or conflict can be solved with family therapy. 

• Motivational Interviewing

Committing to change your life for the better is often easier said than done. Finding the motivation to do so is where most people struggle the most, but it doesn’t have to be that way. In fact, that’s where motivational interviewing, a counseling technique, comes in to play. 

Motivational interviewing mainly helps individuals that are addicted to something (gambling, eating, sex, drugs, or tobacco) or an individual suffering from a physical illness/injury (diabetes, asthma, heart disease, etc.). It’s focused on motivating the individual to change their behaviors. 

If an individual is already motivated to change, but having difficulty actually making the changes, motivational interviewing won’t be that effective. Instead, it’s geared towards the individuals that are motivated or unprepared to make those changes. It’s not for everyone, but it will help some.

Online Therapy Can Help Change Your Life

In the age of the COVID-19 pandemic, people are more stress and anxious than ever before. If they weren’t committed or motivated to changing their life for the better before, they definitely aren’t committed or motivated now. Well, that can all change with a commitment to therapy. 

For those that are unsure about visiting a brick-and-mortar therapist office or seeing a therapist in-person, online therapy is an effective and available option for anyone. To learn more about online therapy or get matched with a therapist today, contact our good friends at BetterHelp.

For more information about other types of online therapies, read more here: https://www.betterhelp.com/advice/therapy/the-requirements-for-online-speech-therapy-do-you-make-the-cut/.

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