Is online counseling the right choice for you? If you're considering online therapy, take a look at the top questions people have about online counseling options. 

Why Choose Online Therapy Over In-Person Counseling?

There isn't one universal reason to choose an online mental health therapy option over the traditional in-person version. Every person is different and has individual therapeutic needs. Not only are your therapy needs different from other adults who seek mental health services, but your overall health and lifestyle needs differ too. 

While there isn't one standard list of reasons to choose an online option, some of the most common benefits of online therapy include:

  • Flexibility. Is finding time in your busy day for anything other than work and family obligations/activities a challenge? Online options provide a greater degree of scheduling flexibility.

  • No travel time. You won't need to drive, take the bus, or find another way to get to the therapist's office with online sessions. Instead, you can complete therapy from the comfort of your own home or just about anywhere else.

  • Privacy. Are you an extremely private person? Online sessions from your home eliminate the need to go into a public medical building or office.

  • Increased health risk. Are you immunocompromised or just sick of getting sick? Online therapy provides person-to-person interactions without physical contact.

Along with these reasons to consider an online option, virtual therapy also offers the same benefits you would expect from traditional in-person counseling. These include improved mental health, diagnosis of disorders, and recommendations for treatment. 

How Can Online Therapy Improve Your Mental Health?

What can virtual counseling treat and how can you improve your mental health through this type of therapy? The mental health issues therapists treat via virtual sessions depend on the professional's areas of expertise. Common reasons to seek online treatment include:

  • Depression. Twenty-one million Americans experience a major depressive episode each year, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). If you experience more than just occasional or situational sadness, online therapy can help.

  • Anxiety. Do you feel anxious most of the time, have panic attacks, or have a fear/phobia that interferes with daily life? NAMI notes that anxiety disorders affect 48 million people annually. Online counseling can reduce anxiety-related issues.

  • Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). According to NAMI, nine million people experience PTSD annually. Like depression and anxiety, online therapeutic treatment can help you to overcome PTSD and its symptoms.

Along with these disorders, virtual therapy can help couples, parents and children, children, or entire families through major life transitions—such as death, divorce, changing jobs, remarriage,  or other similar issues.  

Contact a local therapist to learn more about online therapy.

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