Online Counselling for Albertans
Everything You Need to Know About Online Counselling: Pros, Cons, and How to Decide if It's Right for You
Are you considering online counselling? Wondering if it's the right choice for you? This post will give you all the pros and cons of online counselling, risks, how to know if its the right fit for you, and how to prepare for an online session. Whether you're struggling with your mood, relationship problems, or just need someone to talk to, online counselling could be a great option for you. So keep reading to find out more!
I have been an advocate for alternative counselling settings for many years, because sometimes life just gets in the way of attending an office setting. I started my career and did most of it in an outreach setting, where I would meet people at their homes, coffee shops, parks, or went on walks with people to talk. I loved it. I also am the type of person to get ‘cabin fever’ if I am stuck in one office all day, so I am glad that alternative options like this are here to stay.
Here at Bloom Narratives, we prioritize making sure individuals have as much control and choice over their care as possible.
Because healing oppression means the inclusion of choice.
So let’s talk about one of those choices you may be thinking about: online counselling.
So What Exactly is Online Counselling?
Online counselling is a process that allows individuals to receive help via the internet. It can be done through text, audio, or video chat, and is often used to treat issues such as anxiety, depression, stress, feeling stuck, and substance use (to name a few).
Online counselling has become a very popular option since the COVID pandemic began, and a lot of people have found it to be a great alternative to going in person to a brick and mortar office.
Keep reading and I’ll tell you more about what I have seen and experienced both as a patient receiving therapy virtually and as a therapist who has many clients who see me virtually.
How does Online Counselling compare to Traditional Therapy?
The most obvious difference between online counselling and traditional therapy is the medium through which care is delivered. Online counselling takes place over the internet, usually via video call or phone call. Because of this, a lot of non-verbal body language is missed by both the individual receiving therapy and the therapist.
As we will discuss below, some forms of therapy are not available with online counselling. These include therapies where additional materials or structured space are required, like play, art, and trauma therapies.
Pros and Cons of Online Counselling
If you're considering whether or not online counselling is right for you, it's important to consider your goals for treatment, whether or not you feel comfortable with this type of communication, and weigh the pros and cons. You'll also want to make sure that you find a reputable therapist who is licensed and insured. Most therapists offer free consultations to help you ask questions and decide if they are right for you—I can’t stress this enough…take them up on this.
There are many benefits of online counselling, including:
The ability to access it from anywhere in the world (though, mental health professionals can often only see people in the jurisdiction they are licensed in),
The anonymity it offers,
The convenience of being able to fit it into your schedule,
It reduces barriers of transportation (and with gas prices these days…definitely a nice option),
It’s a great backup if you don’t end up having childcare, or wake up with the sniffles,
You can still find the support you need to reach your goals.
While online counselling has many benefits, it's important to remember that it's not for everyone.
Now let’s move on to some cons of online counselling:
If you're struggling with severe mental health issues, or if you have a history of self-harm, it's important to seek professional help in person.
Trauma therapist is not recommended as us therapists need to be able to see your body language and be able to intervene just in case a session becomes really difficult.
Online counselling is limited to talk therapy, making alternative-based therapies like sandtray, expressive arts, or play therapy challenging (it’s not impossible, but it is more difficult).
Technology… need I say more? Sometimes it sucks and can impact sessions due to connectivity or device issues.
The therapist can’t ensure confidentiality in your space or your device.
And…We’ve Got to Talk About Risks:
There are some potential risks associated with online counselling, such as the possibility of identity theft or fraud, and the potential for confidential information to be shared without your consent. It's important to only use reputable, licensed services, and to never give out personal information such as your credit card number or Social Security number.
When you have a consultation with the therapist, you can ask them if they use secure software specifically designed for counselling sessions, which can help you make that decision.
Confidentiality issues can also emerge on your end.
Counsellors are still required to be in a private and secure space, but they can’t control that on your end (we have a lot of control issues when it comes to confidentiality—it’s a thing, and we take it very seriously), so whether your cat hops up onto the computer and accidently starts screen recording, your roommate walks into the room, or you are in session in a non-private environment, just know that there could be some confidentiality risks on your end of the device.
How to Know if Online Counselling is Right for You
If you're not sure whether or not online counselling is right for you, it's a good idea to speak with your regular therapist or doctor. They can help you weigh the pros and cons of this type of treatment and make a recommendation based on your individual needs. Additionally, you can experiment using a free consultation with a therapist to see if you feel a connection virtually and compare that to seeing someone in person.
You’ll know it’s right for you if you feel a safe connection with the therapist, if you are finding it easy to share how you are feeling, and if you are finding your connection is reliable.
You’ll know it (or the therapist) isn’t the right fit if you feel worse after session, if technology is stressing you out and isn’t working properly, or if you don’t like it.
How to Prepare for Online Counselling?
To participate in online counselling, you'll need a computer or other device with a reliable (and fast) internet connection, and a webcam or microphone if you want to participate in video or audio sessions.
So let’s get you ready for your first online session!
A lot of clients find it helpful to get a water or hot tea/coffee, a cozy place to sit, noise cancelling headphones if there is background noise that can be distracting, a pen, and a notebook. We therapists can’t hand you worksheets or handouts as easily virtually, so we may direct you to look something up, and writing it down is a good reminder.
I’ve been doing online counselling since March 2022, and I have seen tech issues emerge both on my end and on the client’s end, over and over and often unpredictably. Sooo… try and sign on a few minutes beforehand so that you can test your audio/visual without stress.
Here at Bloom Narratives, we use a secure privacy-compliant software called Jane App. Jane will send you a link 30 minutes prior to your online session (see right) that will bring you right to the waiting room of the session. She’ll also let you know if you need to fill out any paperwork before the session.
Online Therapists Available at Bloom Narratives
All of our therapists at Bloom Narratives offer online sessions to Albertans, and some offer online counselling to other Canadians:
Are you considering online counselling?
Our therapists are here to answer any questions you may have and help you decide if online counselling is the right fit for you. Schedule a free consultation today and see how we can help.