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The Single Easiest Way to Take Care of Your Mental Health
Like the name suggests, online counseling is a term used to describe mental health counseling that you can receive from the comfort of your own home in front of your PC or right on your smartphone.
Often referred to as “e-counseling” or “internet counseling,” online counseling is a way for people to get easy, convenient, and reliable counseling at up to 65% less than traditional face-to-face counseling. In addition, you can speak with your counselor at any time of day from anywhere in the world. Whether you're heading out on a last-minute trip out of town or you're stuck at home, online counseling can work with your schedule.
The Often Overlooked Ways Online Counseling is Edging Out Face-to-Face Counseling
Access thousands of licensed counselors in a wide variety of specialties who intimately understands your unique struggles
Connect with counselors whenever problems arise so that you don't have to wait several days to unpack your emotions
Schedule your counseling sessions around your commitments so that when your schedule fills up, you never have to sacrifice self-care
Cut your expenses by up to 60% so that you never have to give up the things you love to pay for counseling
Switch counselors at no extra cost to make sure that you are always getting the support that you need
"Why Psychologists Across the U.S. Are Pushing for More Online Counseling"
The web may just be catching on to this phenomenon, but the US military is no stranger to the benefits of distance counseling. For more than 20 years, the military has been using a form of teletherapy to help soldiers work through anxiety and PTSD.
Half of the veterans were given face-to-face counseling at a VA center while the other half’s sessions were conducted by video conference from the comfort of the patients’ homes.
While those who were given at-home treatments were less prone to completing the program than those who visited the VA center, Acierno and his colleagues were surprised and inspired by the lack of success between the two modes of counseling.
College students are another population that studies have shown may benefit from web-assisted counseling. Megan Jones, PsyD, is an adjunct clinical assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Stanford University School of Medicine.
In 2004 she led a study for college students with eating disorders, and found that using a digital body-imaging program and web-based coaching through Lantern, an online counselingsite, increased students’ to become proactive about their disorder and seek follow-up care.
How to Use Online Counseling to Build a Life You Love
Most online providers offer 3 main types of counseling: real-time chat, video chat, and phone chat.
Email and text message counseling is popular with people who want to be able to think out their questions and write them out before asking. These tend to not be free-flowing conversations like with phone or video chats, but it gives you the time and space to process your thoughts before responding.
Video chat will require a reliable internet connection and will allow you to speak with a counselor face-to-face, if not in the same room. It’s intimate, personal, and allows you to establish a rapport that can be more difficult with the written word.
Real time chat puts you into a special line and allows you to chat back and forth with a counselor in real time. Think of it like having your own chat room with a counselor who’s there to listen to what ails you.
When you sign up for an online counseling service, you’ll typically be asked to take a short quiz to determine which sorts of issues you or your child are dealing with, which can be used to help the service find the best counselor possible.
How to Find Affordable Mental Health Care While Saving Up to $400/Month
The prices vary by company, but typically online counseling services charge a monthly fee to use the service, and don't charge by minute or hour or text. For instance, BetterHelp charges a flat fee of between $40-$70 per week, including all messaging, chats, phone, and video sessions.
Most online counseling is not covered by insurance. That being said, you'll actually end up paying as much as you would for a co-pay if not far less.
Plus, unlike traditional counseling, online counseling platforms allow you to chat with your counselor via the instant messenger at any time of day or night. Your counselor won't always be available, but you'll receive a response back at least several times a day.
So, not only will you receive a weekly video session for your payment, you'll also receive support wherever and whenever you need it.
By contrast, the price of traditional in-person counseling costs between $75-$150 per session, with some top-end providers charging upwards of $200 or $300per session.
In fact, for certain forms of counseling, such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and psychodynamic therapy, psychologists prefer to see their patients more than once a week. In fact, twice weekly visits are not uncommon.
A typical scenario, in which a patient visits their CBT-based provider weekly at $100 a session, would therefore work out at $400 a month, and approximately $4,800 per year, and that's without factoring in the cost of transportation to and from the office.
Why Hundreds of Thousands of People are Turning to Online Counseling for Support
"April tells me not what I want to hear, but what I need to hear. She then gives me the support and the space to process all the feelings that come with that. The healing process is hard work, but I feel like I’m not working alone anymore."
"The war I have raged on a daily basis to rise above feeling depressed and out-of-control in order to be a positive, productive member of the human race has been exhausting. We had our first EMDR session today and I have hope, for the first time in a really long time, that my secret, inner war could get easier for me."
"She listens, is caring, checks in when she doesn’t hear from me. I feel like she cares about my well-being."
"Susan is amazing in her insights and conversational approach. I am so glad and blessed to have found her and started healing with her guidance."
The Secret to Finding an Online Counseling Platform That Will Work For Your Life (Even if You've Never Had Counseling Before)
Before you sign up for an online counseling service, do a little research. Take a look at how the company screens its counselors and if their certification checks out. You can also look at online testimonials by customers to get an idea about the quality of service.
You’ll want to decide which types of counseling you want—chat, video, or email—and if they’re available through the service. If you’re interested in using the service on your smartphone, see if the company has a mobile app..
Look at the price also, and see if it fits your budget. In addition, see if you can quit the membership at any time, or if its binding.
8 Simple Ways to Know That Online Counseling is Definitely What You Need to Tackle Your Inner Demons For Good
Online counseling isn't right for just anyone. Here's how you'll know that it's right for you:
You're just starting counseling for the first time and you want to make sure it will fit into your schedule
You've tried counseling before, but you struggled to commit to weekly sessions or afford the high per-visit fee
You don't really think you need to commit to weekly sessions, but you'd like to have someone to talk to once in a while
You're brave enough to acknowledge that you could use support and you care about taking care of your mental health
You're always looking to improve and you're willing to invest time and energy into becoming the best version of yourself
You're aware that all of the counselors on the sites above are licensed counselors with years of experience in their fields
You know that hundreds of thousands of people rely on online counselors every year to get through hard times
You're ready to take a free evaluation and get matched with a counselor without making any commitments or subscribing to any long-term plans
If you said "yes" to at least 6 of the above, then click on the button below, and discover how much easier day-to-day challenges become when you have the help you need.
BetterHelp is one of the largest providers of online therapy services, letting you get matched with a licensed professional therapist in less than 24 hours. You’ll be able to communicate with your therapist by phone, video call, live chat, or text messaging.
While the platform doesn’t take insurance, it does offer financial aid for patients with tighter budgets.
Why we chose BetterHelp: BetterHelp’s app and online platform are both user-friendly, giving you access to self-help worksheets on various topics, including cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and conflict resolution.
Our experience: BetterHelp reviews are positive and the service is reasonably priced. We like the fact that BetterHelp counselors each go through a rigorous vetting process.
Faithful Counseling - Best for faith-based therapy for Christians
As of recent, Faithful Counseling merged with Betterhelp, which also delivers clinical therapy for Christians. Its therapists are all licensed and certified within their field and submit declarations as to their beliefs to ensure they conform to the statement of faith. When signing up for the service, you will be directed to fill out a questionnaire that will properly match you with a suitable Christian therapist.
A sophisticated matching process is employed to connect you with a therapist specializing in your mental health difficulties and your branch of Christianity. This means it’s a suitable platform if your faith is important and you wish to include biblical teachings in your therapy. Its easy sign-up process, clear and appealing display, and simple functionality in terms of booking appointments make it easy for Christians who want faith-based counseling.
Why we chose Faithful Counseling: Though Faithful Counseling merged with Betterhelp, Christian-centered therapy practices are still easy to access. The platform uniquely integrates clinical therapy with Christianity, ensuring a harmonious blend of faith and mental health support. Various Christian denominations are catered to, including Catholic, Protestant, Baptist, and others, allowing users to find counselors who resonate with their specific faith traditions. Spiritual practices like prayer, meditation, and scripture reading are also integrated. This online therapy provider is an ideal choice for believers who want to incorporate biblical principles into their counseling sessions.
ReGain offers convenient online relationship therapy for couples and individuals. Their service matches you with a licensed therapist specifically chosen to address your needs and goals. Its monthly subscription grants one live video or phone session per week, along with 24/7 access to an online therapist.
Why we chose ReGain: ReGain understands everyone’s situation is different and offers reduced fees to those with financial difficulties or disabilities.
Our experience: With ReGain, you can pick and choose your therapy appointments entirely around your schedule. This makes it a particularly convenient option if you are restricted in time.
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