Does this sound familiar? Many people who have not tried virtual counseling sessions are reluctant to try it and have a lot of misconceptions. Virtual therapy aims to make sessions as seamless as if you were physically with your therapist. Before the pandemic, I had never conducted any virtual sessions with clients, and I had some of the same questions. But after a few short weeks of trying it out, I realized that virtual therapy really is not that different from in-person therapy. I continued to do the exact same type of counseling work that I had been doing before the pandemic with clients entirely virtually (both group and individual sessions) for over a year. I found that my clients were able to make the same progress and experience breakthroughs for themselves at the same rate that I saw them make progress when I was in person with them. 

So what is needed to have a successful virtual session?

Two things: A private environment and a stable internet connection. Ideally, plan to take your session from a room in your home where no one else can overhear you or plan your session at a time when you are home alone. Another option is using earbuds or headphones so that others who might overhear cannot hear your therapist, and potentially asking anyone else present in your home to play music or also use headphones. If that’s not possible, ask yourself if you mind your loved ones potentially overhearing part of your session. The need for privacy in an individual session is solely for your own comfort as you discuss very personal topics in therapy. If your loved ones are present, within earshot for part of the session, perhaps only discuss topics that you would be comfortable with your loved ones overhearing until the time that you can have more privacy. 

Can I drive, go shopping, watch my kids, etc., while attending my session?

For you to get the most out of your session, you will want to limit multitasking during your session as much as possible. This is because you will not be able to focus, connect, and learn the most when your attention is divided. At Breakthrough Therapeutic Services, we have a strict no-driving while in session policy to prevent potentially dangerous distracted driving. If it is during a group session, being out in public is also not permitted due to the need to protect the confidentiality of the other group members. If childcare cannot be obtained, watching your children is permitted. 

How can I tell that my internet is strong enough for virtual sessions?

Without getting too technical, there should be a few obvious signs that your internet speed is slow. Examples include: webpages taking more than a couple of seconds to load, frequent calls dropping, or cutting out for both phone and video calls when you are at home and connected to Wi-Fi. You can test your internet speed here: speedtest.net. Your speed for upload should be at least 1.5 Mbps for download speed and at least 1 Mbps for upload speed. If this is too technical and you are still not sure if you have adequate internet speed to attend virtual sessions, give us a call today and we can provide a free consultation to help you decide if our services are right for you. 

Is teletherapy as effective as in-person therapy?

I am so glad you asked! There has been ample research since the COVID-19 pandemic started that virtual counseling sessions are just as effective as in-person sessions regarding the actual therapy outcomes. For example, one study assessed outcomes from more than a thousand people and found that those who attended virtual sessions had just as favorable outcomes as those who attended in-person sessions (Bulkes et al, 2021). Another article compiled information from several other studies and found that therapy outcomes were linked with the strength of the therapeutic alliance (client and therapist relationship connection) regardless of what mode of therapy was used, face-to-face or virtual/hybrid (Kaiser et al, 2021). Still another article analyzed existing research on virtual therapy treatments and found that clients rated their connection with their virtual therapist equally to those who met with a therapist face-to-face. Finally, another study analyzed 38 other articles across 10 different medical disciplines, including counseling/psychology/psychiatry, and found that the outcomes for telehealth sessions were just as effective, if not more effective than face-to-face care (Snoswell et al, 2023). 

I took the time to briefly compile the above research as evidence for my conviction that virtual therapy can be highly effective. I believe this because I have experienced powerful and meaningful therapeutic sessions with clients for years. However, when it comes down to it, it is up to you to decide what modality of therapy will allow you to be the most comfortable to share in a vulnerable way with your therapist. 

“I couldn’t possibly connect with a therapist over a computer.”

“Therapy is already uncomfortable enough without all the complications of technology.”

“Is virtual therapy as effective as in-person therapy?”

References:
Berger T. The therapeutic alliance in internet interventions: A narrative review and suggestions for future research. Psychother Res. 2017 Sep;27(5):511-524. https://doi.org/10.1080/10503307.2015.1119908. Epub 2016 Jan 6. PMID: 26732852.
 
Bulkes NZ, Davis K, Kay B, Riemann BC. Comparing efficacy of telehealth to in-person mental health care in intensive-treatment-seeking adults. J Psychiatr Res. 2022 Jan;145:347-352. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychires.2021.11.003. Epub 2021 Nov 3. PMID: 34799124; PMCID: PMC8595951.
 
Kaiser, J., Hanschmidt, F., & Kersting, A. (2021). The association between therapeutic alliance and outcome in internet-based psychological interventions: A meta-analysis. Computers in Human Behavior, 114, Article 106512. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2020.106512

Snoswell CL, Chelberg G, De Guzman KR, et al. The clinical effectiveness of telehealth: A systematic review of meta-analyses from 2010 to 2019. Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare. 2023;29(9):669-684. https://doi.org/10.1177/1357633X211022907