How to Choose Best Online Mental Health Services
Before we dive into our extensive buyer’s guide, we would love to emphasize the importance of consulting a physician to establish any deficiencies that might influence your mood. It has been proven, for instance, that the lack of certain vitamins might lead to mood fluctuations. Doing some blood work will help determine which vitamins you should take in order to alleviate the existing symptoms.
That said, more often than not, the worsening of mental state asks for more intensive treatment. More and more people seem to start realizing that as they are looking up “online therapy for free.”
If you aren’t sure how to pick the most suitable therapy for you, read on.
Online vs. In-Person Counseling
Many people wonder if virtual therapy is as good as in-person therapy. Studies have shown that online sessions are just as effective as in-person counseling.
What makes online therapy platforms even more appealing is that they’re more affordable in general. Another factor that contributes to the increasing popularity of virtual therapy is the ease-of-use and constant mental health support, as you can access most text-based chats at any time. In other words, mental health services will be tailored to your individual needs.
Moreover, if you have social anxiety, online therapy is likely to be more accommodating as most online counseling sites offer several communication channels. All in all, online therapy enables you to curate the experience you are craving to get.
Types of Counseling
To decide which site is the best for you, double-check if the site under consideration offers the type of counseling you are looking for.
First, we suggest that you make a list of things that are troubling you. Make sure to write them out so that you have a clearer idea of what you are trying to find.
Second, go through online therapy sites and check if their therapists are qualified to help with your issues. What’s more, if you’re looking for a specific approach to therapy, make sure to locate information regarding this. If there’s no information about approaches to therapy, you might want to contact customer service and inquire about it.
Flexibility
Flexibility is yet another aspect worth your consideration.
Many of you are most likely extremely busy, meaning that scheduling sessions might pose a serious challenge. On top of that, many people don’t have access to affordable means of transportation. In other words, making it to in-person counseling is daunting for quite a number of people.
That’s where the best online counseling sites come in handy. Most online services offer 24/7 availability. That means you can message your counselor any time you want, or you can chat with volunteer listeners who will provide you with emotional support.
That said, keep in mind that some platforms are only available through workdays, eight hours per day.
Another key element of flexibility is the number of devices you can use. With most of us glued to our phones, it comes as no wonder that the best platforms out there offer mobile apps for more convenience.
On-Site Toolbox and Other Important Information
It goes without saying that the most prominent online therapy services are the ones that are transparent. Surely, you’d want detailed information regarding one’s services so that you can make an informed decision.
It’s crucial that an online therapy site discloses information about its privacy policy, cancellation policy, and therapists’ selection, to name a few. Sharing this vital information is what gains customers’ trust.
Furthermore, many quality therapy websites offer a lot of additional information about mental health. Whether you have a certain type of anxiety or struggle with stress, you’re likely to find worksheets, meditation tips, yoga videos, and much more. Additional resources most definitely complement online mental health counseling and raise your overall awareness of mental health.
Anonymity
One of the main reasons many people opt for virtual-based therapy is the option to stay anonymous. Understandably, not everyone’s comfortable with identifying themselves.
That’s why we suggest that you check a company’s privacy policy before hitting that “subscribe” button. Most sites realize the importance of this aspect and provide all the necessary information about encryption and other techniques aimed to protect your privacy.
Moreover, we urge you to check how you can protect your identity in online counseling sessions. In other words, double-check what you are expected to share and see if you’re comfortable with that.
Being able to stay unknown and still get much-needed help is certainly one of the key benefits of virtual counseling.
Conclusion
Even though there are numerous treatments that alleviate anxiety and reduce stress, more and more people flock to therapy.
No matter what led you to seek online help, we believe you are to take this seriously and put all the time and effort into selecting mental health services. We also understand that it might be overwhelming, which is why we came up with this extensive guide to make it all a piece of cake.
Our team hopes that you will find the help you need. Check our list of the best online therapy sites to start your healing journey.