7 Best Online Therapy: 2023 Top Online Therapy Programs

Sitting in an enclosed space with another person isn’t as attractive as it used to be. At the same time, more people are seeking out the sort of help a therapist can provide.

The solution to that conundrum is teletherapy, taking therapy sessions online through texting, phone calls, and video calls. People have been using teleconferencing tools for years, all the while mocking the more ridiculous or frustrating aspects of internet communication.

Despite that, many people have found teletherapy a meaningful and useful form of counseling. There are a few downsides, but you may prefer its convenience and comfort.

Top 7 Best Online Therapy in 2023

Benefits of Online Therapy

For many people suffering from mental health concerns, never leaving the house again sounds great. That’s not a great reason to switch to an online therapy platform, but there are plenty of great reasons to do so. Not everyone will find it works well for them and for those people, in-person treatment may always be preferable.

If you’re already used to in-person sessions, switching to an online therapy platform may take some adjustment. However, many people find they much prefer online counseling^[1].

Safe Space

There are just a few things required for successful mental health counseling, but at the top of the list is a feeling of safety. Sharing emotions, fears, and insecurities is scary for most of us, perhaps even more so for those of us who struggle with mental health. 

However, sharing those sorts of personal, intimate details is a key aspect of many types of therapy. The more comfortable you are, the more able you are to overcome hesitancy and fear that are obstacles in therapy.

Where do you feel safer or more comfortable than your own home? You can even have your appointment in your own room in your PJs, or however else you want. Many people find that makes the process of counseling much easier.

Better Than In Person

There can be a couple of downsides to online therapy. Some people find it harder to make a connection to their therapist online. The experience of talking to a little face on a screen, or even just texting a username, creates an obstacle for emotional support.

It also can make things more difficult for the therapist, as they have a harder time reading the nuances of body language that is a big part of their job.

Despite both of those limitations, many people still find the experience of using online therapy platforms preferable. There are probably a few reasons for that. One big reason is that it removes a lot of the off-putting aspects of traditional counseling.

Of course, you no longer have to go to a therapist’s office. Instead, they have to come to your turf. Offices can be intimidating places because it’s a more formal environment. For some people, that environment meets their needs. For others, it puts another obstacle in the way of seeking help. 

It is also much easier to make appointments with an online therapy platform. Rather than calling and trying to find a time that fits, most services just have a calendar from which you can pick a date and time.

Convenient

It’s always nice when something is a little easier to use or get to. When you’re struggling with mental health issues, even a small bump in convenience makes a tremendous difference. It can often be the difference between seeking out help and struggling alone.

As a result, the added convenience of online therapy really can make a profound difference. Many services will offer some degree of communication at any time, so you can reach out when you’re struggling. On days when you’re struggling to get out of the house, or even out of bed, you can still make it to your appointment on time to address your mental health concerns.

Additionally, after your appointment, there’s no stressful drive home. You can stay where you are and continue to care for yourself in a low-stress environment.

Just as Effective

In many contexts, even when facing even quite serious mental health challenges, working with online therapists can be just as effective as face-to-face therapy^[2]. There are a few adjustments that have to be made.

For example, some people found that therapists, as well as clients, have to get used to it. Not only can video or phone therapy make some things more difficult, but video chat can also change the whole dynamic of how therapy works. They may need to work harder to connect with clients. They may also need to use online handouts.

With all of those adjustments made, however, therapy is therapy. Even soldiers with PTSD have found that online therapy is an effective way of dealing with their issues. They even reported that while they did find it was harder to connect to their therapist, that didn’t impact the effectiveness of the therapy.

How To Find The Best Online Therapy Sites

There are some things that you can skimp a little on quality and it’s not a big deal. Healthcare, and particularly mental health care, probably isn’t one of those things. Finding a quality service that can connect you to a helpful counselor can be very important. 

There are a number of important aspects to consider when considering an online therapy service. Perhaps most important is being able to find a therapist you are happy to work with and can help.

That’s tough to figure out before you sign up, however, so you have to start with some other considerations. 

Licensing and certification

Every mental health professional you work with should be licensed and certified, which may go without saying. Licensing and certification standards and requirements are specific to your state, in most cases. Luckily, the majority of online therapy services can figure that out for you, only listing therapists that are in your area.

However, it may be worth double-checking. The certifications that a licensed therapist holds should be listed in their profile. Examples of mental health counselor certifications include:

• Licensed Clinical Social workers (LCSW)
• Addiction or recovery specialist
• Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC)
• Psychology (masters or doctorate)
• Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC)
• Nationally Certified Counselor

There are also a variety of other certifications for specific specialties.

Cost

In many ways, mental healthcare is as important as your physical health, so you can’t really go without it. Therapy is generally fairly expensive, so any way to save a penny is nice. You might expect an online service to be even more expensive than in-person therapy, as you’re getting a bunch more bells and whistles with those services.

In reality, most of these services are comparable in cost to in-person therapy. Even when factoring in the potential for insurance to pay for part of traditional therapy, online therapy can be more affordable. 

As with anything else, if you can pay more you’ll probably be able to access a higher level of care. Even some of the more complete services like BetterHelp and Talkspace are affordable for most people. 

Specialty Available

Not all therapists are equipped to deal with every problem. Like a medical doctor, most therapists will focus on a few specific types of illnesses. It might be a specialty in a type of therapy, like dialectical behavioral therapy. That is a type of therapy that focuses on mindfulness and tolerating distress, with a focus on improving interpersonal interactions.

Other specialties might be more practical, for example, career counseling. Teen counseling, family and couples counseling, and group therapy are all methods of therapy that can be useful for some difficulties. Group counseling, for example, has been found to be particularly effective in dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder.

Other types of specialties focus on specific types of mental challenges and illnesses. Usually, those are more serious conditions. Examples include things like:

• Eating Disorders
• Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)
• Panic Disorder
• Major Depressive Disorder
• Persistent depressive disorder
• Post-traumatic stress disorder
• Addiction recovery

There are as many different specialties as there are mental illnesses. On most services, you can find a specialist to help with the majority of common mental challenges. 

Messaging vs. Regular Appointments

We’ve talked a little bit about the fact that online therapy can make things a little more difficult or awkward. Most people are more used to working over video chat than we were a year ago, but it still can be less than ideal. 

While it can be difficult, the communication gap can usually be filled by using the other methods of communication made available. A big draw for online therapy is the ability to connect wherever you happen to be. Many services supplement that by allowing you to reach out for help whenever you need it.

That sort of on-demand help can take a couple of different forms. The most common may be allowing unlimited text messaging. It can be a very useful feature. However, you won’t necessarily hear back from your counselor right away. Many have quite reasonable policies about limiting times when they’ll reply.

Some services do offer truly on-demand counseling, with life coaches or other specialists available for an appointment on the spot. With those options, you’ll rarely have the option of working with the same therapist consistently.

It’s important to find a mix of communication methods that work best for you.

Security and Confidentiality

There are some pretty strict rules about keeping medical information confidential^[3], even more so when it comes to therapists. If all of that information is being sent over the internet, however, there’s a chance that your private information could be exposed. 

That can include private thoughts, text messages, and other personal details. Security and confidentiality are therefore of key importance when it comes to online therapy. 

Of course, these services are aware of that fact and are held to high standards. Security features are often just part of the package, as a result.

For example, text messages will usually be kept in a secure texting ‘room’ which only you and your therapist will have access to. If you change therapists or leave the service, that information might be wholly wiped so that no one can get to it.

All of these services are held to the same standards of confidentiality that any therapist would be. If you’re unable to find information about security precautions, you may want to look elsewhere.

Final Thought

It may be due to a rise in mental illness^[4], or simply that more people are comfortable admitting they need help. Whatever the reason, it seems likely that teletherapy is here to stay. Technology definitely doesn’t make everything better.

One thing technology can do really well is bring people together in new ways. This is certainly happening with teletherapy. There are more and more services available, all of which can connect people in need to those that can help them. 

Frequently Asked Questions

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