Online Therapy: Changing Mental Health Services
Online therapy, also known as telepsychology, has exploded across the globe. Although there were some online therapy services offered prior to COVID-19, they became immensely popular during the global pandemic. During that time mental health needs dramatically increased and access to online therapy was essential. Clinicians learned to pivot to offering online counselling for a number of different mental health issues. Secure platforms were developed to ensure that these services could be offered seamlessly and effectively.
Online therapy has been found to offer many advantages to in-person therapy services. This blog will discuss these advantages, as well as the effectiveness and success of online therapy. It is clear that online counselling is here to stay within the landscape of mental health services. And there is a good reason for that!
You might be wondering how you can choose the best online therapy services for yourself. That can depend on a number of factors, and we will discuss that in our blog as well!
Online Therapy: Removing Logistical Barriers
It is important to focus on the accessibility provided to individuals when accessing online therapy. This, in and of itself, accounts for a large portion of its success. Living in a busy city can offer several in-person therapy services. However, commuting to these services can often be time consuming and expensive. People need to factor in time lost from working, gas expenses for driving and parking. A 60-minute therapy session can easily turn into two hours or more from one’s work responsibilities. And that might not be feasible on a weekly basis.
Attending virtual therapy takes away the stress of the commute and the challenge of finding and paying for parking. Individuals can easily schedule an appointment during their lunch hour or during any breaks that they might have available to them during the day. The only time spent in therapy is the actual time that one is attending the session.
Individuals with mobility issues no longer have to worry about getting to and from an appointment when engaging in online therapy sessions. Individuals are also able to access their therapist during the course of a busy day and from flexible locations that might suit the individual better.
There are other logistical barriers that are broken down by the advent of virtual therapy. Prior to the expansive offering of online therapy services, individuals in rural settings and small towns might have been placed at a disadvantage. They might have been fortunate to have experienced clinicians nearby, but this was not always the case. Further, some individuals might be looking for very particular services or areas of focus that not every clinician has the ability to deliver. With the advent of online mental health counseling, individuals are able to access more individuals regardless of where they live in Canada.
For example, individuals looking for online OCD treatment might not have access to a clinic which focuses on this type of care. When receiving services for OCD counselling, it is imperative to work with a clinician who has received training in evidence-based treatments for individuals with OCD. Ensuring that your clinician knows how to deliver ERP-based CBT is essential. They might also be familiar with other interventions, such as Inference Based CBT (I-CBT) for OCD and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for OCD. These are all evidence-based approaches and individuals should ask their clinicians about their training and experience with these approaches.
It is also important to ask about a clinician’s experience with the delivery of online therapy for OCD. You want to ensure that they adhere to practice guidelines for telepsychology and are able to explain the measures that have been taken to ensure confidentiality and safety within the virtual space where services are being provided.
Online therapy for OCD services also allows therapists to carry out exposures within the very environment an individual might be experiencing them – their home. Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) coaching can occur in different aspects of the home environment, such as the kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom. Your therapist can coach you through a variety of exposures within these contexts – and this would never be possible within an office setting. Some examples of virtual therapy ERP sessions include:
- Coaching during toothbrush rituals which may involve decreasing time spent brushing teeth and decreasing other types of rituals during brushing teeth (feelings of just rightness, counting during brushing etc.)
- Coaching during knife use in the kitchen (harm-related OCD thoughts), touching knives and using increasingly larger knives to prepare food
- Coaching during laundry and cleaning activities to help navigate washing and contamination-related rituals
The possibilities are endless! Virtual therapy sessions within one’s home can help with activities of daily living, cleaning and organizing within the home, as well as grooming behaviours.
One might envision being able to access any online therapist within all of Canada, but the accessibility is not quite as widespread as that! An online psychologist is generally able to provide telepsychology to individuals living in the province in which they have been licensed.
For example, a psychologist who is a registered clinical psychologist in Ontario can then provide virtual therapy services to any individual living within Ontario. More recently, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick also recognize a Canadian license, thereby enabling a psychologist to provide services in either of those provinces. This is a wonderful development and has enhanced the accessibility of online mental health counseling. Over time, we might witness more reciprocity of online therapy services across provincial lines. This would enable individuals to have access to a wide variety of mental health therapists who deliver telepsychology.
At FTPS, we have been able to offer online counselling in various parts of Canada. Currently, we provide virtual therapy sessions in Ontario, Nova Scotia, British Columbia and New Brunswick. Some of our associates are licensed in BC, which allows for these services to be provided across the country. We are delighted to be able to break down some of these logistical barriers and offer services to individuals who might have difficulty accessing them within their own city or town.
Online Therapy: Evidence of Effectiveness
Individuals receiving online therapy services can rest assured that we now have a great deal of research to demonstrate its effectiveness.
For example, research has shown us that OCD treatment online is effective. What does the research tell us?
In a 2022 study, a large group of individuals with OCD received video teletherapy. It was found that “Treatment resulted in clinically and statistically significant improvements, with a 43.4% mean reduction in obsessive-compulsive symptoms (g=1.0; 95% CI 0.93 to 1.03) and a 62.9% response rate”. Furthermore, “treatment also resulted in a 44.2% mean reduction in depression, a 47.8% mean reduction in anxiety, and a 37.3% mean reduction in stress symptoms. Quality of life improved by a mean of 22.7%” These results are very exciting and meaningful!
These results were statistically significant and the effect size was large and similar to studies that are conducted with in-person Exposure and Response Prevention therapy. This is wonderful evidence that online treatment for OCD is effective and very similar to therapy that is conducted in person.
Another recent study, conducted in 2020, “Psychotherapy at a Distance,” found that the delivery of online video therapy, primarily for cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), has been as effective as in-person therapy. The study found that “remote therapy grants the therapist revealing glimpses of a patient’s home and life.” Interactions with children, pets, roommates and spouses that can be heard or witnessed while the individual is in their own personal space will be more genuine glimpses into that person’s world.
Finally, a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs; gold standard research evidence) for in-person versus CBT was conducted in 2018. These researchers reported that “moderate certainty evidence showed little to no difference in the effectiveness of in-person and therapist guided remote CBT across a range of mental health and somatic disorders, suggesting potential for the use of therapist guided remote CBT to facilitate greater access to evidence based care.”
Overall, the research confirms the effectiveness of online therapy services allowing individuals to feel both comfortable and confident when engaging in evidence-based online counselling.
Conclusion: Recognizing the Immense Potential of Online Therapy
We hope this blog provided you with a lot of helpful information regarding the benefits of online therapy services and how it has been changing the landscape of mental health across the world.
In summary:
- Online therapy services are convenient, accessible and flexible
- There is excellent research to support the benefits of engaging with online treatment for OCD, anxiety, depression and other mental health disorders
- This approach allows individuals to access essential mental health services that might not otherwise be possible!
Now that you know how beneficial online therapy can be, you might be wondering where you can find it! Does FTPS provide online therapy services near me? We certainly do! We provide online therapy sessions across Canada, specifically in Ontario, Nova Scotia, British Columbia and New Brunswick. We work with youth and adults who are experiencing moderate to very severe symptoms of OCD, anxiety, depression, trauma and other mental health disorders.
Contact us and learn more about our team as well as our CBT offerings for OCD therapy for adults and teens. We look forward to hearing from you!
References
https://cpa.ca/cpa-releases-telepsychology-guidelines-september-2023/
https://healthsci.mcmaster.ca/is-remote-therapy-effective-mcmaster-researchers-find-its-just-as-good-as-in-person-care
https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/psychological-medicine/article/internetbased-cognitive-behaviour-therapy-for-obsessivecompulsive-disorder-a-randomized-controlled-trial/E01D721BD9DD51A01C55BF3F53E04A98
https://psychiatryonline.org/doi/10.1176/appi.ajp.2020.20050557
https://www.cmaj.ca/content/196/10/E327
DISCLAIMER: This content is meant for informational and educational purposes only. Only a licensed psychologist or psychiatrist can diagnose a mental health disorder. The content of this website is not meant to be a substitute for therapy. Visiting this website should not be considered to be equivalent to a relationship with FTPS. Mental health concerns should only be discussed in the context of providing professional services after the consent process has been completed with a qualified FTPS associate outside of our website.