Introduction: The Growing Popularity of Online Therapy
Online therapy for depression has become an increasingly popular option for individuals seeking mental health support. With technology making therapy more accessible, many people are turning to online therapists for depression instead of traditional in-person sessions. But is online therapy the right choice for you? This article explores the key benefits, effectiveness, and considerations of online therapy for depression.
What Is Online Therapy and How Does It Work?
If you have not engaged with online therapy before now, you might be wondering what it is all about!
Online therapy, or teletherapy, allows individuals to work with healthcare professionals via secure video platforms. Some individuals might also prefer to conduct sessions over the telephone. When you meet with a potential therapist, it is very important to figure out what mode of communication might work best for you. If you are seeking depression online therapy, there are likely different options that would best suit your needs. These are important conversations to have before you get started.
At Forward Thinking Psychological Services®, our virtual sessions are conducted through a secure platform called Owl Practice. This allows you to join secure sessions throughout Canada. It also allows for flexible scheduling, the elimination of commuting and you can receive support from the comfort of your own home. When meeting with a new therapist, it is important to ask about the different features of this platform to learn more about how it will work for you!
Let’s talk about the benefits of online therapy for depression in a bit more detail!
Key Benefits of Online Therapy for Depression
Accessibility and Convenience – When engaging in online therapy for depression, you are able to eliminate geographical barriers, making mental health care easier to access, especially if you are living in a remote area. People also find that the flexible scheduling afforded by depression therapy online can accommodate busy lifestyles and hectic schedules.
Comfort and Privacy – It is possible that you might feel more at ease within your own home when speaking to an online depression therapist. Sometimes people worry about seeing other people they know when going to a mental health clinic. Although this might not be the case for everyone, it can be important for some individuals. Individuals might also really value being able to discuss difficult topics from the comfort of their own homes. It might allow them to have a feeling of safety that may or may not be replicated within a therapist’s office. This can be a very individualized experience for people when they begin therapy.
More Therapist Options – When engaging in online therapy for depression, individuals can now access excellent therapists beyond their local regions, allowing individuals to find the right therapist for their needs. You are able to work with therapists who might not be available in your local area, such as therapists with specific training and experience in evidence-based treatments for depression.
Is Online Therapy as Effective as Traditional Therapy?
Research shows that online therapy for depression can be just as effective as in-person therapy, particularly for conditions like depression and anxiety. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), commonly used in online settings, has proven successful in treating depression virtually.
For example, a review by UCLA Health found that virtual therapy sessions are as effective as face-to-face interactions for most individuals dealing with depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder. These findings suggest that engaging in therapy for depression online can lead to meaningful improvements in mental health.
These types of studies are extremely important. They provide you with essential evidence that online therapy is effective and you can feel confident in seeking this out as a means of support for you or a family member.
Who Can Benefit Most from Online Therapy?
Online therapy is a great option for many individuals. This includes:
- People with busy schedules who might need greater flexibility in appointment times.
- Individuals in rural areas who often have limited access to local therapists.
- Those experiencing mobility challenges who find travel difficult.
- Teens and young adults who are comfortable with digital communication and enjoy teletherapy because they don’t have to rely on parents to make it to appointments on time or arrange for a lift home after sessions.
- People struggling with mild to moderate depression who do not require intensive in-person interventions. It is important to check whether any online therapy services offer more intensive services. Forward Thinking Psychological Services ® does offer intensive virtual therapy options and it might be a great fit for you as well.
How to Find the Right Online Therapist for You
Choosing the right online therapist for depression (or any other presenting issue) is essential for a successful therapy experience. Before you engage with any type of healthcare provider, you want to ensure that you have done your homework and feel comfortable with who you are meeting with.
These are some factors you should consider when trying to find someone that you would like to work with:
- Licensing and credentials – Ensure the therapist is licensed to practice in your geographical region. In Canada, psychologists are licensed by the province. This is true of other healthcare professionals too. However, some provinces have agreements with each other, which can afford you more options. At Forward Thinking Psychological Services ®, we have clinicians who can work in Ontario, Nova Scotia, British Columbia and New Brunswick.
- Therapist areas of focus – You want to inquire as to whether your therapist has worked with individuals with depression before. Is this part of their routine practice? Have they seen other individuals with presentations that are similar to yours? These are all reasonable questions that you should be comfortable asking.
- Platform security – It is essential to choose a reputable platform that ensures privacy and confidentiality. You can always ask your therapist about the security and encryption within the platform and ensure that you feel comfortable.
- Therapeutic approach – It is important that you understand the treatment interventions used by the therapist you are meeting with. You will want to look for a therapist who can discuss evidence-based approaches for depression therapy online. One such approach, cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT), has decades of evidence to support its effectiveness for symptoms of depression. It has also been found to be effective when delivered through online therapy.
When you are receiving CBT for depression you will learn a variety of helpful tools and strategies, such as:
- Learning connections between thoughts, feelings and behaviours
- Learn tools that will help you shift thoughts through behaviour change or modifications to unhelpful thinking styles
- Learning present moment awareness
- Learning about core beliefs and the role they might play in your depression
- Learning how to unhook from negative thoughts and feelings and make choices in the service of your values and what matters most to you
Overcoming Common Concerns About Online Therapy
People experience different concerns when starting therapy and they might also have fears that are specific to online therapy. When starting depression online therapy you might experience a range of questions.
Here are some common concerns that you might have experienced!
1. “Will I feel connected to my therapist?”
Many people worry that online therapy could feel impersonal, but we know now that strong therapeutic relationships can be built through virtual communication. The success of online therapy increased due to the limitations of the Covid-19 pandemic. However, it has continued well past that time because there are many advantages and benefits that online therapy has afforded people, including the ability to connect and engage with best-fit therapists outside of one’s neighbourhood. This has enabled people to have greater choices when it comes to finding a therapist they can truly connect with.
2. “Is my information secure?”
Reputable platforms use encryption methods to encrypt your data and store it safely. Whenever you meet with a therapist, ask them about the online platform being used to ensure that it complies with privacy laws such as in your province as well as the college requirements of the clinician you are meeting with.
3. “What if I need immediate support?”
Online therapy is not suitable for emergencies, so it’s important to have crisis resources available if needed. If you’re in immediate distress, crisis hotlines or emergency services should be contacted. You can ask your therapist for these resources when you meet with them. This will allow you to collaboratively build a safety plan should you need anything in a crisis situation.
Final Thoughts: Where Can I Find Therapy for Depression Online?
Online therapy has definitely proven itself to be a flexible, accessible, and effective option for managing depression. Whether you’re new to therapy or seeking a more convenient approach, working with an online depression therapist can help you take meaningful steps toward better mental health.
Do you want to learn more about online therapy for depression? Does Forward Thinking Psychological Services® offer therapy that would be a good fit for you? Please reach out to us today and learn more about all the therapy services that we offer to help you with symptoms of depression! 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 depression as well as OCD, anxiety, trauma and other mental health disorders.
Contact us and learn more about our team as well as our CBT offerings for adults and teens. We look forward to hearing from you!
References
Driessen E, Hollon SD. Cognitive behavioral therapy for mood disorders: efficacy, moderators and mediators. Psychiatr Clin North Am. 2010 Sep;33(3):537-55. doi: 10.1016/j.psc.2010.04.005. PMID: 20599132; PMCID: PMC2933381.
UCLA Health: Is Online Therapy Right for You?
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.
