How Online Therapy Sessions Have Changed in Recent Years

Websites offering in-depth information and advice related to medical conditions are not a new concept. Where there is a medical condition, there is a website with information that can be a great resource as people seek to learn more about for what ails them. Websites dedicated to mental health are no exception. In recent years sites offering online therapy sessions have evolved quite a bit.

Online therapy, also known as e-therapy, e-counseling or cyber-counseling, has grown from a predominate email and forum-based style of communication to being able to receive real-time care simply by logging onto your laptop, PC or mobile device. While, for the sake of convenience, many people still enjoy a text-based style of online therapy sessions, the progression of technology now allows for therapists to offer HIPPA compliant, real-time video and audio-based therapy sessions.

For some patients, this can offer many advantages including the convenience of meeting from the comfort of their own home or office.  There can also be considerable financial savings as web-based therapy sessions are typically less expensive than meeting at a therapist’s office.

Another aspect of online therapy that has changed is how and where patients are logging on. Gone are the days where you are limited to reading a forum or entering a chat room from your home PC. As of 2016 internet usage on mobile devices surpassed desktop-based internet browsing. That means that more and more people are using the internet in ways and in locations that were previously not accessible.  Therapy sessions online can now be held in real time using your mobile device. Quite simply, that means that as long as you can access the web via Wi-Fi or your mobile network, you can now meet with your therapist through video or audio chats through secure, HIPPA compliant providers.

For many people, the idea of addressing their mental health can be overwhelming at times. The option of online therapy presents an opportunity to reach a larger number of people who may not be as open to the idea of treatment by going through the traditional channels. Advancements in web technology have brought us to a point where meetings and conversations can be had virtually anytime and anyplace, which allows patients to select an environment that is familiar and comfortable to them.

According to a 2016 study the National Institute of Mental Health, an estimated 16.2 million adults in the United States had at least one major depressive episode. The advancement of web-based treatment options has opened the doors to reach more people who can benefit from therapy like never before. Patients and therapists can select a system for communication that works best for them, which can ultimately lead to better treatment results.