Online Counselling Ontario
What you need to know
Online Therapy/ E-Counselling/ Tele-therapy/ Virtual Counselling/ Video Therapy
Online therapy in Ontario and elsewhere has become more and more common over the past few years. It’s normal to be hesitant if you have not had to use technology to meet others this way or to wonder if therapy is as effective through a screen. So let’s learn more about it and what to expect.
Other terms used other than online therapy are: e-counselling, tele-therapy, or virtual therapy or counselling. Basically, it’s seeing your counsellor through a screen, like you would if you were using skype or facetime with a friend. As long as you have a decent internet connection and a computer, phone, or tablet, online therapy may be for you.
What are the benefits of using online counselling?
With so many people in Ontario and elsewhere already using online counselling to meet their needs, it’s safe to say we’re seeing the advantages. We now have such better access to all types of psychotherapists, social workers, counsellors, and other practitioners. This is helpful if you have a specific issue and want a counsellor that specializes in it. For example, I provide therapy for men who are seeing relationship challenges because of anger management issues, overwhelming stress, or low self-esteem.
There have been barriers in the past to accessing counselling services because of people living in less populated areas, leaving no or few options for a therapist. For example, the region I am from in Northwestern Ontario, larger cities are few and far apart, some places even inaccessible by car in warmer months. In smaller places, there are less counsellors and therapists, and much less providing specialized counselling services, which leads to limited options if your therapist is not the right fit for you.
Those who have conditions that prevent them from leaving the home ever or often, or make it difficult to get to an appointment on time can be in the comfort of their home now. Others who may benefit are those who have a limited schedule for appointments, or are a caregiver to children or family. I have a strictly online therapy practice for example, and have used online therapy as a consumer as well. This allows me to provide counselling to anyone living in the province of Ontario.
Is online counselling confidential and effective?
Now it gets a little more complicated because therapy is supposed to be confidential. Rest assured, counsellors and therapists (or any regulated health or mental health care provider for that matter) in Ontario or Canada is required to use a PHIPA (Personal Health Information Protection Act) compliant platform that takes extra measures to ensure video conferencing is secure. So you would not want to see your therapist using an every day platform, like Zoom (unless it’s the enhanced healthcare version) or FaceTime. If you want to make sure, it’s perfectly fine to ask your provider for more details.
Effectiveness of psychotherapy and counselling online has been proven through some research, however there is not yet overwhelming amounts of research done comparing it to in-person sessions for certain conditions. There may be situations where a therapist might determine you are not a good fit for online counselling, like if your mental health symptoms are too severe and you may benefit more from in-person services with a team of providers.
Things to consider when starting online counselling:
Check that you have a decent internet connection.
If you’ve used your device with video calls before, you should be fine. It’s always good to do a test run though. Ask friends or family to do a skype call or request a video call during your free 15-min counselling consultation with me (instead of the regular phone call).
Test your device.
A computer is preferred, but a tablet or phone will work as well. The downsides of tablets or phones is if you don’t have a place to prop it up (so you aren’t holding it and moving it around), or when you prop it up the speakers are covered. Again, test it out! It’s just helpful to limit distraction and be comfortable.
Have a good enough space to do counselling.
Make sure there is a place in your home where you have privacy from others who live with you. Therapy is a space to get your honest thoughts and feelings out. This is much more challenging when you’re looking over your shoulder to see if anyone is listening. So find the best space you can. I personally use a “white noise” machine outside my office to ensure I am not overheard. There are apps out there too you can use to get the white noise sound if you want to give that a try. Headphones are always great too to drown out other noise and limit distraction (I use these as well).
Try to get comfy and set the tone for your online counselling appointments. Some options:
Try a blanket, soft clothing item, or a comfortable enough chair. Don’t lie down in bed under the covers (that’s too comfy). You still want to be attentive and engaged.
You might be nervous, so try a squishy ball in your hands or something to fidget with.
Open a window for fresh air, or lower the lights a bit. This can help set the tone to feel relaxed and not like in a stuffy office therapy once happened in.