Have you ever heard of Teletherapy? It is the very latest way to get mental health support but over the internet. Online therapy sessions have been successfully used for a number of years but since the advent of coronavirus more therapists have decided to make the move online. I want to talk to you about ten benefits of teletherapy for anxiety.

This post may contain affiliate links which means that we get a commission if you choose to make a purchase through the link. This is at no cost to you. Please read our disclosure page for more information.  

Teletherapy Mental Health

Teletherapy is incredibly flexible and online therapy sessions can take place on a wide range of platforms. Some of the most popular include Skype, Facetime, Facebook Video Messenger and Zoom. The benefits of Teletherapy for anxiety is that it can be accessible to just about everyone. Very few people currently don’t have access to a computer, mobile phone or tablet.

Arranging sessions is relatively simple usually just requiring a short phone call or use of an online booking system to get access to a therapist. Payment is taken via a secure system and all you need to do is show up. So what other benefits are there for clients who want to get access to online anxiety help?

Benefits of Telemental Health

Flexible Therapy Appointments

Traditional therapists usually have specific hours where they work in their clinics or offices. Sometimes they are limited to certain days of the week or times of the day depending on what their lease agreements state. This means that you can often ring for an appointment and find that you are unable to see someone until the following week or even month.

Teletherapy appointments for anxiety can usually be booked much quicker and are not limited to certain times. This means if you work odd hours you may be able to get appointments later in the evening and at weekends.

The only disadvantage is that if you are choosing a Teletherapist from one of the large providers is you may not be getting the right person for you. Specialist successful therapists tend to be booked out for many weeks if not months and are therefore less likely to want to join the generic therapy firms trying to homogenize the industry.

Anxiety Therapy and Privacy

Many therapists choose to work in shared clinical spaces where many other therapists may practice. Usually, there will be a waiting area and people are constantly moving in and out of the building. If you suffer from anxiety and would prefer people in your local area not to know you are seeing a therapist this can be difficult.

Online anxiety therapy gets rid of this problem instantly as you are seeing the therapist in your own environment. You can pick and choose times when your family and friends are not around and create the ultimate private consultation. The therapist also has the benefit of clients not entering into their private space.

Safety

Safety benefits for Teletherapy for anxiety are also important to discuss. As a client, there is no worry about heading to a strangers office on a cold dark Winter’s evening for your sessions. I know that one of my previous clients was petrified when she had to walk down a dark alley to see a therapist one evening. All she could think about was being attacked. By the time she got to the therapy session she was so frightened that all she wanted to do was leave making any rapport with the therapist gone.

Comfort

When you feel comfortable in therapy it is so much easier to start making positive changes. In theory, your home (in most cases) is a comfortable environment that has been designed by you to suit your needs. You are instantly going to feel more at ease there rather than in an office or clinic that you have never been to before. This can mean that breakthroughs in therapy can happen quicker.

No Travel

Travelling to and from appointments can often be more stressful than the therapy itself. I know my clients often arrive at sessions in a higher state of anxiety than normal because they were caught in a traffic jam or they couldn’t find a parking space. Working online means that you never have to worry about getting to your appointment on time ever again.

Frees Up Time

Travelling to and from appointments has another downside and that is the time it takes to get to where you need to be. On average my clients spend around half an hour travelling to my clinics but sometimes that can be up to an hour. That means my clients are spending one to two hours of their time just travelling before the time spent in a session. This can wipe out a good portion of their day.

If you are time-poor online anxiety therapy is the easiest option as all you need to do is turn on your computer a few minutes before your session and you are good to go.

Inability to Travel

Traditional therapy barred many people from getting help. This is either because they were unable to travel to the location or the office or clinic was unsuitable for the client. At one point I worked in Harley Street Central London. It was an incredibly prestigious address but the room I used could only be accessed up three flights of steep stairs. This caused me to turn down certain clients at that particular address.

Now it doesn’t matter if you are elderly, disabled or simply live in a remote location you will always to be able to find a therapist online.

Reduces Illness

A reduction in illness or sickness is clearly a big concern in current times. The benefits of teletherapy for anxiety at the current moment is that germs and viruses are unable to spread keeping both the client and therapist safe.

In fact, even if Coronavirus wasn’t around there are still other illnesses that can cause problems. In the winter especially illnesses such as cold and flu get passed around easily. Sometimes these can be brushed off but at other times they mean days off sick which could have been avoided with Telemental health.

More Intense Therapy

Traditional therapy tends to take place around once a week but for some people, this is not enough especially if they are experiencing really bad issues with their anxiety. Trying to find time to conduct more sessions can be difficult for a client because of travel time but with Teletherapy, it becomes much easier to book in slots to speak to a therapist.

Waiting Times

As I have already touched upon you may find that some anxiety therapists are able to see you much faster if you are willing to book an online session. They may also be able to see you on a day where traditionally your therapist would have been off such as a Saturday or Sunday. This can give you peace of mind when you are experiencing anxiety and need someone to reassure you and help you right away.

Virtual Therapy

Virtual therapy and online sessions are here to stay and will become increasingly the norm over the next few years. In fact, the whole health sector is moving towards online sessions and the term now being used to describe this revolution is called Telehealth. Teletherapy may not be for everyone but if you are familiar with technology and video call your friends then this form of therapy is not much different.

The only word of caution is that you need to find someone who you can trust and who has the right qualifications and experience. If you are booking generic sessions though an online provider who may have many therapists on their books this can be difficult. Look for specialists in your particular problem area and have a little patience. Excellent therapists with a track record of great results often have waiting lists and are less willing to work for someone else.

If you want to experience the benefits of Teletherapy for anxiety then you can fill out the form below to get details of our program. This therapy for anxiety program consists of an initial four sessions and is designed to help you take back control of your worries and fears. Alternatively, you can try our online self-help course for anxiety that you can use at your own speed. Just head to our online shop to download your copy.

You Might Also Want to Read:

Anxiety Self-Help – 10 Strategies that Work

The Best Anxiety Self-Help Books to Aid Recovery

Anxiety for No Reason. What you Need to Know

*This site is owned and operated by rewirethemind.com. Rewirethemind.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.