The Effectiveness of Online Psychotherapy and Hypnotherapy
The Effectiveness of Online Psychotherapy and Hypnotherapy
I’ve been interested in the research around the effectiveness of online therapy (also known as “telehealth”) since I started working with clients online around 2017. Just before this, I experienced a series of online coaching sessions for myself that worked really well and I decided to offer this as an option for my clients. The research was limited at that point and having a background in science and a wish to work as effectively as possible it felt like a leap into the unknown.
My Experience
Since then, my experience is that the pros out weight the cons; and with a little thought and experience the cons can be mitigated against. There are considerations you may like to think about before deciding whether to work with a therapist online (these are discussed below). However, in my experience online sessions have worked really well for clients. I believe this is probably because the therapeutic approaches I used are language based, and therefore not reliant on interpreting body-language or picking up subtle cues. Also, I’ve been working face to face since 2011 so have the spare capacity to move online (I’m not patting my head and rubbing my tummy at the same time as it feels like when you just start out!) and maybe also it’s good to be tech savvy (hanging on in there at least!), so can help clients setting up and deal with any tech issues calmly.
I would say though, since the pandemic my confidence in online working has blossomed. It has surprised me how many other professional interactions can be successfully transferred online (I’ve experienced some excellent training programmes delivered online and the supervision group I run is choosing to stay mainly online to reduce the impact of travel) and also over the phone (I had a successful course of physiotherapy delivered purely over the phone).
The great thing about the bloom of other therapists working online since March 2021 is that the research will expand, and hopefully show us how to be even more effective as practitioners working online. Mulling over this during the winter break I had another browse through the research.
Good News in the Research
Although still early days (it takes time to build up a good body of research that you can generalise from) research is showing that therapeutic outcomes are the same whether the sessions are conducted online or in person. Research has shown that benefits of therapy for clients include:
- Clients are able to quickly form an good and trusting relationship with the therapist (sometimes it seems the therapist is more worried about this than the client!)
- For some, online therapy can be less emotionally arousing
- Clients often find they are less inhibited online and therefore more able to open up and speak frankly about a subject
- Depending on the format, clients can feel less vunerable to judgement by the therapist
- Clients can be more empowered as to what and how they disclose information
- Clients can feel an enhanced level of autonomy and control over the therapeutic space (therefore more comfortable)
Making Adjustments
There can be some simple adjustments made for the client to over come some of the potential downsides of online working, such as:
- Ensuring the client is clear of the backup plan if the technology fails.
- Showing the client they can remove their own self view from the screen if they prefer.
- Ensuring the client understands the issues around confidentiality, and knows how to keep themselves safe (no online space can be 100% secure).
- Having an emergency contact for your client should anything untoward happen during the session
- Keeping up to date as a therapist with online safety and data protection guidelines
The next steps
It seems from the literature that one of the main obstacles to online therapy is the negative perception of online sessions from clients and also from some therapists. My experience is backed up by the current research which suggests that with an awareness of certain issues, online work is just as good as face to face sessions. In these pandemic days, when online work is physically safer for clients perhaps therapists need to be waving the flag more for online sessions. Encouraging people to get the help they need, and the help that really works, in the safety of their own home would stop people suffering in silence, waiting for the ‘end of covid’.
Your next step?
I always say to clients, if you are not sure, give it a go. And if it doesn’t suit you, I can see you in my office next time (current guidelines permitting!). If you are still not sure, why not meet me on Zoom for a free 20 minute chat. You can check the technology, and ask me any question you may have before deciding how to proceed.
If you are a therapist reading this and want to know more; there are some good courses around now that will build your confidence and knowledge in online working such as this free one from the Open University.
