There may come a moment in your life when you need to talk to a licensed therapist. Family and friends can be an excellent source of comfort. Still, specific problems and mental health problems require a professional who can give you with the constructive insights and lasting results you are searching for. However, we don’t all have the luxury of finding an expensive personal therapist, nor the time to make routine appointments within a timeframe of 9 to 5 hours. For that reason, online therapy services have had tremendous success in recent years.
How effective is online therapy compared to traditional face-to-face therapy with a therapist? Researchers want to answer just that question. The results of three separate studies showed that online therapy could be as successful or more successful than traditional personal therapy. Here is a brief overview of each of the studies and their respective results:
- In a study published by the University of Zurich in 2013, the researchers found that more than half of a selected group of online therapy participants reported better results than those who underwent face-to-face therapy.
- In a separate study by the American Psychiatric Association in 2017, participants were assigned one of two types of therapy for the treatment of depression: the first group received face-to-face therapy, and the other group received online video therapy. It turned out that online therapy was just as effective as face-to-face therapy for the treatment of depression. The clinical outcome (reduction of depressive symptoms) was the same in both groups.
- In another study conducted by the US National Library of Medicine (a department of the National Institute of Health) in 2003, the effectiveness of online therapy platforms when used to prevent the onset of eating disorders in women at the college level was determined. The study concluded that eight weeks of online therapy had significantly reduced weight and shape anxiety and reduced the risk of developing eating disorders.
Best Online Counseling Services
With the click of a mouse or the tap of an app, you have immediate and inexpensive access to a therapist, i.e., the claims of many new tools and technologies that psychotherapy wants to take out of the therapist’s office and to whatever location you are connected to the internet. The use of the web can be useful for many people who comfortably use the internet and are looking for help.
BetterHelp
Without a doubt, BetterHelp is my favorite online therapy service. I have been a member for many years and have built an excellent relationship with my online counselor. BetterHelp distinguishes itself from other online counseling services by offering unlimited online therapy sessions between you and your therapist. You can communicate with your therapist via live chat, telephone, text message, or video chat. There are currently more than 7,000 licensed and certified therapists available on the platform, each with a minimum of 2,000 hours of practical experience. You are not locked in long-term contacts, and you can cancel at any time. BetterHelp is full HIPAA compliant and secured with 256-bit encryption. No other software is required than a web browser.
Regain
Regain specializes in couples and online relationship advice. Regain has over 1,500 fully licensed and state-certified therapists available on their platform. Regain is all-inclusive, allowing you and your essential other unrestricted communication with your therapist (there are no limits or limitations). Regain is entirely web-based, and no software needs to be installed. Combined with 256-bit security, Regain is a safe and secure service worth checking out if you are looking for professional online marriage counseling.
iCounseling
iCounseling, an online video therapy counseling service, distinguishes itself from other therapy sites by offering all-inclusive, online video therapy sessions with unlimited access to your online counselor. This means that you have unlimited access to your counselor for a fixed amount (weekly, monthly, or annually paid) via a video conference and several other modalities. You have access to your iCounseling counselor from any device with an internet connection (including mobile phones and tablets). Native apps are available for both Apple and Android devices.
Teen Counseling
Founded in 2018, this is a fast-growing online therapy app & site dedicated exclusively to providing top-notch professional online advice to teenagers and minors between the ages of 13 and 19. The app/site connects teens and children with licensed counselors. They can help with issues such as coping skills, anxiety, stress, self-esteem, depression, bullying, anger, eating disorders, or other mental health-related challenges.
As of May 2020, the service will have 2,000 counselors on the platform (more are regularly added; more than 900 counselors in 2019 alone). Each counselor is fully licensed, trained, and experienced. The counselors range from psychologists, marriage and family therapists, clinical social workers to professional counselors.
Talkspace
Talkspace is an SMS-based online counseling service. They are based in New York City and launched in 2012. Talkspace offers online therapy services aimed at individuals and couples. Initially, Talkspace was strictly speaking an innovative platform for online group therapy. Over the years, it has evolved into a platform offering online psychotherapy services from accredited therapists. With Talkspace, you communicate with your therapist via text message or live video therapy sessions. Your therapist is guaranteed to respond once or twice a day with feedback, questions, and useful insights to help you solve the problem(s) you are currently experiencing.
