Online Video Therapy
Get the support you need online and access therapy sessions in your home.
What is online therapy?
Online therapy has many names – internet therapy, Skype therapy or video therapy. These are all the same, and allow individuals to access therapy services from their home or office. Research has shown that online treatment can be very effective for many mental health issues.
Online treatment was just as effective as face-to-face treatment for depression
Wagner et al (2014)
Therapeutic alliance (the connection between therapist and client) was as good, if not better in trials using internet CBT.
Pihlaja et al (2018)
Treatment is cost-effective and the positive improvements can be sustained at a one year follow up.
Nordgren et al (2018)
Why would I choose video therapy?
Some reasons why online therapy can be helpful are:
- You prefer to access support from your own home
- You want to fit therapy around work/ childcare commitments
- You are living abroad but you want a UK based therapist*
- You travel a lot, so video therapy will allow you to have regular sessions
- You require flexibility around times for the sessions
- Mobility or physical illness makes it hard to attend face to face sessions
*if you are a UK resident living abroad, please be aware that rules and laws around therapy are based on the residence of the psychologist. As such, UK rules/ laws will apply. In some countries, such as the USA, there are specific laws around therapists which will need to be taken into consideration.
How do I access therapy online?
Online therapy is easy to set up, I use www.zoom.us. This is a encrypted, secure platform used throughout the world by therapists. To use zoom all you have to do is:
- Sign up to an account at Zoom.us if using a computer or laptop to access online therapy.
- Download the Zoom app from the relevant app store if you wish to use it on your tablet.
- Just prior to your virtual therapy session I will send you a session link via email or text. You just need to click on this, and you will be taken to the video screen where the online therapy can commence.
How much does therapy cost?
The cost of online therapy for a 55 minute video therapy session are £95
I offer a 20% discount to NHS and armed forces personnel.
Top tips for preparing for your online therapy session
- You will need to have wifi or good 5G reception in your area to engage in online therapy.
- Make sure that you have a confidential space to speak to your therapist in. This needs to be a room with a door that can shut.
- The room needs to feel safe for you – so if you are doing therapy in a house with family in, make sure they know not to come in for the duration of the session.
- Find a space where you can sit upright but are comfortable. This may be at a desk space, dining table or sofa. If you do need to use your bedroom, make sure you have space where you can sit – no lying in bed!
- Spaces that would not be appropriate for video therapy include in your car, in an office where others can hear you or in a public place such as a café.
- Dress as if you were coming for a face to face therapy session.
- Be aware of the space behind you – make sure that this is blank or does not show anything too personal.
- We will be able to share notes and worksheets on Zoom, so if you have any filled in worksheets having these ready on your desktop is a good idea.
- With face to face therapy, the journey home can often be important as a space to reflect and process the session. It can help to think about the timings of online therapy – making sure you have some ‘downtime’ after the session (even just for 15 minutes), and don’t have to rush back to work/ your family life.
