Online therapy: how to pick the right counsellor, and other ways to optimise your sessions
- Online therapy is convenient, limits your exposure to Covid-19, and removes the stigma associated with mental ill-health
- Although online therapy has a few drawbacks, there are steps you can take to maximise the benefits of each session, experts suggest
Telehealth isn’t new. For the past couple of decades, people have been using technology to consult their health care provider, either by phone or video chat.
However, since the coronavirus pandemic began, more people have been scheduling virtual appointments with health professionals – including mental health experts.
“They feel that online therapy is safer and more convenient,” says Minal Mahtani, a cognitive behaviour therapist and founder and chief executive of OCD & Anxiety Support HK.
“When the Covid-19 pandemic started, social distancing measures were put in place and people were reluctant to go out because they feared catching the virus. As a result, tele-health services became more sought after.
The global online therapy services market was valued at US$2.36 billion in 2020 and is projected to reach US$23.49 billion by 2028, a compound annual growth rate of 31.8 per cent from 2021 to 2028, according to Verified Market Research.
Online therapy pros and cons
