advise about therapy

[care412]

Curious has anyone on here tried using an online therapist and if so have you had any sucess? If u had success is it ok to ask where u found a good online therapist? Thank you if u can help any information would be appreciated.

[Cuchculan]

I have never used an online therapists myself. The way I see it is the therapist would have to give you things to try out. Small exercises. It would be very important to make sure they are listed as professional. Don't just go to any website out there. Make sure it is a good one that is recognised by your local health / medical board. But it will be similar to posting here. Only you will have instant answers maybe with a small twist. Much the same as phone theraphy. You really have to believe it can work or it will be a waste of good money and good time. I hope you find a good one. Keep us posted on how it goes. Your words may help others out.

[care412]

 To cuchulan: Thank you for the reply, I appreciate it.  And yeah going to look into it just thought maybe someone might of tried it before and maybe had success with it because I am not getting all the help I need with the current therapy I'm going too. Again thank you for the advice and input, very appreciated 

[Daisy131]

i'll be honest, part of the reason i loved going to therapy was because i could cry my brains out and be under the supervision of a professional who could help me throughthe feelings of understanding why i was so anxious. i did try an online therapy website, and it was informative, but not exactly helpful. it basically went over the principles of therapy and some general things to do when you get anxious, but i got much deeper when i got to an actual therapist.

all that said, there is NOTHING wrong with branching out and trying new therapists. they understand it has to be a good fit. i had two really good experiences and one very bad, and never went back to her again. we just weren't a good fit together. on the initial visit it can be as simple as "i'm trying to find someone who has dealt with this (GAD, panic attacks, depression, whatever) before, so i'm looking around for a therapist with experience that i can gel with." that way there's no commitment to therapy. the only downside to that is that they might not invest as much time and interest in you if they think you are just going to up and leave them. however, you have to make the decision about whether online or over the phone or in person therapy is right for you. good luck!

[coeus]

I personally haven't used online therapy services but I would imagine that while the efficacy of it might be lower than face-to-face therapy, it can still serve as a low-cost intervention for those experiencing mental conditions. The internet is full of scams and pseudoscientific information out there so my advice is to really do your research. Know what qualifications are required for a fully accredited practicing therapist and find out the breadth of their experience. There is some promising evidence to show that Internet delivery of CBT for child anxiety can reduce anxiety symptoms (Caroline, March & Spence, 2009) and in adults, has been effective for improving sleep for those with sleep disorders (Brown et al., 2012).

You mentioned that your current therapy isn't going so well - that's unfortunate. Have you thought about trying a different therapist? Without a good relationship with your therapist, you won't get the most out of your sessions. The same goes with the commitment of work towards the homework and exercises need for your therapeutic goals.

Hope you find the right therapist.

• Donovan, C., March, S. & Spence, S. (2009). The Efficacy of an Internet-Based Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy Intervention for Child Anxiety Disorders, Journal of Pediatric Psychology. Volume 34, Issue 5, Pp. 474-487.
  
• Espie CA, Kyle SD, Williams C, Ong JC, Douglas NJ, Hames P, Brown JS. (2012). A randomized, placebo-controlled trial of online cognitive behavioral therapy for chronic insomnia disorder delivered via an automated media-rich web application, Sleep. Jun 1;35(6):769-81.