Learn More about Online Therapy
- 7 Cups of Tea
- Breakthrough
- Talkspace Online Therapy Blog
- Ask a Child Therapist
- Counsellor
Online counseling is an emerging field of mental health that eliminates many of the barriers that prevent individuals from accessing traditional therapy. There are a wealth of organizations and therapists who work online and specialize in populations or diagnoses. The convenient and affordable format creates a client-focused experience that lessens the stigma of mental health treatment. Here are a few sites for individuals interested in exploring the different models of online therapy providers.
1. 7 Cups of Tea
7 Cups of Tea specializes in text-based online counseling that is ideal for individuals who encounter barriers to face-to-face counselor interactions. Clients who feel extreme shame regarding their issues may be too intimidated to try counseling over video chat. Text-based therapy creates a vehicle for counseling that fits easily into the current lifestyle of most clients and creates a record of therapist and client interaction that can be referenced anytime in treatment. The treatment model of 7 Cups of Tea can also be an effective one for individuals with hearing loss or deafness.
2. Breakthrough
With 3000 users assessed or treated each month, Breakthrough is an example of a successful practice of counseling online. Clients may select from a broad range of therapists depending on their needs and desired treatment focus. Breakthrough is navigated through an intuitive smartphone app that gives clients the freedom to schedule and receive therapy at their convenience. Therapist profiles include specializations and insurance information, making it easy for users to find an appropriate fit. 8 out of 10 Breakthrough clients self-report improvement as a result of using the program.
3. Talkspace Online Therapy Blog
Talkspace Online Therapy Blog is managed by Talkspace, an online therapy provider with over 1000 licensed therapists. Talkspace can be accessed through any device that can connect to the internet, providing ultimate convenience for busy users. Their blog consists of posts written by mental health professionals and includes a diverse range of topics from helping clients develop language for life challenges to tips on adjusting to the mental health impacts of a new disability. The blog provides another example of ways that internet therapy can disseminate information to users.
4. Ask a Child Therapist
Developed by child and family therapist Ryan Lowe, Ask a Child Therapist is an easy to access resource for parents or professionals seeking counsel regarding an issue with a child. It includes links to common or urgent questions that parents may have including appropriate discipline and sleep training strategies. The model of Ask a Child Therapist is not long-term treatment, but rather is to guide parents in difficult moments where a traditional therapist is not necessarily needed. Lowe provides this crucial information in an affordable format that can be quickly accessed.
5. Counsellor
By providing counseling services online, Counsellor seeks to reduce stress in the everyday lives of its clients. Users can select professionals based on individual, specific needs, and the site offers everything from positive life coaching to access to professional divorce counselors. Counsellor works via live online chat that can be accessed at the client’s convenience.
As more clients look to the internet for readier access to counseling, it is important for mental health professionals to familiarize themselves with the available resources. Online counseling is a field with great impact in determining the shape of future therapy practices.
