After having quite some time to reflect on 'teletherapy' or online video therapy sessions, this is what I think.
So far it's been much easier than I anticipated from a therapist point of view and it's been interesting seeing my clients adapt too. So far so good and these are some of the benefits we've found so far:
• you're in the comfort of your own home
• you don't have to travel anywhere; saving time & money
• you can wear your pjs
• you can sip on tea during therapy
• you don't have to hang out in a waiting room with other people
• you can get down to what's going on much quicker; less chitchat at the beginning & end of sessions
• if it was an emotional session you don't have to worry about bumping into anyone on your way home
• you have space to sit & reflect or journal directly after the session
Not bad, right?!
This is not the first time I'm doing video sessions as I have been offering this service to a limited amount of clients up until this point. I've had great success with online clients and have found it to be useful for when distance or access becomes an issue. But now we are navigating new areas and finding our groove, with having to move sessions online.
While it will never replace the magic of person to person contact, teletherapy has it's benefits and can be a very productive therapeutic space. We still uncover the same topics and can unpack things with the same approach. There is even room to do online meditations, breathing exercises and sensory work.
As much as it's from a distance, my approach remains holistic in nature, purely because that is how I tend to think and what I feel is most important when it comes to healing.
I'm interested to see what other positives come out of shifting things up.
Let me know your experience of online therapy in comparison to in-person sessions.