Nowadays, going to therapy and taking care of your mental well-being is no longer the taboo subject it once was. People are speaking freely about their mental health issues, and although the fear of being stigmatised because of it is still present, we are seeing significant progress in mental health awareness.
What’s more, people can also get the professional help they require without leaving the comfort of their homes. Attending cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) sessions online is becoming increasingly popular and there are many reasons for it. This is an important step forward as more individuals can gain access to the treatment and therefore improve the quality of their life.
What is CBT?
Before we start addressing online CBT, let’s clarify what CBT really is. It can be defined as a short-term treatment involving talking therapy that is most often aimed at addressing issues such as depression or anxiety, but it can be used successfully for treating other types of mental health problems as well.
It’s also important to mention that CBT is not only effective for those who struggle with mental health conditions. This type of therapy gives people the necessary tools to manage stressful situations effectively, enabling them to live a happier and healthier life.
CBT can be done either individually or in groups, so family members or loved ones can also take part in the sessions. The journey usually begins with identifying and understanding the health issue you’re dealing with and then you move on to learning the techniques and strategies that will help you cope with the problems you’re experiencing.
How does online CBT work?
Online CBT is conducted via the internet, either through video-chat apps, email, text messages or online chat programs. When done through video conference, CBT doesn’t differ much from face-to-face CBT. The only difference is that the patient and the therapist are not together in the same room, but everything else is similar to in-person therapy.
Another form of online CBT is computerised therapy that is done without the help of a therapist. This approach uses text, audio or video materials to teach the patient the basic concepts of CBT, so it’s basically a self-help method.
Both these methods are great for people who are not able to go to in-person therapy or those who can’t find a provider in their area. They’re also useful for patients who are too busy to travel to a therapist’s office as they give the possibility to schedule sessions wherever and whenever it’s most convenient for them.
When it comes to the efficiency of online CBT, many people wonder if it works as well as face-to-face therapy. A lot of studies support the idea that online CBT can yield the same results as traditional in-person CBT, especially when it’s carried out through video conferencing programs. So patients can choose the online CBT method that works best for them in order to overcome their problems.
