COMMON ONLINE THERAPY/COUNSELLING QUESTIONS
Yes, an increasing amount of scientific research is finding that online therapy is as effective as face-to-face counselling. In some cases, it has been found to be more effective, with longer lasting results than traditional counselling.
Guaranteed Confidentiality - no danger of being seen in a therapist's waiting room or your personal information being leaked by members of your treatment support group. Our company uses HIPAA compliant video conferencing and secure encrypted email provided by Adaptive Telehealth and Virtru to ensure all your correspondence is kept confidential. Convenient - you can schedule a time suitable to you as our therapists are often available in the evening or weekends. With the Internet being widely available you can still continue therapy while on holiday, business trips or if you are housebound for any reason. Accessibility - if you live in a remote area or are suffering from a disability that makes it difficult to get around, you can still access quality therapy.
Many people who go to residential treatment centres are out of contact with their usual triggers and life stressors. Often, when they return from treatment they can find themselves suddenly overwhelmed by difficult emotions and the demands of work, family and friends. With online therapy, we can help you deal with triggers as they occur in real time and help you develop skills and strategies to cope. When you learn new skills through our treatment programme you can put them into practice immediately. Your therapist will do a thorough assessment of your treatment needs before you start therapy and will then formulate a treatment plan that takes you through tasks to achieve your treatment goals.
We will work with you where you are at in your own process. While it is difficult to address underlying issues while using drugs or alcohol, abstinence is not a pre-requisite to start treatment. We just ask that you attend your sessions sober, as it is not possible to conduct sessions while you are under the influence of substances. We will help you identify why you are finding it difficult to stop drinking or using and also help you to work on a plan to stop - if this is what you want to do.
It all depends on your treatment needs and any other issues you may want to work on. However, treatment for addiction is a long term process so we recommend a minimum of ten sessions initially. However, it is up to you to decide if you are benefiting from the treatment and how many sessions you would like to book.
Yes, the relationship between the therapist and client is paramount to effective therapy and continuity of care. However, if you feel that your therapist is not a good fit for you, of course you can change to another therapist.
Yes. A great deal of substance abuse is symptomatic of other issues such as anger, anxiety, feeling stuck, low self-esteem or depression. We will help you address any issues that might be maintaining your substance use. People who do not address underlying issues will find it difficult to maintain recovery in the long term.
Ultimately, we treat the person not just the addiction. We will assess your needs in the initial consultation to decide which approach is the most appropriate for you. We tend to use a mix of CBT, Schema Therapy, Relapse Prevention Therapy and Emotion Focused work. However, our therapists are trained in a range of modalities and will draw on whatever approach they feel will benefit you.
Many insurance companies now cover online therapy but you will need to check with your own individual provider.
If you require more information please Contact Us and either ask your questions or sign up for a video conference consultation (Please do not forget to include pertinent contact information.)
