Story In praise of online therapy

[freedompass]

Well I'm now signed up to online therapy again. I'm starting afresh with a new person. First session is tomorrow. And I also found out yesterday that a bridge I feared might have been burned by my lack of boundaries while unwell before Xmas is not and that she is still willing to talk. This is why I tend to have 'support workers' rather than just straight up 'friends'. I also feel safer this way. I'm really pleased that the psychotic episode did not result in any loss of the support system I depend on.

Discovering online therapy last year definitely represented progress. What is not to like, that's how I feel. Why ever go back to in-person therapy. I just wish I had thought to try it a long time ago. I love not having to leave my house, or even my bedroom. But also I love being able to message the therapist whenever I like and write in a journal on the app which I can then share with the therapist. It just really works for me because I enjoy expressing myself and talking about my day in text. No dreaded bus journeys to meet with them in person. Everything is much more on my terms and geared to me. FaceTime sessions are fine for me, I don't have a problem establishing a rapport or a good working relationship. Dragging myself to someone's home or office at a fixed time once a week is not necessary for that.

If it doesn't work out with the first person you try it is dead easy to switch (though clearly you have to start afresh with the messaging, journaling and getting to know/assessment).

And the real kicker? All this for only £33 per week (concessionary rate). I think it's a bargain.

 

[thx1138]

Hi, this is great to hear! You sound like you are making great progress. It's wonderful that online therapy has been helpful to you. And it's also great that the person you thought you burned bridges with is still willing to talk. It gives some sense of hope, doesn't it? Good job!!! What kind of therapy are you doing, if it's not a secret?

I can also testify that online therapy has been easier and more helpful to me than previous experiences. I started online therapy a few months ago for the first time. Because of social anxiety, it's been much easier to talk from the comfort of my own home. Therefore I would also encourage people to try online therapy if they haven't. There are more platforms and offerings now, especially since the pandemic.

 

[freedompass]

Thanks! Well it's just standard counselling/therapy with BetterHelp. This new one is client centred tho she also has CBT, DBT, ACT and some other trainings…for me it's really more about establishing a rapport. She has experience with many issues including my main one bipolar. She just got me to fill in a couple of short questionnaires. I had almost no anxiety according to the GAD one, for the past few weeks at least.

Really pleased you too have found online therapy useful!

Now the harder part for me is coming up with therapy goals. The g word is always hard for me because my main object is to continue the status quo of being lazy, comfy and unmotivated and for me having people/professionals to talk to is part of that. I feel that therapists etc expect something more.

I suppose I can definitely be down with a goal of improving my overall health, especially weight wise. I'm somewhat resistant to exercising 'for the sake of it' but yeah that's what I will be trying for I guess.

 

[thx1138]

Sounds really good! I think for some therapies maybe it's better to do it face-to-face, for example one time I did EMDR and I don't see how it can be done online. But things like CBT, DBT, ACT would work very well online. I'm grateful for modern technology definitely!

Coming up with goals can certainly be a challenge. But you already mentioned a very good goal about improving your health. That's important and it's difficult for most people to even set it as a goal, I think you are already doing great by acknowledging it. Hoping that everything goes well for you.

 

[Ultracheese]

Freedompass! I missed your posts here. I hope online therapy goes well for you and that you find someone you click with. Sending hugs and good luck!

 

[freedompass]

Aww thanks so much!

 

[electricworry]

Does anyone have any recommendations for programs in the USA? I'm making poverty wages right now and was forced to move back in with my folks, and any kind of in person visit would likely cost me more than my 2 week paycheck. But if it means actual help from this shit I'm feeling, 40 USD a week could be doable.

 

[freedompass]

BetterHelp is available in the US

 

[jodes2]

It kinda sucked for me. She basically just repeated how I might be feeling to me, which I already knew. Cost £144 for three sessions, concessionary rate. Bit of a rip off if you ask me, considering the sessions were a bit crap, only 45 minutes each and she didn't respond to messages outside those times. BetterHelp? Hardly

 

[LaVieEnRose]

I've heard bad things about BetterHelp, even by therapists and when they're willing to criticize something in the mental health industry you know you can't trust that things quality.

 

[freedompass]

Well it's very easy to switch therapists if you don't click with the first one. That's part of what I like about it. Literally click a button then scroll through the profiles till you find a better one. I didn't accept the one the matching bot offered me.

I've heard bad things about BetterHelp, even by therapists and when they're willing to criticize something in the mental health industry you know you can't trust that things quality.

I'm sure there are other online therapy apps. Equally it may not be for everyone. I can only share my own experience.

It kinda sucked for me. She basically just repeated how I might be feeling to me, which I already knew. Cost £144 for three sessions, concessionary rate. Bit of a rip off if you ask me, considering the sessions were a bit crap, only 45 minutes each and she didn't respond to messages outside those times. BetterHelp? Hardly

That's odd. The first time i used the app (from August to December last year) it was £36 per week, for me. This time only £33. I have no way to explain the difference especially as I understand you live in the London area like me and are in similar circumstances (I'm on PIP if that makes a difference)

 

[electricworry]

I am very hesitant about betterhelp, because there was a controversy about their privacy practices a while back. Can't recall off the top of my head. If there's someone there that does right by you freedompass, I absolutely do not want to take that away from you, but if privacy is a concern to you, it might be worth looking into.
I'm gonna be putting most of my focus on finding a job right now, but as I most likely won't have health insurance, after (if?) I secure that I'm definitely going to try out all the online services I can and report back here.

 

[MelancholyMagic]

write in a journal on the app which I can then share with the therapist

Why would you want the therapist to read your personal reflections? Also, anything you put in the app can probably be read by the app's developers.

 

[freedompass]

Why would you want the therapist to read your personal reflections? Also, anything you put in the app can probably be read by the app's developers.

I haven't got anything to hide tbh but sharing the journal with her is optional. For me personally, having someone read the stuff is the object of the exercise and privacy in that sense is not something that concerns me much. I'm 60 years old, I live very quietly and honestly I'm not interested in typing stuff in a traditional journal that no one will ever read. I did more than my share of that when younger.