There is growing evidence that online therapy is a useful and cost-effective way of providing psychological support. A recent Lancet study of online cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) found that it more than doubled the chances of recovery. (‘Therapist-delivered internet psychotherapy for depression in primary care: a randomised controlled controlled trial’, The Lancet, 22 August 2009, Dr Kessler et al.)

What is online counseling?

Sometimes called e-counseling or e-therapy, this is a way of working with a counselor without visiting their office for a face-to-face meeting with them. Instead, the counseling ‘sessions’ are conducted online by exchanging e-mails with your counselor or via instant chat. The advantage of this approach is that you can complete the work with your counselor at a time and place to suit you.

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Online Internet Psychotherapy and Counseling through Skype is becoming more popular than ever for busy people. As a professional online psychotherapist, I have noticed a dramatic increase in the number of clients who prefer to have therapy sessions in the comfort of their own homes rather than driving to a therapist’s office. All say that they find online sessions using Skype or other videocam formats to be less intimidating than face-to-face sessions and that they feel generally more relaxed and in charge of the process. This is good, because the purpose of any form of therapy, teaching or coaching is to give you the tools you need to better manage emotional suffering so that you can live a happier life.

It is surprising how effective Skype therapy sessions are. Although client and therapist may be thousands of miles apart, it feels like you are in the same room. This format is becoming very popular for people in remote areas or people who are unable to leave home for one reason or another. It is a lifeline for those with agoraphobia, who are trying to learn how to cope with venturing out. In Australia, for example, internet therapy is very common, because so many people live in isolated communities where there are few, if any, counselors. Interestingly, many of my clients live in New York and LA. In their case, there are plenty of therapists available, but the competition is so high that they cannot afford their rates.

I have compiled a checklist and guide to help you if you are considering Online Therapy using Skype. As always, if you are experiencing any kind of medical emergency, you should contact your doctor first. Online Therapy is not a substitute for the medical treatment of mental disorders.

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Online Internet Psychotherapy and Counseling is becoming more popular than ever in today’s hectic life. As a professional psychotherapist, I have noticed a dramatic increase in the number of clients who prefer to conduct their therapy sessions in the comfort of their own homes. All say that they find online sessions using Skype or other videocam formats to be less intimidating and strangely, more relaxed and more personal. This is important therapeutically because this relaxed space helps clients get in touch with their feelings and explore them at a subtle level, which, of course, is a very delicate process requiring tremendous sensitivity, stillness and presence. Sometimes the physical presence of the therapist can interrupt this process and this can become a distraction for the client.

There is also a sense of self-empowerment associated with the online format, and the client tends to feel more in control of the process and is less inclined to take on the role of the helpless, broken person needing to be fixed by an authority figure.

Mindfulness Therapy, a form of Cognitive Therapy that focuses on the feelings behind thoughts and beliefs seems to be particularly well suited to the online format, partly because clients spend much of the time with their eyes closed, as they explore the subtle inner structure of their anxiety or depression, anger or traumatic memories.

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