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If you have clicked through to this post you must be thinking about therapy. That is an absolutely fantastic first step and one that you should feel extremely proud of yourself for taking. Many people fail to take that first step and their problems just continue to pile up and compound. In the addiction world this usually ends up with a trip to Doctor/Emergency Room (or worse…the morgue).
But you’ve spotted the problem early and have correctly identified that you need therapy. Again that is great news. In all my years as an outreach counsellor I have never met someone who regretted giving therapy a go.
That is why in this article we are going to look at therapy, particularly online therapy, and discuss exactly what the benefits are and what to expect as a first timer.
Contents
Conventional therapy – where you sit on a couch and look at your therapist while discussing your problems – has always been the gold standard of addiction treatments (in this counsellor’s opinion anyway) and it is the treatment that, in my anecdotal experience, has the most success in battling alcohol abuse.
Having said that though conventional therapy does have one pretty substantial drawback in that – just like everything seems to be these days – the price of seeing a traditional therapist is just so expensive. Which when you already have so much on your plate: adding a huge recurring expense to the mix is just not ideal.
This is just one of the reasons why more and more people are turning online for their therapy needs. A recent study even shows that 94% of people actually prefer to use the online platform BetterHelp than conventional face-to-face sessions.
Why Do People Prefer Online Therapy?
94% is a very high number. That averages out to be only 1 in 20 people who actually prefer face-to-face therapy over the service offered by BetterHelp.
But what’s so special about online therapy that makes people go crazy for it? Let’s see:
- Online therapy is cheaper than most face-to-face therapies
- Online therapy allows you to get therapy from anywhere in the world (all you need is your mobile device and an internet connection)
- Online therapy offers a much wider range of services (from anytime instant messaging to phone and video chats with your therapist – what ever makes you most comfortable)
- Online therapy gives you a much wider range of choice (there are 20,000 licensed therapists registered online, that is a lot more than in any city or town anywhere in the world!)
But what is it that real people are saying about their experiences? Let’s see…
Click here to read more reviews…
When is Online Therapy Appropriate?
How To Get Started
Getting started with online therapy is easy. BetterHelp is the platform that I always recommend.
Registering there is as simple as completing an initial questionnaire and then filling in your details. It is important that you answer this questionnaire truthfully as your answers will be used to match you with a therapist. The more open you are about your issues the better match you will get.
Once you have registered you will be matched with a therapist that meets your needs. You will be provided a lot of information about your therapist. Take your time and read through this info and if you don’t believe your therapist is a good match for you then you can always request a new one (remember there’s over 20,000 to choose from!)
It really is as simple as that. Just think you could be getting matched to your own therapist quicker than you can order a pizza!
Click here to learn more about BetterHelp and to get started on your journey
What Should You Expect From Your First Session
The first time doing anything is always nerve wracking. First day in school, first time trying out for a team, first date, first driving lesson. First day on a new job.
Given the tendency for first times to be stressful it will come as a pleasant surprise to you that this isn’t the case when it comes to therapy. Especially online therapy.
The first thing you should expect from your first session is a calm and relaxing environment. Your therapist will go at your pace and will not be doing anything that makes you uncomfortable.
So what else can you expect from your therapist when getting treatment online?
Confidentiality
With BetterHelp all of their 20,000 therapists are fully licensed by the relevant regulatory bodies within the therapist’s country. This means that you can be just as assured of your therapist’s confidentiality and professionalism when talking to them online as you would if you were sat in their office
A Talk About What Has Brought You To Therapy
Your therapist is going to need to know what it is that is ailing you before they can start to think about how they can help. Don’t expect to have to lay it all out there in the first session but do try to give the therapist something to go off. Let them know how you have been feeling recently, some of the troubles you have been having and what made you finally face up and decide to go to therapy. Again don’t worry about being pressured into talking about anything you don’t want to talk about, your therapist will go at a pace that is best for you and your recovery.
A Talk About Your Goals For Therapy
So what is it you hope to achieve from therapy? For the majority of the people coming to IWNDWYT their goal will be to quit drinking – or at the very least to dramatically cut back on the drinking. You might have the same goals (particularly since you are visiting this site), but you might not. You might wish to cut down on your drinking, or to work on your other issues that tend to influence your drinking. It is important to communicate these goals to your therapist so that you are both on the same page.
A Talk About Your Preferences
Yes you will have already filled in a questionnaire before registering but it is important that you and your therapist discuss what the arrangement is going to be going forward. Some things to keep in mind
- What method do you prefer best (text, audio, video, all of the above?)
- How regularly do you wish to speak with your therapist
- When do you want to speak to your therapist (Morning, Night, Weekend, Weekdays etc.)
It might be that your therapist has different ideas to what would be best for your treatment. It is important to remain open to changes from your preferences – after all you are paying them to guide your recovery so it would make sense to listen to your therapist – however if something makes you feel uncomfortable make sure to communicate to your therapist that certain things are red line items.
Set Your Expectations and Begin
Alcohol addiction is not something that can be fixed overnight. Make sure that you go into therapy with the understanding that it will still take a lot of effort on your part. The therapy can only take you so far.
That’s about all I have to say about online therapy. I definitely recommend you doing your own research before you ‘take the plunge’. If you are interested in learning more you should check out this article on ‘How & Why Online Counselling Helps‘
Or if you are ready to get started with BetterHelp you can click here
Good luck with whatever path you choose
And as always
IWNDWYT
I will not drink with you today
