Online therapy is a key resource in this era, especially following the Covid-19 pandemic. The exponential development of technology and its consequent integration with the various professions has required disciplines such as psychology to have a remarkable ability to adapt.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, teams of psychologists and socio-health workers have taken action to provide online assistance to the population that, suddenly hit by the exponential spread of a virus, has developed various types of psychological suffering. An example is the initiative launched by SIPEM (Italian Society of Emergency Psychology) which has activated several toll-free numbers for free telephone psychological support services. But SIPEM was not the only reality that took action to propose initiatives in favor of psychological health.
Coronavirus Desk
The Coronavirus Counter is an online psychological counter activated to deal with the anxiety and fear deriving from the spread of the Coronavirus pandemic. The service includes two meetings with a psychologist who is selected by the client through a list of professionals, based on the theoretical approach and areas of intervention. Before requesting an interview it is necessary to send an “entry questionnaire” to make people understand the issue of discomfort encountered by the subject. The two interviews are followed by an “exit questionnaire” which aims to make any improvements to the service.
Online Psychologists
Online Psychologists is a portal that offers psychological support to the population. The main objective is to provide support during the Coronavirus epidemic by providing psycho-education interventions, orientation in the present, restructuring of thought automatisms, regulation of emotional states. The person requesting assistance can book online counseling services through a virtual calendar, selecting a professional based on the areas of competence of the latter.
In addition to these services created ad hoc for this historical period, there are other platforms previously created to provide psychological assistance remotely.
Also, social withdrawal, isolation and quarantine may be a hard time for some people. As a consequence, one may have the feeling of anxiety, tension, stress and fear. So, people may feel lonely, bored and desperate. Seek the specialized help if you have such symptoms.
Advantages and disadvantages of online therapy
Online therapy is a fundamental resource in this era, but it has been a widespread practice for some years now. The exponential development of technology and its consequent integration with the various professions has required disciplines such as psychology to have a remarkable ability to adapt. The evolution of the psychological discipline manifested itself, among other things, with the birth of online psychology.
For years, researchers and therapists from all over the world have been discussing this issue, underlining various strengths and related problems.
According to some scientific research, online therapy can be efficient, valid and effective in equal measure to traditional therapy. Online therapy is characterized by great flexibility in terms of place and time. Individuals who live in rural areas, geographically remote or in places with a small number of psychologists available, can easily access psychological assistance from home. Similarly, busy workers who are unlikely to spend time in therapy can access it at set times from home or office, eliminating travel times. Another advantage is the economic one, it is reported that online therapy is more economically advantageous for the patient, the therapist and for society in general. For example, the therapist has the ability to reach more patients and waiting lists for face-to-face interviews may shrink. Furthermore, the client has the freedom to contact and meet a professional whose areas of intervention correspond to his needs.
In parallel, there are several disadvantages of online therapy. First is the question of privacy. The use of unsafe websites or unencrypted communication tools could not protect the patient’s privacy, consequently causing a violation of the code of ethics. Additionally, the patient may feel uncomfortable attending a psychological interview in their home, especially if they do not live alone. One of the most discussed disadvantages is the absence of non-verbal language, which can lead to misunderstandings and communication problems. In fact, the clinician may not notice some useful aspects to better frame the patient’s clinical picture.
Conclusions
Despite the numerous disadvantages, the list of advantages is remarkable, especially when considering flexibility: in a chaotic world where information technology increasingly eliminates territorial distances, online therapy becomes a fundamental resource. What is fundamental is to stay up to date and carry out courses to arrive at an adequate competence of technological means in order to be able to use them at best in the psychological and psychotherapeutic process.
Surely the father of psychology Sigmund Freud would never have imagined placing a computer on the couch in his study, yet, after a century, to break down the limits of contingencies, psychologists and psychotherapists from all over the world have had to interface with a patient in the screen.