There online therapy, or rather the  online psychological counseling, available directly and comfortably from home, breaks down that wall of shame that often arises towards mental illness; in other words, it opens a new door for the meeting with the therapist himself.. 

Talking about online therapy or Of online psychology, today more than ever, it means paying attention to “how” we are. So also the therapy setting It’s online, because physical and mental well-being, whether we like it or not, is inevitably in step with the times.

And it couldn’t be otherwise..  

The use of the web technologies, especially the complete dependence on the internet (to exaggerate, but not too much), is not just a profound technological revolution. Likewise, it has changed the way we relate to others, understood globally, profoundly influencing all communication strategies and therefore the psychology of 21st-century people.

But the online therapy, in other words thee-therapy, it’s certainly not news. The possibility of doing so has been around for some time now online psychology It is a valid alternative for those who have difficulty moving and for those who, for personal reasons, are geographically distant from their therapist.. 

The provision of psychological services using telecommunication technologies is also known as telepsychology, and it’s already current.
The progress of technology and the increase in the number of psychologists who use it in their practices have inevitably made a reference protocol necessary: ​​the APA (American Psychological Association) has intervened with a series of Guidelines for the Practice of Telepsychology to refer to.

Online or in-person therapy: there’s a difference, and it shows.

The so-called therapeutic setting It’s the first distinguishing feature of an online psychotherapy session. And alongside those who believe that traditional therapy shouldn’t (or couldn’t) be replaced, we encounter those who make online therapy a cornerstone of their support services.. Therefore, comparing the two typologies helps us to better evaluate them. 

Let’s find out the advantages of online therapy: 

• distances cancelled: for those who cannot travel (if they have limited mobility), for those who are geographically distant;
• time optimization Support is immediate; furthermore, there’s no downtime for travel (often people don’t want to do it, and nowadays it’s not always possible);
• therapeutic continuity : therapy also continues remotely to protect the patient and not leave him alone with his difficulties;
• prejudice: online allows you to overcome the fear of being judged;
• confidentialityOnline psychotherapy avoids the embarrassment of the waiting room and allows for free expression of emotional outbursts of anger and grief;
• technology at your fingertips: allows the therapist to manage his/her own and session documents directly on his/her device;
• youth: Online is the channel that comes closest to adolescents who need to undertake a psychotherapeutic path.

But of online therapy, some are also identified disadvantages: 

• privacy : understood as difficulty finding a private space where one feels comfortable; without fear that others will hear their conversation with the therapist.
• therapeutic settingFor many, this is the biggest limitation of their approach to the new, online therapy; because it’s seen as the foundation of a school of thought that conceives of therapy only in the office.
• session management: with respect to the different psychological contexts that can be identified; it is not objectively possible to carry out the same practical exercises online that were carried out in the studio; and the therapist must rearrange its sessions.

Therapeutic alliance and online therapy

The concept of therapeutic alliance, originates in the psychoanalytic field and concerns the creation of the therapeutic relationship in the here and now. In other words, it also builds upon the emotional bond between patient and therapist, characterized by mutual trust and respect.

And it becomes empathy.

Empathy that today evolves and becomes digital empathy. Above all, understood as “the ability to take care of others; as well as to immediately express thoughts, emotions and sensations through digital channels; without the specific indicators of social empathy characteristic of traditional modes of interaction” (Terry, Cain, 2016). 

So, the therapist, which once held us by the hand, today holds us in the palm of his hand. And it’s closer than ever.

In conclusion 

The future of psychological treatments? They certainly won’t be like before. What seemed like a debut for the online therapy and for the online psychology It is now a consolidated and effective therapeutic model, and the growing number of users confirms this.

Will we have been able to make the most of it? Only the future will tell…