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Online Therapy: How It Works and Who Can Benefit

6/3/2024

Life throws us curveballs, and sometimes, we need a helping hand to navigate the challenges. Therapy has long been a valuable tool for improving mental health and well-being, but traditional in-person therapy can come with hurdles like busy schedules, limited access to qualified professionals, and even cost concerns.

This is where online therapy steps in.

What is Online Therapy?

Online therapy is a convenient and effective way to receive professional mental health support from a regulated therapist – all from the comfort and privacy of your own home (or wherever you have a secure internet connection!). Sessions are conducted virtually, using video calls.

How Does it Work?

The process of online therapy is similar to traditional in person therapy. Here's a general outline:

Contact us: Book in for an initial free consultation to see if Tay Psychology would be a good fit for you and what you are looking for from therapy.
Initial Assessment: During your first session(s), you'll discuss your goals and concerns with your therapist. This helps them develop a personalized treatment plan.
Therapy Sessions: You'll meet with your therapist regularly (usually weekly or fortnightly) for sessions that last 50-60 minutes. These sessions can involve talk therapy, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), eye movement de-sensitisation reprocessing (EMDR), compassion focused therapy (CFT), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) or other techniques best suited to your needs.

Who Can Benefit from Online Therapy?

Online therapy can be a powerful tool for anyone seeking mental health support. Some particular benefits include:

Flexibility: Online therapy enables you to schedule sessions around your work or family commitments without having to factor in travelling times.
Support from anywhere: If you live in a location with limited access to therapists, online options eliminate geographical barriers. If you travel often or work away, engaging online allows you to have therapy without interruption.
Reduces associated costs: Online therapy reduces associated costs such as travel, and parking.
What works for you: The virtual setting might work best for you, it might feel easier to talk and to be yourself online.

Is Online Therapy Right for Me?

While online therapy offers numerous advantages, it might not be the perfect fit for everyone. Here are some things to consider:

Technology comfort level: You should feel comfortable using technology for video calls and communication.
Confidential space: You will need to have a place where you can speak freely and not be concerned about others around you or in the household overhearing.
Self-motivation: Online therapy requires a level of self-motivation to attend sessions and complete any personal practice encouraged by your therapist.
What you want help with: Depending on what you want help and support for, it might be that sessions in person are also a helpful part of the journey of therapy for you.

Taking the First Step

View our contact page or email us at [email protected] to book in for an initial free 20 minute consultation. This is essential for us to get a sense of whether we would be best placed to meet your needs, and to give you an opportunity to ask any questions you may have.

We have a number of clinicians who work only online. We also have clinicians who do a mix of in person and online work. We will consider your preferences for appointments and your therapy needs in linking you up with the best match for you.

References

Catarino, A., Harper, S., Malcolm, R., et al. (2023). Economic evaluation of 27,540 patients with mood and anxiety disorders and the importance of waiting time and clinical effectiveness in mental healthcare. Nat. Mental Health 1, 667–678. https://doi.org/10.1038/s44220-023-00106-z
Fernandez, E., Woldgabreal, Y., Day, A., Pham, T., Gleich, B., & Aboujaoude, E. (2021). Live psychotherapy by video versus in-person: A meta-analysis of efficacy and its relationship to types and targets of treatment. Clinical psychology & psychotherapy, 28(6), 1535–1549. https://doi.org/10.1002/cpp.2594
Kumar, V., Sattar, Y., Bseiso, A., Khan, S., & Rutkofsky, I. H. (2017). The Effectiveness of Internet-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in Treatment of Psychiatric Disorders. Cureus, 9(8), e1626. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.1626

The Path to Managing Stress: Insights from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

6/2/2024

In today's fast-paced world, stress has become a constant companion for many of us. Whether it's deadlines at work or studying, challenges in personal relationships, or the global issues highlighted in the news, stress seems to be lurking around every corner. Getting frustrated at ourselves for being stressed, or at other people or events for being the stressor, doesn't tend to get us very far. Sometimes we cannot eliminate or control the stressor, and sometimes we can't just "stop stressing". Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) offers a different type of approach. ACT encourages us to change our relationship with stress, embracing it as part of the human experience, focusing on what we can control, and living a meaningful life in spite of it.

Understanding ACT

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a form of psychotherapy that helps us to focus on what matters, how we want to live, and uses strategies to help us to develop flexibility when rigidity in how we think or act is unhelpful, and to be mindful when our attention has lost focus in distraction, anxiety or negativity This approach is particularly effective in managing stress because it acknowledges that while we can't always control the external events happening around us that cause stress, that we can be mindful of how we are being affected by stress, consider how much attention we are giving the stressors, and focus on the control we do have - over our actions and responses.

The Six Core Processes of ACT

To navigate stress from an ACT perspective, it's helpful to understand its six core processes:

Cognitive Defusion: Learning to perceive thoughts, images, emotions, and memories as what they are—simply bits of language and passing phenomena—and not what they say they are.
Acceptance: Actively and openly accepting the experience without trying to change it. It's about making room for unpleasant feelings, sensations, and urges instead of fighting them.
Contact with the Present Moment: Being fully aware of the here-and-now, experiencing the world directly and without judgment. This mindfulness allows us to decrease the impact of stress by focusing on what is actually happening rather than what might happen, which is when we become anxious.
Observing the Self: Recognising that we can observe ourselves and what we are experiencing rather than getting hooked by the thoughts or emotions and spiraling into overwhelm. By connecting with this skill of observing ourselves we can see our thoughts and feelings from a new perspective.
Values Clarification: Identifying what is truly important and meaningful to us—our values. These are chosen qualities that can guide us in how to behave in the world. Sometimes we need to check in with ourselves, that we are living by our values rather than the values of those around us. Values could be something like kindness, independence, creativity.
Committed Action: Taking effective action guided by our values, even if it brings discomfort. This is about doing what matters to you, even when it's hard.

Applying ACT to Manage Stress

Embrace Your Feelings: Instead of fighting against stress or negative emotions, allow yourself to feel them. Acknowledge your feelings without judgement and give yourself permission to experience them fully. When we let ourselves feel something, and disengage from negative thinking about the feeling, by staying in the here and now, emotions can change in a matter of minutes.
Defuse Your Thoughts: When you're stressed, your mind can become your worst enemy, with negative thoughts amplifying your anxiety. Practice seeing your thoughts for what they are—that they are just things going through your head at a point in time, and don't have to mean anything more significant than that. You might even label them: "I'm having the thought that I can't handle this." and add "that doesn't mean that this is a true reflection of reality, it's just a thought going through my head." You can then choose what you want to focus thinking about, this might be remembering a really wonderful memory that makes you smile.
Stay in the Moment: Bring your attention back to the present whenever you find yourself worrying about the future or ruminating on the past. Engage in mindfulness practices like deep breathing, or sensory awareness exercises to anchor yourself in the now. For instance, try to notice all the things you can hear, see, touch, smell and even taste when you are becoming stressed. You can even use your imagination to bring to mind things you would like to smell and taste.
Connect with Your Values: Reflect on what is truly important to you. What values do you want to guide your life? Let these values be your compass, directing your actions and decisions, especially in times of stress.
Take Committed Action: Identify small, manageable steps you can take to live in alignment with your values, even when you're stressed. This might mean setting boundaries, prioritising self-care, or reaching out for support. Remember, it's not about eliminating stress but aiming to reduce its impact on you and choosing to live a meaningful life in spite of it.

Stress might be an inevitable part of life, but it doesn't have to control it. Through the lens of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, we can learn to manage stress by accepting what we feel, connecting with our values, and taking committed action in the face of discomfort. By practicing these principles, we can cultivate a life of richness and meaning, and minimise the impact of the stressors we face.

Online Therapy: How It Works and Who Can Benefit

What is Online Therapy?

How Does it Work?

Who Can Benefit from Online Therapy?

Is Online Therapy Right for Me?

Taking the First Step

References

The Path to Managing Stress: Insights from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

Understanding ACT

The Six Core Processes of ACT

Applying ACT to Manage Stress

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