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Technology
Technology

Video Chat in Online Therapy

11Sight
/
November 19, 2019

Have you been thinking about getting mental health support, but always postponing? According to theSubstance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, nearly 60% of American adults were doing so in the previous year.

Most common reasons are stigma, cost or accessibility. Online therapy can be a solution. Multiple studies found out that online therapy can be equivalent to face-to-face mental care.

Psychologists call remote mental health services “telepsychology”, be it by phone, webcam, e-mail or text messaging. These types of services are in use for more than 20 years. They were used mostly by military members but the booming smartphone usage has made it more accessible and affordable for everyone.Of course, online mental health services might not be suitable for every patient or practitioner. But today’s problems are usually solvable through telepsychology and 11Sight is a good solution for those practitioners who want to be reachable online with only 1-click.

In a research made by University of Zurich, it’s been found out that online clients and therapists considered the impact of their online sessions as strong as or stronger than their previous in-person sessions.

“Some of our clients anonymously stated that they were able to tolerate online therapy better than face-to-face therapy consistent with the interpretation that clients' experience a calming influence of the online environment.”*

Stigma

Going to a therapist can be a stigma for some people. But there’s nothing to be ashamed of. When we eat, we feed our bodies; when we talk to a professional, we feed our souls. And these two can’t go without each other. Still, it’s hard to change the bias. Online mental services are the cure for this; because when the interview is online, it might feel like talking to a friend rather than a therapist. What’s more, nobody has to know who the person is talking to.

Accessibility

Some people may have some responsibilities or difficulties that prevent them from going to a therapist. These might be physical limitations or a baby to be looked after. Whatever the condition is, a more “accessible” psychologist would be more convenient. 11Sight comes at this point by being available on every platform with only 1-click.

Cost and Convenience

Online mental service is a cheaper solution. Both from the monetary perspective, and the time perspective. The practitioners don’t have to think about office expenses and can spare more time for themselves since they will save time from transportation. Same is valid on the patients’ side. Since the patients will be attending the therapy sessions in the comfort of their own homes, they will be able to schedule sessions more conveniently and also be more open to discuss sensitive issues.

Confidentiality and Privacy

Online therapy can be helpful in many cases but for people in certain situations, there might be some risks. Some patients require close interaction rather than joining the session from home.

Psychotherapists know the deepest emotions and secrets of their patients and they must be reliable. Information privacy is the major concern of the patients and the psychologists. Since the information is being transmitted online, patients may think twice about talking about their sensitive issues online. 11Sight comes with the solution; an advanced end-to-end data encryption. Information shared on 11Sight can never go to third parties.

Contact us if you have more questions about our technology.It’s not hard to see why online counseling is growing in popularity. Request a free demo from 11Sight to experience the ease of instant video chat. Follow us for more!

SOURCES
*University of Zurich. (2013, July 30). Psychotherapy via internet as good as if not better than face-to-face consultations. ScienceDaily. Retrieved November 9, 2019 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/07/130730091255.htm
 Novotney, A. (2017, February). A growing wave of online therapy. Monitor on Psychology48(2). http://www.apa.org/monitor/2017/02/online-therapy
 Reynolds, D. J., Jr, Stiles, W. B., Bailer, A. J., & Hughes, M. R. (2013). Impact of exchanges and client-therapist alliance in online-text psychotherapy. Cyberpsychology, behavior and social networking16(5), 370–377. doi:10.1089/cyber.2012.0195
 
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2017/feb/12/online-therapy-thousands-but-does-it-work
https://www.cnet.com/news/online-vs-in-person-therapy-cost-confidentiality-accessibility-and-more/
 
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