You’d see a GP for the flu, and a
facialist for your skin, so why not a therapist for your mind? Here are four
ways it could help…
1. It arms you for life
You don’t have to spend your days in the Hollywood glare or
be depressed to benefit. ‘Women seed therapy for lots to work stress,’ says
online psychologist Sue Wright (psychologyonline.co.uk). The focus now is on
nipping things in the bud rather than waiting to hit rock bottom before seeking
help. Cameron Diaz used therapy to stop brooding, while Shakira’s sorted her
body image. But therapy doesn’t just solve one issue: ‘The skills you learn can
help in everything from self esteem to relationships,’ says Sue.
2. It help you achieve more
You don’t have to spend hours a week on the couch. Take
solution-focused brief therapy, for example. ‘We concentrate on where people
are trying to get to and set targets to achieve that,’ says therapist Evan
George, co-founder of BRIEF UK (brief.org.uk). ‘Most people need just three
sessions.’ And with online therapy you don’t even have to change out of your
pyjamas, you just log on. ‘You can do your online session while your baby’s
napping or, if you travel a lot for work, log on from your hotel room,’ says
Sue. ‘I’ve seen it all!’
3. It’s about your future, not your
past
Delving into your past, session after session, while you
pick apart your childhood experiences, isn’t required. ‘We don’t encourage a
focus on your problematic past because that makes it appear more dominant in your
present – and we’re all about moving forward,’ says Evan. And if you’re put off
by the thought of revealing your innermost thoughts to a stranger, online
therapy takes that pressure away. ‘You never see a reaction in your therapist’s
face, which makes you more uninhibited,’ says Sue. ‘That means you get to the
point very quickly, so the average person needs only seven sessions.’
4. It’s quick and often free
That’s why it’s on the rise. ‘Not many people have the time
or money for long-term psychotherapy so we’re seeing increased demand for brief
therapy,’ says Evan. The same is true for online therapy: ‘Rather than becoming
engrossed in a dependent on counselling, it’s about learning skills,’ says Sue.
In fact, online therapy has been so successful that the NHS is rolling out
pilot schemes with a view to making it available to everyone. Your first step,
though, is to visit your GP: some practices offer free counselling. If you’d
prefer to go private, then do check your therapist is accredited with one of the
organisations listed at the British Association For Counselling And
Psycholotherapy website, bacp.co.uk.
