Randy Withers, LCMHC
Table of Contents
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Last Updated on December 7, 2021 by Randy Withers, LCMHC
Global demand for online mental health services continues to increase, with an especially dramatic surge of anxiety-related issues accompanying the 2020 pandemic. This Online-Therapy.com review is intended to help you determine if the services they offer are right for you.
Some of us will experience situational or occasional anxiety related to stressful or traumatic events; others feel it more regularly. And ever since the Coronavirus Pandemic started, those of us in the mental health field have seen a dramatic increase in clients suffering from acute stress, panic attacks, grief, and loneliness.
Now more than ever, the world needs access to quality mental health care.
But no matter what is going on in the world around us, anxiety and depression can affect almost anyone, at any time.
And some 40 million US adults suffer from some form of anxiety disorder, a more serious and consistent form of this mental illness.
What can online therapy help with?
Here’s the problem – not everyone has access to in-person therapy. The Coronavirus has seen to that. But people who live in remote areas, or who have limited access to transportation are stuck as well.
That’s where online therapy can be so helpful. All you need is an internet connection.
Fortunately, you can find online therapists who are trained to tackle all sorts of mental health problems, including:
Online therapy can be just as effective as face-to-face therapy for many mental health issues, including many which aren’t listed above. The best thing that you can do is seek support.
However, if you or a loved one is experiencing signs and/or symptoms related to psychosis, serious depression, homicidal tendencies, abuse, self-harm, or suicidal ideation, this is a crisis that requires intensive and immediate face-to-face help.
If you are in crisis, please get help by calling 911 in North America, or consult this list of country-specific support services.
Online-Therapy.com and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
As a therapist, I know what constitutes good and bad therapy. Of course, everyone will have a slightly different experience, and it’s important to come to your own conclusions and change therapists if you don’t feel a connection.
There are plenty of online therapy providers out there, most of which offer similar types of services, but one thing that makes Online-Therapy.com both unique and effective is that it makes Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) a fundamental part of treatment.
CBT is a type of treatment that essentially helps patients understand how their thoughts affect how they feel and what they do. Its approach is more focused on present actions than past situations.
A CBT therapist helps identify problematic ways of thinking and teaches you how to overcome them.
CBT usually requires a lot of self-work from the patient, usually in the form of exercises like journaling and worksheets, and in this sense — well, it does take work. So if you want this you need to make a commitment to the work.
But for many, the methodical approach of CBT is extremely effective. There’s tons of research out there that demonstrates how helpful it is for most clients.
There’s also research that shows that online CBT is an outstanding alternative to face-to-face CBT, especially for clients who don’t have access to a therapist in their area.
How does CBT online work?
Online CBT therapy is almost identical to in-person therapy. Here are 5 ways CBT helps clients get better:
- CBT Helps You Identify Specific Problems So You Can Overcome Them
CBT is all about rolling up your sleeves and working on your problems. It’s highly structured and results-driven. Compared to traditional therapy, it focuses on what’s happening in your life in the present, rather than exploring what happened in the past. You’ll start to see results in as little as 3 to 6 sessions.
- It Teaches You How To Change Your Thinking
CBT helps you understand how thinking affects how you feel and what you do. You’ll learn to journal, record your thoughts, and challenge unhealthy ways of thinking. When we change our thoughts, we change our emotions.
- CBT Helps You Unlearn Unhealthy Reactions To Stressors
CBT is based on the assumption that our emotional and behavioral reactions are learned. These reactions can often cause us a great deal of harm. With CBT, you’ll learn how to react in ways that are measured and more healthy.
- CBT Enlists Worksheets And Other Tools To Facilitate Change
With Online-Therapy.com, you’ll have access to a series of videos videos (guided by Dr. Elizabeth Lombardo, PhD), audio, reading materials, and practical activities. You’ll also use CBT worksheets, develop an activity plan, and keep a journal. If you complete these activities, you’ll see results.
- CBT Provides Long-Term Results
CBT promotes lasting change. When you understand how and why you are doing well, you’ll want to continue doing well. Your therapist will show you how you can stay in control of your problems and manage your own recovery on a long-term basis.
Benefits of Using Online-Therapy.com
One thing that I need to mention in this Online-Therapy.com review is that their website is user-friendly and offers tons of resources and tools, like support forums and meditation, for those looking for supplemental support outside of regular counseling sessions.
Some other benefits include:
- Social distancing
- Less expensive than traditional therapy
- Encrypted information for data privacy
- Option to use an alias for confidentiality
- Accessible on all devices
- CBT-based tools and exercises
- Regular access to your therapist
- Easier to schedule
- Various mediums for conversations (eg: instant messaging, audio, or video)
- Physically more accessible for those in rural areas or without transportation
- Emotionally, you may feel safer for those who have social anxiety or related disorders
- You get quickly matched with a counselor who specializes in your area of need
Cons Of Online-Therapy.Com
- Not ideal if you are having a severe mental health problem, such as psychosis.
- Some users may prefer an in-person experience.
- Does not accept health insurance.
- No SmartPhone App.
Perhaps most important, it is not appropriate for those experiencing severe distress or who are in crisis.
How Do You Sign Up For Online-Therapy.Com?
Getting started with Online-Therapy.com is simple. You don’t need any technical experience. Their website is clean and easy to navigate.
First, you’ll have to choose one or more areas in your life with which you are experiencing distress, such as addiction, anger problems, anxiety, or trauma.
Next, you will have to provide your personal details including your name/alias, email address, and password. The nice part is that you don’t have to provide your real name – you can use an alias or nickname if that helps you feel more comfortable.
Then, they’ll ask how you prefer to conduct your session.s You have the option to choose from live chats, audio sessions, or video.
Finally, they’ll ask how you heard about Online-Therapy.com. Tell them I did, or sign up with this link. You’ll get a 20% discount when you do.
How Online-Therapy.com Works
The following section is taken directly from their website. It’s an excellent overview of all the services that they offer and how the whole process works. Here goes:
The Therapist: You will get a qualified personal therapist who will be with you from start to finish. The therapist will guide you to a better you through the remaining 7-parts of the operation. You will be able to do that from any part of the world.
Sections: It is a knowledge base that includes plenty of info as well as hand-on tools. Armed with them, you will be able to identify, challenge, and then overcome your problems. They are available in the form of videos (by Dr. Elizabeth Lombardo), as well as audio and text.
Worksheets: They are questions that you will answer to help you find the tools and the info you are looking for in the sections. They also include beneficial tips from your therapist every day.
Live Sessions: Every week, you will talk to your therapist through a live session for thirty minutes. These sessions are available in the form of voice, text, or video.
Messaging: Besides communicating with the therapist through live chat and the worksheets, you can also send messages anytime. You can ask questions, share your thoughts, and seek guidance.
Journal: Online-Therapy.com also has a user-friendly journal that will help you throughout the day. It helps you start the day and end it positively. Writing notes each morning and each evening will have a substantial positive impact on your day and attitude.
Activity Plan: It is where you can schedule things that brighten your life. It serves as an agreement between you and yourself to become a better and a happier you.
Yoga: It is a new addition to the happiness toolbox operation at Online-Therapy.com. It includes videos that are simple and easy to follow. They are perfect for when you need to relax and cope with anxiety or stress. They will undoubtedly give you an instant boost of happiness and gratitude.
The Online-Therapy.com Toolbox
This is a screenshot from their website. You’ll have access to these tools once you sign up.
Confidentiality And Privacy
Confidentiality and privacy are crucial when it comes to building a strong therapeutic relationship between you and your counselor. Online-Therapy.com ensures your privacy in two ways.
First, they encrypt all of your communications in a manner similar to the way credit card companies keep your personal data safe.
The second way they ensure your privacy is by hiring qualified and licensed professionals who answer to boards and adhere to a strict code of ethics. Nobody is going to find out what you say to them, but if you have concerns, feel free to ask them.
As mentioned above, you won’t have to provide your real name. You can use an alias or a nickname if you want an extra layer of privacy.
How Much Does Online-Therapy.com Cost?
Online-Therapy.com plans start from as low as $31.96 a week and can go as high as $63.96 a week. BetterHelp begins at $65 per week ($196 per month) and $79 per week (316 per month).
Overall, Online-Therapy.com is the better option in terms of cost. Plus, you can get started for free.
They offer four plans to choose from – Free, Basic, Standard, and Premium. The Free plan is available due to the Coronavirus Pandemic so that everyone can take advantage of online therapy.
The graphic below shows the options and costs for each of the four plans:
Online-Therapy.com can really benefit those of us on a shoestring budget. Your subscription is billed monthly, but you can cancel it at any time.
Getting Started With Online-Therapy.Com
Getting started with Online-Therapy.com is as simple as first identifying what area you need help with, then providing your personal details including your name/alias, email address, and password.
Once you complete the registration process, you will select the plan that suits your needs.
Final Thoughts: My Online-Therapy Review
As for my own Online-Therapy.com review, after a month of free service with this company, I can tell you for sure that my experience with my therapist was first-rate.
I was matched with a therapist in my home state of North Carolina. She was empathetic, kind, thorough, and well-trained. Her name is Katrina.
I am very particular when it comes to therapy, but I can genuinely say that Online-Therapy.com offers convenient, effective, quality mental health care at an affordable price.
Online Therapy, like any other quality service, is an investment. I don’t know about you, but my mental health is worth the cost to take care of it.
If you are seeking help with mental health and you’re interested in CBT as a foundation for your therapy, Online-Therapy.com should be the first place you check out. Take some time and review their website. You can even start for free and see everything they have to offer. It’s really quite remarkable. They even incorporate yoga into their treatment.
Their qualified professionals have helped thousands of people make positive changes in their lives, and signing up is simple.
How was your experience with Online-Therapy.com? Leave your feedback in the comments below.
Online-Therapy.com
Summary
An excellent and affordable online counseling platform that uses CBT exercises to change thinking and promote change.
References
- Online cognitive behavioral therapy benefits people with depression, anxiety
- Internet-delivered cognitive-behavioral therapy in the treatment of psychiatric illness
- The Pros and Cons of Online Therapy
- Efficacy and effectiveness of online cognitive behavioral treatment: a decade of interapy research
- The Efficacy of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: A Review of Meta-analyses
![The Complete Guide To Online Therapy With BetterHelp [updated for 2021]](jpg/the-complete-guide-to-online-therapy-with-betterhelp-updated-for-2021.jpg)
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