In recent years many more therapists and psychologists have been offering counselling and therapy via different video platforms such as Zoom, Skype, Microsoft Teams and Doxy Me. Many different therapeutic approaches have made a successful transition to online counselling including Cognitve Behavioural Therapy, Person-Centred Therapy, Psychodynamic, Gestalt and EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing Therapy). 

 

Clients and therapists have discovered not only that online counselling is possible but that it is effective and has some potential advantages over face to face therapy. This includes making it accessible for people living in remote areas or who cannot access the kind of therapy they need locally. Other people, due to the demands of their work or childcare for example, may not have the time needed to attend and to travel to and from therapy appointments. Others who may be agoraphobic or feel vulnerable after a therapy appointment may benefit from the opportunity to attend at least some of their appointments online. 

 

Online counselling also gives organisations and clinicians the opportunity to respond more flexibly to demand. In addition, some online counselling services may be more cost-effective which enables therapeutic support to be made available to a wider number of people.