It's ok to be sceptical about online psychotherapy. I was! And I didn't come to it out of some moment of inspiration or a drive to engage with clients in a new and exciting way. I began using Zoom in the same way countless others have in recent times. It was driven by lockdown due to coronovirus. I had clients that was seeing, normally face to face, who didn't want to wait until lockdown was over and social distancing easing would allow that construct to resume. I had my individual clinics and systemic team clinics looking for ways to still offer therapy.
So after much preparation, discussion, anxiety and apprehension, I dived into the strange new world of online therapy.
What had I anticipated it would be like?
In all honesty...cold. Disconnected. Awkward. Impersonal. Glitchy. And, worst of all, unhelpful. I was, all round, seeing negatives and really struggling to see how it could work, so wedded was I to the typical construct of face to face therapeutic work.
And what was my experience? Something entirely different.
I found myself and my clients really engaged with each other. Coming together in our virtual room in a more focussed and connected way than i thought possible. I noticed things, micro expressions and flickers of emotion that I'm not sure it's as easy to spot in the flesh. We seemed more attentive and engaged as each other spoke. Headphones for some clients seemed to really draw them in.
There was also something about us both being comfortable in our own environments that offered something new and liberating. Being in our own space as we explored ideas felt grounding and connective, both such important and valuable feelings for therapeutic work. As a therapist I very quickly became comfortable making use of the technology to offer new perspectives and co create an active space for exploration and change.
The feedback from clients has also been overwhelmingly positive. They have enjoyed the accessibility that no travel time, home comforts and flexible clinic hours has offered. Just as I found, the altered way of building a relationship with a therapist, whilst different, offered something new and engaging which could not help but bring those things so central in change work...a new perspective, a new context.
Online therapy won't be for everyone. I will continue to practice face to face also. But in these strange times, one positive has been the opportunity to reimagine many elements of our lives and take forward some of the new ideas and ways of being that have been born from this.
For me there's no going back to solely face to face work, the impact and benefits of online therapy have proven too great to discard.
I have been genuinely inspired by the use of online therapy and am excited to do more work supporting people to feel their change across this platform!
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