There’s this popular saying: ‘When the going gets tough, the tough get going’. It’s an oft-touted slogan of grit. But, it’s important to remember that needing help from an online therapist doesn’t make you any less capable.
A key step towards better mental health is having the courage to admit to yourself that you need assistance. It takes incredible self-awareness and maturity to be able to take a step back and realize you need professional help. Life can be difficult, after all, and when bad things seem to keep happening, it’s normal to feel overwhelmed.
If you’re reading this, chances are that you’re planning to schedule an appointment with a therapist in Winnipeg already. You may even be considering online mental health services to minimize the current risks posed by in-person meetings and therapy sessions. But, before you book that online appointment, there are several factors you need to consider to ensure that you get the best online therapist for you.
Tip for Choosing an Online Therapist #1: Find Out your Online Therapist’s Specialization
You wouldn’t hire a mason to fix your plumbing even if masons and plumbers both work in construction. Therapists are the same way. Psychology is a vast field and each therapist has their own field of expertise. When choosing an online therapist, check a clinic’s site. See if they have experience handling situations similar to what you’re going through.
If you’re going through a rough patch in your marriage, an online therapist who specializes in couple’s counselling will be better equipped to help you navigate your relationship. Gambling problem? An addiction therapist would suit your needs more than a child psychologist.
Tip for Choosing an Online Therapist #2: Check Your Online Therapist’s Credentials
‘On the internet, no one knows you’re a dog’ is a running joke online. And, this is especially true when you’re looking for a good online therapist. As unfortunate as this sounds, there are some fraudsters who pose as therapists in order to prey on people in need of mental health services.
Make sure to conduct a thorough background check on any therapist you consider seeing. Look for their LinkedIn page, social media accounts, or other sources to confirm whether they have all of the necessary credentials to be a therapist. Key things to look for are certifications, licenses, and a degree. With the proliferation of degree mill schools in the past couple of decades, it’s very important to check if your prospective therapist obtained their degree from a reputable university.
Tip for Choosing an Online Therapist #3: Try to Discover What Therapy Method Your Online Therapist Uses
Therapy isn’t a one-size-fits-all and this is evident in just how many therapy methods there are out there. There are multiple therapeutic methods that stem from different schools of psychology. And, each of them has their own unique strengths. Depending on what you’re dealing with, certain methods of therapy may work better for you.
You may have heard of psychoanalysis which was pioneered by Sigmund Freud. Called the ‘talking cure’, psychoanalytic therapy focuses on resurfacing problematic emotions and memories in order to address them. Another is cognitive-behavioral therapy which takes a problem-solving approach to treatment. Additionally, a lesser-known method is Gestalt therapy. It’s a client-centered approach that seeks to help clients deal with present problems rather than bring up the past.
Any therapist you’d like to see (whether seeing them online or in a counseling office) should be able to describe the method of counseling they use. So, ask questions about their counseling methods and pay attention to how they describe their own approach to counselling. Does this sound like a fit for what you are looking for? Are they able to explain their services in a way that makes sense and sounds like it will help your depression/anxiety/PTSD?
Tip for Choosing an Online Therapist #4: Session Frequency and Session Length
Different therapists will have different terms for their services. Some may charge by the hour or work on a flat rate that covers a certain amount of time, say roughly two to three hours. A therapy clinic’s site will usually have detailed information on their services which makes it easy to figure out their session length.
Try to check if they offer a free short consultation. This will help you assess whether the therapist is right for you. At this time, you can ask the therapist to estimate about how often you’ll need to come to counselling to help you know what to expect as you begin. First, they’ll need to get to know you a bit in the consultation and will likely ask questions about why you are coming to counselling right now, what you hope to gain from participating in therapy, and answer any questions you may have. Then, after the short consultation, ask your prospective therapist how many therapy sessions a week the counsellor would recommend for you. This can help you make time for your mental health. And, speaking of schedules;
Tip for Choosing an Online Therapist #5: Consider an Online Therapist in a Different Time Zone
Most of us may be working from home right now but this doesn’t change office hours for you or your online therapist. As much as you’d like to commit to frequent therapy sessions, it gets much harder to do when you have conflicting schedules. You can’t exactly jump on a Zoom call for a consultation if you need to work during your counsellor’s office hours.
In this case, it may be worth considering seeing an online therapist in a different time zone. A couple hours or so of difference might be just what you need to be able to regularly attend your online counselling sessions. In the age of teleconsultation, you can leverage time differences to better fit your sessions into your schedule.
Begin Online Counselling in Manitoba
You don’t have to struggle with finding the right online therapist. Our Winnipeg counselling clinic offers online counselling in Manitoba. You can start feeling better from the comfort of your own home today with the help of our team of caring therapists . To start counselling in Winnipeg, follow these steps:
- Contact My Winnipeg Therapist
- Meet with one of our caring therapists
- Start receiving therapy from the comfort of your own home!
Other Services Offered by My Winnipeg Therapist
In addition to online counselling in Mantoba, My Winnipeg Therapist also offers a variety of mental health services. Our counsellors offer specialized therapy and mental health services for men and male youth, relationship counselling, marriage counselling, anxiety treatment, depression counselling, and low self-esteem counselling. Contact our Winnipeg counselling clinic today and get the help you need. Start moving forward with confidence today!
