A few years ago, if we wanted help regarding our mental health, we had to get up, find a directory and hope for the best regarding finding a health care professional. Now, people are reaching over to the internet to find that type of counseling. But, what are the best online therapy services?
Statistics
As you can see in the picture above, there’s more than half of the population that are suffering with a mental illness. Of course, those are only US statistics, but can you imagine the amount of people that are right now having to deal with this issue? You’d be surprised by the amount of people that have a mental illness and don’t know it yet, and the others who know it but can’t afford to get professional help, becaus it we’re being honest, traditional therapy can cost hundreds of dollars a month. That’s insane, isn’t it?
What’s An Alternative?
I’m almost sure that most of you have heard about online therapy, but what is it really about?
Online therapy is based on giving the same attention and response you would get in an office with a professional, but you can do this from the own comfort of your home. Sounds fantastic, doesn’t it?
Every day more and more people are seeking help from an online source, with a certified therapist. Of course, this may sound a little skeptical for some of you. You’re probably wondering “how does that even work?”
It’s simple, the internet has become one of the major resources for people to find absolutely everything. Certified professionals have jumped in that wagon and they have decided to make therapy more accessible and affordable.
In an online session, you can schedule when to communicate with your therapist, schedule video calls, phone calls, you’ll get all types of resources that will actually help you.
The Benefits
You’re probably wondering what’s so special about online counseling?
I am going to give you some points on how it can help you better your whole life:
• As someone who struggles with anxiety I can assure you that online therapy is far less stressful than meeting face to face with someone.
• It’s flexible, meaning that you can go at your own pace without having to worry about missing a meeting, being late because you have kids, you work etc. You don’t have to worry about any of that.
• Even though it’s not really an anonymous alternative since online therapists have to follow the same exact government rules as a non-online therapist, but this gives you the advantage, since you’re using your phone or your laptop; to open up quickly and be more transparent than what you’ll normally be when you’re having a traditional session.
• Most times making an appointment will take you weeks, maybe even months, to actually have a face to face session with your therapist, but on an online session you can talk with a professional that exact same day!
• It’s affordable! Yes, you heard that right. With online therapy you can save hundreds of dollars. While traditional therapy can cost you between $80-200 per session, online therapy can be half that price for a weekly session.
There are so many more benefits but I think those might be the more out-standing ones in my opinion.
My Experience
I have suffered from depression, anxiety, and PTSD, from as long as I can remember. All of this, due to past traumas. I have been in an out of doctor’s offices for so many years. I have been through six different therapists and my social anxiety has made it almost impossible managing to stay with one therapist, I’m pretty sure a lot of people can relate to that as well. I have been across a lot of online therapy sites, and don’t get me wrong, they were all good. Of course, ones were better than others but they all had their potentials, they just weren’t exactly what I was looking for.
What I Recommend
After hours of doing a lot of research, I came across some good sites, but they weren’t something I would sign up for. I want to give you guys the resources of only the best things I can find. I wouldn’t be sharing this with you if I thought it was a scam or not a reliable site.
Online Therapy is a program that’s based on cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). If you didn’t know what CBT is, here’s a short and simple definition:
‣ Cognitive-behavioral therapy is a psychotherapy treatment that takes a practical approach to problem-solving. Its objective is to change patterns of thinking or behavior that are behind people’s difficulties, and so change the way they feel. It is used to help treat a wide range of issues in a person’s life, from sleeping difficulties or relationship problems, to drug and alcohol abuse or anxiety and depression.
They are a dedicated online-based team of consultant therapists, cognitive-behavioral therapists, practitioners and support staff that collaboratively works to help people in need of emotional support.
After you sign up you will immediately be assigned a therapist that will be with you throughout your entire journey, from beginning to end.
Every therapist on this site has a wide range of credentials (licenses, academic degrees, or certifications) and many hours of hands-on experience.
Your membership will include:
• A certified therapist
• Worksheets
• Messaging
• Journal
• Activity plan
• Yoga
• and live chats!
We all want what’s best for you and for your well-being.
If you sign up right now, you will receive a 20% off your first month! So, what are you waiting for? Sign up here and get the help you deserve and the tools you need.
Panic Away is nowhere near an online therapy program, but it does have some necessary tools that will help you when it comes to anxiety-based disorders such as:
• Social Anxiety
• Agoraphobia (which is the fear of entering really crowded places)
• Claustrophobic
• Panic attacks
• Among other anxiety-induced disorders
This program doesn’t pair you up with any certified therapist, but instead, it provides you with guidance, techniques, and resources to help you manage anxiety.
As I said before, this program is not related to any kind of therapy, therefore you will not get one on one counseling, phone calls or video chats.
There are two ways you can access this program which are:
1. Having one on one personal training and resources with Barry McDonagh, who is the founder of this site. This alternative can include a phone call, messaging or even meeting face to face to talk and discuss what you’re going through regarding your anxiety disorder.
2. The second option is the digital media package which is one of the most common and affordable packagings. You can obtain this tool either being downloaded to your mobile device or your computer. But, if you’re a collector or you just simply like to have physical copies of what you order, then they have the physical products as well (DVDs, books, CDs)
Panic Away provides you with an 8-week, money back guarantee. So, if you’re not happy with what you received you can get your money back within those 8 weeks.
If you want to check them out you can click here!
Please remember that you’re not alone. You have the power to change your life and start writing the next page of your life’s journey. You deserve to heal.
Oh wow, i was drawn to what you said that 10% of Americans are aware that they may be experiencing signs of mental illness. While awareness on mental health is increasing, people may not necessarily be aware that they are already experiencing it. I know someone who’s depressed and family members took a while to realize that it was actually depression. They thought the person was just being difficult. So since online counseling is affordable, i hope more people will benefit from it. Can you choose your counselor when you do online counseling?
In some sites you can. On this one specifically, once you sign up you will automatically be assigned a therapist. Though, if you want to chance therapists you can make a request.
The problem with online therapy has always been the ability to make it as effective asthe physical one since most people don’t favour it. Hence, this is really interesting for me to know of that there are realistic and effective online therapy sessions from agencies that are legit. Getting this at the snap of a finger would surely be a landmark in the health industry and this is great news to me. The one you suggested would definitely be checked out by me and hopefully, it won’t be over priced. Thanks
I agree with everything you said. I think that for people with social anxiety this would be such an amazing tool. Again, thank you for reading.
By the way, the site is less than $90 and you get a 20% off by using the link I provided. Good luck! And if you do, decide to try it, please let me know how everything goes by emailing me at stephanie.mentalhealthpath@gmail.com
I’m very happy that i found this post. That statistics is really disheartening because I don’t think that so many people know that. Well, I have a friend who would be needing an online therapy because she doesn’t even know that something is wrong and she has been having herself a very hard time. She doesn’t want to go out there to meet anyone. I was thinking taking online therapy will be very expensive but you have explained that it is isn’t. I have to give it a try for her. Thanks!
Thank you for sharing that with me. Everyone deserves to heal. Online therapy it’s a great option! Specially if you’re dealing with anxiety. The site I provided is less than $90 and if you use the link I provided you will get a 20% off your first month. If you do decide to try it, please let me know hoe it goes by emailing me at stephanie.mentalhealthpath@gmail.com. I would love to keep up with how everyone is doing.
Getting therapy sessions from the internet is as great as anything that I would read today. The benefits are simply massive. From the convenience, to the effectiveness and the fact that it may be economy friendly, this is just great to know of. I just really hope that it would be as effective as having to meet with a therapy but then, I wouldn’t know until I give it a trial. Cheers
Online therapy can be as effective as traditional therapy. Sometimes we just need someone who can hear us and witness what we’re going through. There is so much power in that. Online therapy is also great for people who suffer from social anxiety. And, it’s way more economic than traditional therapy. This program isn’t less than $90 and if you use the link I provided you will get a 20% off your first month.
This is the benefit of the Internet, you can find whatever you are looking for and even at cheaper prices and you have more variety available. Good thing there won’t be no waiting days for an appointment and no long queues at the hospitals. I don’t think I need therapy yet, lol because I’m still a kid and haven’t gone through much but when I need one the recommended sites will be the first I’ll check because I can’t afford hundreds of dollars to go to a local therapist. Thanks for this eye opener.
Therapy is for anyone regardless of their age. Please take care of yourself and reach out if you ever need anything.
This is really nice to learn honestly, i think that taking online therapy is really cool and i am very happy that it is not as expensive as i would have expected. I have a friend who is going through a hard time and who might be needingba very good therapist. I will make use of your tips to see how it helps her personally. Great post on this one
Thank you and I hope she gets the help she needs.
Best online therapy services could be great and helpful because the benefits are immense. The fact that I cannot meet up with any therapist physically because it is often too difficult for me to do in most cases due to anxiety. This is great for me to know of. Thank you for this. The convenience is the major reason I am considering this p
I need to clarify something and that’s why I’ll like to ask this question before I start confusing myself,lol, please, is it possible to be suffering from mental illness and not be aware of it??? This article is very educative, I’ve learned a lot and I must say it’s really nice thing to have online therapy sessions like this to attend to the need of those concerned. It’ll make it convenient and easy to reach out to a professional, but I wonder if it can be as effective as the physical therapy would be. The idea is a great one and it means we’re making real progress in our online use. Thanks for sharing this post, it’s full of useful stuffs.
Thank you so much for reaching out and asking. Yes, it is possible to be suffering from a mental illness and not be aware of it. There are a lot of signs that can show you what mental illness really means, but do keep in mind that if you want to be completely sure, you need to reach out. Yes, Online Therapy can be as effective as traditional therapy. Especially for those of us who suffer from anxiety.
Pretty alarming numbers when you start to look at mental illness. I hadn’t heard a whole lot about online therapy to be honest, so I’m really glad to have come across your post. It’s this type of awareness that allows us to help ourselves and others. Reading your post I see that it does sound fantastic. I know some people who are afflicted by anxiety, so this would be perfect for them. In addition to a flexible schedule it looks like this is a more economical way to go too. Thank you for the Online Therapy recommendation. I will share your post with those with anxiety and let them know about your link as well, great work!
It isn’t way more economic than traditional therapy and really convinient for those with anxiety. Thank you so much for reading and sharing!
Thank you for your post. I agree with you that online counselling is effective way to mental illness.
It is so nice that you share your personal experience with us. There are so many benefits, such as flexible, cheap, affordable, and time-saving. I have never tried online counselling and am thinking about my next appointment using online tools.
I just checked the Online Therapy you suggest. It sounds great. I bookmarked your webpage and will come back for more information.
It is kind of you sharing this useful information with us.
Hi Anthony!
Thank you so much for reading! It means a lot to me to know that I can be helping someone in whatever way I can. Please take care of yourself.
Wow, glad to see this concept catching on.
I am a recovering alcoholic who sobered up 13 years ago. Since I live out in the country with few local meetings available, I opted to sober up via an online group. The online format made it possible to make contact with other members and two sponsors several time a day. For me it worked much better than F2F meetings and saved me a ton of stress with travel and other issues.
I know some may be skeptical, but from my experience, this online format can work wonders.
Thanks for the article. Good to know we’re making progress in this field.
Thank you so much for sharing your story. I am so glad to hear that you got the help you needed and that you’ll doing so much better now. Keep up the good work. You’re doing amazing!
It is really sad that people could be suffering from mental disorders and not even know it. I guess some could suspect but I am sure it is not easy to admit and open up about such issues maybe because of how the society will take it. I really love the idea of online therapy. Apart from its convenience in terms of fees, I believe it is more easier to open up and commit to a ‘stranger’ who will not judge you. Thank you for sharing your story and taking the time to present us these suggestions.
It’s hard dealing with a mental illness but with help and determination you can start healing. Thank you for reading!
Hi Stephanie! Thank you for sharing your experience with us. I appreciate that these therapist have considered the online alternative. There are so many advantages. But as you have correctly mentioned, I also consider that making these therapies affordable is the principle advantage. Thanks for this useful post. This is worth sharing.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read!
Those are some shocking statistics here. 26.2% of Americans suffer from mental illness and what are the professionals doing about it? Prescribing them with medication after medication which does almost nothing. I’ve heard good things about these online therapy services you mentioned especially Online Therapy. Everyone I know seems to have nice things to say about it, so thanks for your recommendation. You’re doing a great job here, keep it up.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read. Take care of yourself!
Oh, it’s very nice of you to be able to share a link where i can check out the onlie counseling rendered. I feel like it will be really nice for my friend because there’s a discount here for the first month. I will definitely email you how it all went down when we have tried it out. Thanks
Good luck!!
Hello Stephanie,
What great news you have given me I have in my family a sister who has suffered from bipolarity for years.
It is being attended by professionals but the truth as you say comes a lot of money.
I will show you your site I am sure she will love it. She will be very happy that she can be treated from the comfort of her own home.
Thank you!
I am so sorry to hear about that! I really hope she’s managing and that she gets the proper help she needs.
Great post about online mental health services. I enjoyed reading it and have gained some knowledge why online therapy is a good alternative to meeting a professional in office for counselling. All the benefits makes it sounds very appealing. I couldn’t have imagined those percentage in the statistic to be as high as they are.
Thanks for sharing. It’s a good read.
Hi Stephanie. I can understand why more and more people turn towards finding solutions to mental health online. When I struggled with severe stress during a banking career some twelve years ago, I was sent to a professional therapist to sort out my issues. This is exactly how the bank worded it. It became a harrowing experience that only made the situation worse for me. I had to go to their premises in a big city (another thing that I hated) once a week. This therapist was paid by the bank and obviously worked for them. Every session seemed to end up with me feeling that it was all my fault and that I should simply either go back to work or leave my job. It was obvious to me that they were more interested in resolving the situation for the banks sake then mine. In the end I did what they really wanted and left my job.
I managed to control my own life after that but I really could have used someone to talk to and to help me through. I had no idea about online therapy back then and for all I know it might not have existed. You can be certain it is something I will try out now. Thanks Jim
Hello Jim!
I am truly so sorry that you had to go through that. Counseling should be something that helps you better yourself, not make yourself feel more vulnerable and invalidated. None of it was your fault. I hope you’re taking care of yourself!
Anxiety and depression should be given a much louder voice in the society because it has a lot of aspects that can be affected by it – personal behavior, family life, work and many more. In this era of technological growth, people seems to grow apart from each other. But actually, we can use these technological and digital tools to work for our advantage. One of the best examples is the online therapy that can provide improvement to our mental wellness.
I really think it’s convenient especially for people whose neglecting therapy because of hours spent in travelling or for those who just simply like to stay at the comfort of their homes. It’s good to know that there are programs like this that reaches out to people through digital means. Online Therapy seems to provide more activities than is truly beneficial, like monitoring progress (through journals and worksheets), and also helping to strengthen mind and body through yoga. What more could you ask for, right? I just want to know of Online Therapy is also available to other countries. that’s it then, thank you for sharing!
Thank you for sharing that. It’s an amazing tool and an affordable one as well. To answer m, your question, yes! Online Therapy is available worldwide. That’s the beauty of it, no matter where you are or where you’re going, you can have this tool with you at all times.
Hi! This is so interesting to me. I am going through some personal things right now and I would love to talk to a therapist about it. Honestly, I just don’t feel comfortable sitting face to face with anyone. Plus, I can do this when I have the time, rather than an appointment.
I’m going to definitely look into this. I want to thank you for putting this out there. It doesn’t seem unreasonable either, compared to going to an office. Thank you!
It is reliable, especially if you don’t feel confortable being alone in a room with another person basically invading your privacy. Not to mention that online therapy is way more affordable. If you use my link you will get a 20% off your first month, you’ll get tools, journal amd worksheets to keep track of your process and much more.
Please take care of yourself and reach out whenever you need to.
Thank you for this post.
I totally agree that online therapy can be an ideal way for people, that might not otherwise consider it. That goes double for those that suffer from anxiety and the like.
Although one-on-one therapy is great, I can see group meetings being of value too.
Again, thank you for this. I can see the online option growing in popularity, not only for financial reasons but for convenience as well.
Scott
Dear Ramos,
That’s quite an eye-opening article! I never knew that online counseling for mental illness was even possible. But thanks to you, now I know.
So sorry for everything you’ve gone through in the past. May you live strong to help others overcome such trauma and be a blessing to them.
I have liked the idea of online therapy because, as you put it, it is convenient, more affordable, and best of all, one is able to open up quicker and so help is administered faster/ better by the counselor. It is quite overwhelming to think of the number of people suffering from mental illness without their knowledge.
Is mental illness related to the bipolar syndrome?
Boniface, your other brother.
Hi there! Thank you so much for taking the time to read my post and for your kind words! As to your question, yes bipolar disorder is a mental illness that affects so many people. Boarderline diaorders need to be talked about more, thank you for the question!
I would really like to use their services for my son and me, but money is prohibitive. It seems like an awesome program! All those things that come along with it seem to really make it worth the price. Now that I know it exists, I’m going to be recommending it to people who want to try online help. Thanks for the link!
Thank you for taking the time to read it and thank you for sharing it! I really hope you and your son can find a way to heal. All the best for both of you!
This is an awesome article! I wish I could afford this therapy for my son and me. I think he could get a lot out of it. I wish there had been a service like this when I was much younger. It sure would have helped! Btw, I left another comment because I forgot about this one. 🙂
I wish you all the best!
Again, thank you so much for taking the time! Hope everything works out for you.
This is such a needed site. I had no idea it was so easy to get started with online therapy. The site, Online Therapy, looks professional. The services it offers are wonderful and the price is phenomenal. A daily interaction with therapist for less than 32 dollars a week. Great job. Thank you for the information. I will keep it close and share it as well.,
Melissa
Hello Melissa! Thank you so much for taking the time to read this. I really appreciate your words.
Whether we like to admit it or not, every one of us faces some kind of internal turmoils nowadays and making that trip to see a therapist face-to-face can be quite intimidating. Recently, my cousin came out of the closet and much to her anguish, she was dragged to a counselor by her mom, hoping to set her ‘straight’. It was a painful experience for both sides and no solution was achieved.
I think a personal and more private channel like Online Therapy can potentially help her bypass this stage with a bit more ease, though I must say I am a bit skeptical about the non-face-to-face approach. Have you used it yourself to solve a personal problem?
Wow. That must’ve been so hard. Sexuality is not, by any means, a mental illness. No one should be put through that trauma just because another’s person can’t accept who you are.
I have not tried this specific site, but I have tried other online therapy sites and I can firmly say that it’s a big help. I suffer from depression and anxiety which makes it really hard for me to open up with someone face-to-face, so in my opinion, I personally recommend online therapist. Not to mention all the money you’re saving.
thank you for sharing all this information. it means a lot to some of us knowing that someone actually cares about what mental health is and that is willing to share what you know and give us useful information, I appreciate it”
Thank you for this great article. I always thought finding a counselor online would be a good idea because when you go to see a counselor in person, all you do is sit together and talk. Beyond facial gestures, you don’t really need to be in the same room for much else. So talking to a counselor on Skype will save you the drive and you could still see each other’s faces and facial expressions as you’re talking. I’ve also done a lot of counseling or reaching out for help, or helping others, over the phone and the phone is really good. For someone who’s nervous about getting started with counseling or going back to counseling the phone is a lot less pressure then going in person. I definitely think online therapy is a good idea so thank you for this article.
I don’t know where I got the thought that online therapy is expensive. This article has just showed me otherwise and I’m surprised it could be that cheap. So I could possibly be having mental health problems without knowing it? How best do I get to know if I have a mental health issue or not because I’m sure this is quite different from being taken X rays and scans and the like. Thank you I really had a lot to learn from this.
The only way you can certainly know if what you’re dealing with is also affecting your mental health is reaching out to a mental health professional.
Okay I have to accept it, at first when I saw online therapy I was like What? That is impossible. I was taught that for things like that, meeting with the person was key for success, however when I started reading, I realized that it is not true. Online therapy may bring a lot of benefits and you are right! It is less stressful to meet with someone online than in person. I liked a lot everything you said.
Thank you for taking the time to read, and yes, online therapy is a good option and more affordable
I am so thankful I found your site. I have a friend who suffers from depression, but won’t go and see anyone face to face about it. I will definitely be recommending your website (specifically this post) to that friend. Depression and anxiety often go untreated because we think ‘we can fix it’ ourselves. The decline of mental health is considerably alarming. Why are we so stubborn to reach out for help if we need it? This post gives so much information and tips to gain access to great help. I appreciate you taking the time to put these resources into one place. Thank you!
Thank you for taking the time to read this, and also for recommending it to your friend.
Wow. Those mental health statistics are staggering. I personally did go through an extreme case of depression once from a personal family event and though my way to get through it is not a way many can or would think to do, it is still an eye opener in how so many things can change how we interact with society.
I think that online therapy is a great way to help those in need better than an in-person therapy session. I feel that it would be easier for people to open up without the shame of having to do so in-person. But could there be a reverse negative component to online therapy? How will the therapist know if the patient is truly getting better?
As everything, of course there are negatives. Such as any profesional would do, the person would be monitored as any normal face to face section. One of the negatives is that since it’s an only therapy section, therapists can’t, in no way, prescribe you medication.
Hi Stephanie,
Thank you for sharing the article, and it seams that mental health is getting to be huge problem and effects more people that statistics show.
I will have to check and see if the online avenue is available here in Australia, like it is over in the US.
As an online session offers the person seeking help some forms of security and giving them control of the situation as you do hear of people being belittled by sourcing counseling, opposed to the empathy that should be shown as its a huge step to admit you have a problem and to seek out help to resolve your problem on line will give you that control apposed to going to an office, and possibly feeling that you are going to suffer the humiliation that could come from meeting in person.
Keep up the great work
Jan
Hi Stephanie.
This is a very serious subject and the statistics are rather alarming. Are these numbers increasing rapidly?
Making mental health care more affordable would seem to be a no brainer, as financial stress is probably a major trigger for mental illness.
Sometimes I wonder if I might be a sufferer. Is there some sort of questionnaire that I could do to give me an idea about this?
Maybe I need to take the eight-week course.
Garry.
Hi Garry! Thank you for stopping by.
Sadly, the statistics are alarmingly growing every day and much more due to our current situation. There is no questionnaire from these platform in specific but you can search online for one because I’m pretty sure that there are a couple ones somewhere. Do keep in mind, a questionnaire will only give you an idea of what you may be feeling but it’s not a concrete diagnosis.
Seeking help from online therapists and professionals cannot be an easy task especially if you are not that sure about the reliability of the online sources. That’s why it is important to do all the necessary research before opting for the best solution and this article can be a strong point of reference for many people seeking for help especially when it comes about online health services. A thorough and relevant information can be found here on therapies in general and on cognitive-behavioral therapy and its benefits in particular.
Great post Stephanie, and thank very much for bringing this topic on the table, I think all of us have been depressed in our life one way or another. It has been more and more common lately during the healthy crises; We are living in a stressed world, and if we turn on the news for some time, we’ll be stressed even more. Exercise always helps, and doing something you like walking few kilometres a day can make some difference. The cure will come with time, time is what heals everything, meanwhile there are natural supplements you can try, like omega 3, zinc, B6, magnesium, they don’t hurt at all.
Thank you again and be of a good cheer as always.
Juma
Our current situation is only increasing our mental instability for the worse. People are dying and losing their jobs, homes, properties, etc and because of that there has been a rise peak on the number of people with suicidal thoughts and depression. It is important to keep an eye on our loved ones and seek out help if needed.