THE THERAPIST

Karen Morton is a psychotherapist and counsellor at kmpsychotherapy.co.uk. She says…

‘Online therapy has a surprisingly long history. Automated text-based services date back to the 1960s, with internetbased online video therapy from around the mid-1990s. However, it was conceived by many therapists as a different and perhaps lesser offer to its in-person counterpart.

Online and in-person therapy are different, but are both – in my experience – equally therapeutic and effective. Online means clients aren’t limited to their locality and don’t have travel expenses. Clients find it advantageous that there’s no travel time, more accessibility and choice, and they’re able to schedule sessions with more flexibility. Some therapists may charge less for online therapy where they would incur room rental for in-person therapy, but there are costs when using platforms such as Microsoft Teams, Zoom and doxy.me, plus webcams, upgraded internet connection, and gaps in sessions to avoid screen fatigue.

I charge the same because one service isn’t superior or inferior to the other, and I spend the same time preparing sessions and reviewing client material. When working online, I prefer video because visual information is crucial to listening and attuning to my client’s body language.

Engagement for some is difficult when online. Others find it intimidating, or work from home and cannot bear another meeting on Zoom. For these clients, in-person therapy is more suitable, but it’s down to what works for the individual client.’