Curious about what online counselling can do for you?
As you strengthen your roots and build yourself a solid support team, the following benefits of online counselling may be worth considering:
1. Significantly more therapists to choose from.
We believe that the connection and fit that you have with your therapist is an important variable in what you’ll take away from your counselling experience. Having additional options to consider means you’re more likely to find someone who you feel truly comfortable to connect with. Fortunately, psychologists and therapists are often registered provincially. This means that clients located in Edmonton who are open to exploring online counselling are able to consider connecting with therapists across all of Alberta. Online counselling has been a key resource for our clients who join sessions from outside of Edmonton and Calgary, and all across Alberta, where limited options exist for clients within in many smaller communities. LifeRoots also offers online therapy to clients in the Yukon and Northwest Territories (NWT), where there are often very limited options for specialized therapy services.
2. Access to therapists with more refined areas of specialty.
As therapists, we tend to do our best work when we’re working with clients who have mutual areas of interest that overlap with our existing areas of experience. Yet, some clients are simply not able find a therapist in their community who has the particular skills, sensitivities and areas of specialization to they feel are key to building a therapeutic relationship. Broadening your search over a greater area allows you greater selection when it comes to finding a therapist with relevant areas of expertise (eg. are you looking for someone with experience with navigating relationships, sexuality, self-esteem, etc.), and with a more robust and rich network of professionals to explore, chances are greater that you’ll find a therapist who can help.
3. Build rapport with a therapist who already “gets it”.
It’s nice to have some things that are already understood by your therapist, without you having to go in depth to orient your therapist to how you live your life or what you’ve experienced. Examples of this may be your unique approach to connecting within relationships (for those who enjoy polyamory or non-monogamy), your sexuality or gender identity, or specific traumas you’re looking for support with healing. Finding a therapist with a strong background and experience working within the key areas that are relevant to you can mean you have a strong base for engaging in healing work together, without having to take as much valuable time within your sessions to catch your therapist up to speed.
4. Access to more reduced-rate options.
With more options available, more affordable options naturally come into focus. Students and budding therapists, eager to share support and grow alongside their clients, are able to find clients ready to engage in therapy. Therapists offering virtual sessions comfortably from a smaller home office may forgo the overhead costs associated with renting external office space, and save time otherwise spent commuting to an office, leading to increased capacity to provide reduced-rate sessions. This is certainly the case at LifeRoots, where we have two student therapists offering sessions at a greatly reduced rate, at $60 for individuals/ $80 for couples, compared to the regular $200/ session charged by full-rate psychologists. As space remains available in their caseload, our student therapists are also able to consider requests for further reduced-rates and free sessions, based on client need.
5. Join your session with ease.
Attending a virtual session, you get to forget the hassle of commuting to an office, navigating parking and traffic delays, waiting for an elevator, etc. You simply click-to-join at your scheduled session time. Compared to those who may still be decompressing from a commute to an office setting, you may notice the lower energy investment of arriving for a virtual session can leave you feeling more ease at the start of your session, and you may find you have more energy available to engage with your session. We believe that the ease with which you can join a session translates to more likelihood you’ll arrive on-time, eager and ready to make the most of the time you’ve set aside for yourself.
6. Enjoy more space and comfort throughout your session.
Accessing specialized support in the comfort of your home, no longer needing to navigate a commute to a shared physical space, you may find you may find yourself having space before and after your session to care for yourself in other ways. You can start to build a supportive pre-session routine, pouring yourself a cup of tea or your favourite beverage, and finding a quiet, cozy space to meet. Having the comforts of home present (your favourite blanket, comfortable clothing, a pet by your side, etc.) can also make it easier to engaged throughout your session. Some additionally experience relief as the need to navigate concerns about health that may come with sharing close spaces, making decisions about whether to wear a mask, etc. while in the midst of a pandemic are not present while meeting online.
7. Distance can support confidentiality and reduce biases.
Accessing a therapist who you know does not live within your local community can potentially increase comfort within counselling. Some clients appreciate knowing their therapist is unlikely to have overlapping personal contacts, and it’s unlikely they will run into their therapist at a social event or at the grocery store. Living further away, can make it simpler for therapist to maintain an unbiased perspective, remain neutral within sessions, and keep clear boundaries.
Whatever your reason for considering online counselling, LifeRoots therapists would love to be a part of harnessing the potential for healing in your life. We hope you’ll consider selecting a time in our online calendar to enjoy a complimentary consultation to discuss what we can achieve together.