Our Premium Selection of Top Online Anxiety Counseling Companies

Dealing with anxiety is extremely challenging. Many people with anxiety issues choose to do something about it and seek professional help. Traditionally, you did not have many choices when it comes to therapists, as the location of your home dictates your options. But with the advance in technology, online therapy for anxiety is now possible. You can enroll in online anxiety counseling with a few clicks, as well as choose the therapist that suits you the best. There are numerous advantages of online anxiety therapy but there are some limitations as well. At Consumer Opinion Guide, it is our goal to provide you with all the information you might need to make the best choice you can.

Online therapy for anxiety – What is it, exactly?

Online therapy stands for the provision of professional mental health counseling via the internet. It is usually accomplished through a messaging app, live video chat, emails, or over the phone. The practice is becoming more and more popular in today’s world, due to ease of access and the recent COVID-19 pandemic. It allows a patient to connect with therapists across the country from the comfort and safety of their own homes.

Traditionally, in-person therapy usually takes place in an office. This means that you have to deal with the anxiety of going to the office, which can further exacerbate your problems. With online therapy for anxiety and depression, you don’t need to leave the safety of your home until you are ready. We are not saying that online therapy can completely replace in-person therapy but it is a powerful alternative. It is also a great way to get yourself in a position to benefit from live therapy sessions the most.

While online therapy might be a recent form of therapy, current studies show that it can be just as effective as traditional in-person therapy for many people. By talking from the security of your own home, you may be more likely to open up about your problems. It is also a much more affordable therapy option, as there are no travel times, expenses, and inconveniences of meeting in person.

Is it effective?

Online therapy is dependent on the same factors as traditional therapy is. The level of connection matters as well as your ability to open up, and the work you are willing to put in. This is exactly the same as in in-person therapy sessions. For people today, it is easier to do all of that in an online environment, whereas some prefer the face-to-face approach.

For example, the younger generations that grew up using technology to communicate over long distances will naturally find it easier to create meaningful connections online. The older generations, however, might need body language to connect to other people. The fact of the matter is that with online therapy, building trust and rapport based on body language is quite hard. And, in some cases, that same body language can be crucial to the overall success of the therapy.

Now, with the advance in technology, it is quite possible to achieve similar levels of body language even through online mediums such as video calls. As technology advances even further, the lines between traditional and online therapy for anxiety will blur even further.

Online therapy for anxiety options

Before you sign up for any online anxiety therapy, you will want to know what your options are. The options depend on your therapist, as some will stick to one form of treatment whereas others can combine several treatment modalities. Most commonly, you will be able to choose from online CBT therapy for anxiety, (Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy), ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and DBT (Dialectical Behavioral Therapy). All these forms help patients manage their anxiety, face stressors gradually, and learn how to tolerate and manage distress.

Regardless of the option that you choose, you will work with your therapist to change how you perceive external events, as well as how you react to them. You will be able to create and work on coping strategies that you can use outside of therapy sessions.

Types of anxiety treated through online therapy

Anything that can be treated through traditional, in-person, therapy, can be treated through online therapy as well. There are some exceptions, such as a few diagnostic tests where your psychiatrist or psychologist needs to be in the room with you. But if you already have a diagnosis of an anxiety disorder, an online therapist can help you manage the symptoms and provide you with coping strategies. For example, the best online cbt therapy for anxiety, studies show, has extremely good results when it comes to improving the patient life. This form of therapy is perfectly suited to an online environment and is what most online therapists use.

Here are some of the most common anxiety types that are treatable through online anxiety therapy:

• Phobias
• Major Depressive Disorder
• Social Anxiety Disorder
• PTSD
• Generalized Anxiety Disorder
• Panic Disorder
• Persistent Depressive Disorder
• OCD

For the most part, online therapy utilizes the same strategies that traditional therapy does. It will teach you how to manage negative thinking, how to overcome obstacles, how to build your confidence, as well as how to set achievable goals. The best online anxiety therapy will also provide you with strategies to manage stress and anxiety, which will lead to improvement in your quality of life.

For most people with anxiety issues, the main difficulty comes from managing their thoughts, feelings, and emotions. They might even form acting and responding habits that make their anxiety even worse. An online therapist helps these patients to see these patterns, change them, and teaches them how to make better decisions and take control of their own lives.

However, if you happen to experience any physical symptoms of anxiety (headache, sickness, fatigue, pounding heart), online therapists can come up with relaxation strategies that can help you calm your body and mind.

Choosing between different online anxiety counseling providers

With everything that has been going on, the number of online therapy companies has been growing rapidly. With such a competitive market, knowing how to choose the right company is essential for ensuring your wellbeing. So, here are some of the factors that you should take into consideration when screening different online counseling companies for anxiety and depression:

• Credibility. Check out the accreditations and memberships of the company. Also, look into the vetting process for the online anxiety and depression therapists that the company employs.
• Customer Care. With such a delicate type of service, it’s important to have a company that offers great customer support.
• Responsiveness. Companies should be able to accommodate multiple channels of communication for patients that require online therapy for anxiety.
• Security. These are sensitive matters that require finesse and confidentiality, so it’s important to find companies that demonstrate trust.
• Affordability. Finally, it’s always important to cross-compare different prices and payment plans that companies offer.

You can discern these factors through different means but customer reviews are your best starting point. To find the best online therapy for anxiety, however, you may need to “dig deeper”. This means scouring the internet for specifics, which is something that might take quite a bit of time. You can always get in touch with the company directly and have them answer your questions.

In fact, this is the best way to find the online anxiety counseling you are looking for. But before you get to that point, you will want to know that you are working with a credible, affordable, company. One that has a great reputation for customer care, is responsive and trustworthy.

Recommended specialists for online therapy for anxiety and depression:

• Calmerry
• Talkspace
• Online Therapy

Online therapy vs Traditional therapy

The obvious difference between online therapy and traditional therapy is the fact that you will not be seeing the therapist in person. Rather, you will use the internet to communicate, whether through a video chat, email, or text messaging. Some online therapists will also extend their sessions over the phone if that is what is most convenient for you.

Beyond the physical differences, there is also a different level of contact with the therapist. Most in-person therapy sessions happen once per week, whereas the best online anxiety treatment includes text communication between sessions. This provides the patients with an additional level of support, making it easier for them to make noticeable progress.

Building a rapport

One of the most common concerns, when someone thinks about online therapy, is: “Will I be able to build rapport with an online therapist?” Research suggests that there is no loss of therapeutic alliance in online therapy. The fact of the matter is that online therapy might just be as good as traditional therapy. If you show up and do the work, you can expect the same results from either traditional or online therapy.

If you happen to be struggling to connect to your online therapist during online anxiety counseling, make sure that you take advantage of video calls. The simple fact that you are able to see the therapist’s face and they are able to see yours will significantly increase the level of connection. Of course, if you are not yet ready for that step, proceed with messaging until you are. The most important thing is that you have the support that you need, and online therapists will be able to provide it for you.

Transition to online therapy

What happens if you are already undergoing traditional therapy sessions and want to transition to online therapy? The best recourse is to ask your current therapists about recommendations. They might even be able to provide you with an online therapy option of their own, making that the easiest solution. If that is not possible, your best option is to seek solutions through an online service. Spend some time researching the best option and you will soon find an ideal therapist for your online sessions.

What can you expect?

The first online therapy session usually involves you clarifying the areas of your life that you want to focus on. They might not be the ones most in need of support but they need to be what is most important to you. Prior to the session, you will want to figure out what communication method your therapist offers. Then select the one that works the best for you.

To achieve the best results from online therapy for anxiety and depression, you will want to find a quiet spot in your home, free of any distractions. You might even want to hang a sign on the door that clearly shows that you are in session if you live with your family. You will feel nervous, that is only natural. Simply try to do your best and answer the questions honestly. It will be much easier once you “get rolling”.

What to look for in an online therapist?

Not every online therapist is the same. You have the choice from thousands of licensed therapists and you need to exercise that choice to its full potential. Try to ensure that your online cbt therapy for anxiety, for example, is being conducted by a licensed professional with a graduate degree in psychology, family therapy, or professional counseling. Your therapist also needs to follow evidence-based practices and have the know-how to diagnose and treat several anxiety disorders.

Lastly, make sure that your contact with your therapist is through a secure platform. All of the best online cbt therapy for anxiety options use specialized software, designed to protect your private information.

Benefits of online therapy for anxiety

The main benefit of online therapy is that you can schedule it at your own convenience. For example, if you happen to want to talk at 4 AM, you can connect with a therapist in a different time zone. This flexibility simply is something that traditional therapy cannot hope to match.

Furthermore, all online therapy sessions are conducted from the safety of your own home. This means that there are far fewer stressors involved in your therapy sessions. You will not need to leave the house and get in potentially stressful situations. If you have social anxiety, online therapy is pretty much the best choice that you have.

Even the best online anxiety treatment is more affordable than in-person therapy if your insurance does not cover it. If you live in a remote area, the cost of visiting a therapist in another town can significantly increase the overall therapy price.

To sum it all up:

• Online therapy is more affordable
• Scheduling is extremely flexible
• You attend therapy sessions from the comfort of your home

Limitations

But even the best best online anxiety therapy has its limitations. There are situations in which online therapy might not be the best solution for you, such as:

• Being in a state of crisis or having suicidal thoughts
• Severe and debilitating anxiety that requires in-person support from your therapist
• Being too young to access the online therapy services on your own
• Not having the necessary technological knowledge, or having an aversion to online services

In all these situations, your best option is to schedule therapy sessions in person.

Choose the more convenient and comfortable option while saving time and money

Whether you are switching to online therapy or considering it for the first time, you need to understand that it will be a challenging process. Anxiety is not something that you can easily manage, after all. It takes time for any form of therapy to take root, so to say. What you need to do is check with your own self whether the anxiety is interfering with the online therapy process. It is perfectly normal for your anxiety to flare up when faced with trying something new. As with everything else, time can make a huge difference.

Start working on your struggles and take the next step towards happiness

Every beginning is tough, especially so in the last couple of years. With more and more people going through inner battles, cases of anxiety and depression are spreading wider than the coronavirus, it would seem. And unlike the virus, these conditions can stay with us for years unless we do something about it. With this in mind, Consumer Opinion Guide has devoted its resources to finding the very best of the best online therapy for anxiety and depression. We want to give people the means to get the best possible online anxiety counseling without having to waste weeks searching for the perfect therapist. Let us help you take those first steps and explore our list of top-rated online therapists for anxiety, depression, and other mental conditions!