Edmonton/Sherwood Prak Online Psychology | therapy | Counselling

Firefly Counselling offers both online video therapy, counselling, and telehealth. Our therapists have successfully helped many clients overcome depression, anxiety, trauma, stress, mood swings and self-esteem challenge using video therapy, counselling, or telehealth through online psychology. We can also provide couples counselling using online therapy.

Online psychology or online therapy comes under many names. Telehealth, telepsychology, video therapy, video psychology, web therapy, phone therapy, text therapy, are just a few of the names. Some of the names are specific (i.e. video therapy is therapy provided via a video link), while other words function as more of an umbrella term (i.e. telehealth can refer to direct therapy, online training, clinical consultation, etc…), and other titles may not always refer to what the words say (i.e. teletherapy can refer to audio only therapy over a phone, or it can refer to video therapy, text therapy, or therapy via email).

Online psychology comes with various advantages and disadvantages as opposed to in-person or in-office therapy:

Advantages of Online Therapy | Online Psychology

  • Allows clients and therapists to “meet” despite requirements of social distancing

  • Allows clients to access mental health therapy without risk of exposure to viruses (i.e. corona virus/covid-19, measles, flu, etc…), bacteria, or other health risks present outside the home

  • Allows clients to attend therapy where they are - which is very helpful for individuals who travel for work, or who unable to leave their home for any reason

  • Allows clients who live in isolated areas to access mental health services

  • Clinicians may be able to offer a wider range of appointment times that better suit client availability

  • Enables clients to access specialty therapists that might not work in their community or region

  • Enables clients with agoraphobia (fear of being outdoors) or those who are highly anxious about leaving the house to access therapy

  • Increased confidentiality as you will not accidentally see (or be seen) by someone you know in the therapist waiting room

  • Many people are more willing to open up in an online therapy session faster than in-person as they feel safer in their own home, this may speed the therapeutic process

Disadvantages of Online Therapy | Online Psychology

  • Technology issues may delay the start of a session, or may disrupt or halt a session altogether

  • Not all video chat programs provide the security required for therapy, thus allowing the software creators or others to “listen in” or “watch in” to the therapy session

  • Slow internet speeds at the clinician end, going across the internet, or at the client end, may result in choppy images, pixilation, and/or audio distortion/dropouts

  • The client may not have a secure, confidential place to talk

  • Reading non-verbals may be difficult for the therapist depending on what the video camera picks up, this can impede therapeutic progress

  • Some therapeutic approaches may be contraindicated (i.e. unsafe, not possible to do, etc…) in an online format

  • If a client becomes highly distressed during an online session, the therapist is not physically present to help them or to get help

  • Not everyone has access to a computer or phone with the minimum necessary wifi/celluar internet capacity and/or camera quality

  • Not everyone can afford the internet, or an internet package with sufficient bandwidth and amount for online therapy (minimum 5Mbs down and 5Mbs up)

  • Some people are highly anxious when using computers or new technology

  • If another person in your house is streaming or otherwise engaged in a high bandwidth task, this may significantly degrade the video quality of your online therapy session

A good online therapist will work hard to minimize the disadvantages, and maximize the advantages of Online Psychology | Online Therapy. If you are considering utilizing Online Therapy | Online Psychology it is important to first review your comfort with computers, access to video equipment (i.e. webcam, camera on phone or iPad), the quality of your internet, if other people are also using your internet at the same time) and if you have a secure (confidential) place in which to talk. If those are all good, then when you call in to book, find out what kind of video platform the therapist is using so that you can confirm they are Health Information Act of Alberta (HIA) compliant. Any platform that is also HIPPA compliant (the U.S. equivalent) will also meet HIA regulations. Finding a therapist that is also experienced and comfortable with in Online Psychology | Online Therapy will also increase the chances of a successful therapy session.

All Firefly Clinicians are Trained in, and Experienced With Online Psychology

We only use HIA Compliant Video Software to Meet With Our Clients Online