Online psychologist: the benefits of remote psychological sessions.

Why choose sessions with an online psychologist? What are the advantages and benefits?

Through my experience during the health emergency caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, I came to understand the importance, usefulness and effectiveness of online psychological sessions. I held many sessions as an online psychologist in the areas of psychological support and personal growth, and today I see several clients remotely.

Working online has given my clients the opportunity to ask for help and access care through innovative tools and with greater flexibility.

In this article we will look briefly at how the consultations work, who they are for and what the benefits of this innovative approach are.

HOW DO ONLINE PSYCHOLOGICAL SESSIONS WORK?

Telepsychology is the branch of psychology that develops online services and technological innovations to make sessions available and accessible to more and more people.

Working online, I have responded to a wide range of requests for psychological support, such as: anxiety, panic attacks, stress management, emotional regulation, dysfunctional relationships and emotional dependency, traumatic experiences, as well as requests for support focused on personal growth and on developing inner resources for self-fulfilment.

I offer psychological support based on creating and sharing goals that are co-constructed with the client during the session and revisited along the way, according to each person's development and needs.

Online, just as in my practice, I hold clinical sessions integrated with psychophysical wellbeing techniques and tools for awareness and self-transformation, such as guided visualisations and relaxation, meditations, imaginative-experiential practices and expressive activities.

In short, although you might think otherwise, online therapy is a form of intervention as valid as traditional face-to-face therapy, and it does not rule out applying the same techniques and carrying out the same activities as a traditional session.

Sessions are scheduled on a day and at a time agreed with the client and take place on a dedicated, secure video platform. They last 50 minutes, with the right amount of flexibility to arrange the following meetings.

Clients can ask me for a first online session to get to know each other, ask for brief help with a specific situation, or decide to undertake a longer path, that is, one lasting as long as needed to restore their personal wellbeing.

In my approach I generally give clients some exercises, such as psychoeducational content, questionnaires, meditations, reflective journals and anything else that helps the therapeutic work, tailored to the person, their attitudes, passions and interests.

THE ADVANTAGES OF ONLINE THERAPY

Online sessions work in the same way as traditional therapy sessions, with one significant difference: the therapist and the client are not in the same room. Starting from this point, we can discuss several advantages for the client.

First of all, there is certainly greater access to care for people with physical, medical or mobility-related disabilities, or for those experiencing psychological distress and suffering that make it difficult or frightening to attend a session in person (for example panic disorder, agoraphobia or post-traumatic stress).

In my experience, and in conversations with colleagues, I have found that some people who are initially reluctant to seek psychological help find in video consultations the perfect place to build trust little by little and feel at ease.

Many of my clients are also travellers and digital nomads who move from place to place quickly and work remotely with flexible hours. People who have moved abroad for study, work or a change of life can also benefit from video consultations, and therefore from specific support with the difficulties they face as a result.

Finally, people who live in a small community and want complete confidentiality and easy access to psychological support may find that online sessions suit their needs.

One of the most important advantages, then, is flexibility, because sessions can take place without travelling, saving both time and money; the cost of video consultations is also lower than that of an in-person session.

HOW CAN I REQUEST AN ONLINE SESSION?

Online psychological support has allowed my clients and me to open new paths towards personal wellbeing and self-realisation. Taking part in a series of online psychological sessions offers better access to quality care, flexible scheduling and sessions in your native language for those living far from their home country, and it can be a solution in areas that lack adequate mental health resources.

For people who find it hard to build relationships, or social interaction in general, online therapy can open up new ways of relating and of opening up to the therapist.

In short, there are many benefits in terms of flexibility, accessibility, continuity and convenience.

If you'd like to try this way of working, you only need to make sure you are in a private, quiet space with a good connection, and get in touch with me for an introductory call through my CONTACT page.

Let me tell you something: choosing a safe, quiet place for your online session can turn out to be an important first piece of the work, because it brings you face to face with the need to create and/or freely inhabit a safe, comfortable space of your own, where you can devote yourself to yourself without outside interference and for as long as you need.

Consultations are conducted according to the ethical principles and code of conduct for psychologists, in full respect of the ethical constraints and guidelines of the national and international bodies that oversee the profession.

Find out more about my online psychological support and personal growth programmes:

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Francesca Peruzzi, psychologist.

Clinical and wellbeing psychologist.