Online therapy

Convenient, accessible web-based therapy

Combining compassionate support with the convenience of online sessions, my online therapy service may provide just the help you need.

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Does online therapy really help?

Yes, definitely. Many studies have shown online therapy to have comparable benefits to face-to-face therapy. These include Ierardi et al (2022), Carlbring et al (2017) and Novella et al (2022). In some studies, face-to-face has shown a slight advantage, but the difference is really very small; if you think online will work better for you than face-to-face, you can rest assured it’s effective.

What are the differences between online and face-to-face therapy?

There are pros and cons to online therapy versus face-to-face, but they’re just a matter of personal preference.

Face-to-face therapy

  • Some people like being in the same room as their counsellor.

  • The journey to and from therapy gives you time to decide what to talk about and reflect on your session.

  • The therapist can pick up body language and other non-verbal communication better.

  • A private setting is provided by the therapist, which is better for those without the privacy to have online sessions at home.

Online therapy

  • Eliminates the time needed to travel to and from therapy.

  • May be cheaper.

  • May occasionally be disrupted by technical issues.

  • Gives you access to specialist therapists outside your local area.

Why do people choose online therapy?

The reasons people choose to have their therapy online include:

  • social anxiety - meeting their therapist online feels more manageable

  • travelling - people who travel a lot for work can’t meet in person each week

  • choosing a specialist - there may not be a therapist with the specialism they are looking for local to them

  • disability - many therapy rooms are not accessible to wheelchair users or others with reduced mobility

  • living overseas - ex-pats often prefer to see a counsellor from their country of origin because of the shared language and cultural understanding.

What services do you provide online?

All the services that I provide in person are also available online:

What issues can I bring to online therapy?

In online therapy, I help individuals and couples with many different issues including:

If I start counselling online, can I switch to face-to-face later?

Yes, that’s no problem. If you want to switch to in-person sessions, just let me know and I’ll give you the choice of my available appointments in Kings Cross and Oxford Circus. It’s not uncommon for people to switch from online to face-to-face, for example as they feel more comfortable with their counsellor or their travel schedule eases up.

Why is online therapy cheaper?

It’s simply a case of lower costs; a therapist can usually do online sessions from their home, whereas face-to-face sessions require a counselling room which represents a cost to the therapist.

I charge £10 less for online therapy. My full fee structure is explained in How I work.

What is the best rated online counselling?

I’m afraid that’s impossible to answer because most counsellors offer online sessions, so it’s not just a case of comparing the big platforms. Many counsellors also choose not to ask their clients for reviews (as it can introduce mixed feelings to the therapeutic relationship), so if you only look at those on review platforms, you will be missing out on lots of excellent counsellors and psychotherapists.

Why don’t therapists like BetterHelp?

From therapists I’ve spoken to, the main objections to big online therapy platforms like BetterHelp are:

  • They don’t pay therapists well. This is obviously problematic for the therapists who need to earn a livelihood, but it’s also an issue for clients because it means the platforms aren’t attracting the best therapists.

  • Some incentivise therapists to see a lot of clients. There are only so many clients a therapist can hold in their head before getting their details confused or experiencing burnout. So these incentives undermine the quality of the therapy.

  • Some require therapists to go beyond the usual boundaries of therapy. These practices, such as being available for online chats between sessions, may sound appealing to clients but there are good reasons why therapy is structured the way it is. Going beyond these boundaries can be detrimental to the client’s progress in therapy, for example by fostering dependence on the therapist.

When do you offer online therapy?

I see online clients:

  • Tuesday morning and afternoon

  • Wednesday morning and afternoon

  • Thursday afternoon and evening

  • Friday morning.

For my current availability, use my booking page. If you select an appointment type, then the online option, it will show you the times available.

Is online therapy confidential?

Yes. I use a secure platform (Zoom) and only conduct therapy sessions where I cannot be overheard. I also use earphones, so what my clients say can’t be heard outside my ears anyway!

As a client, is it important that you have a space for your sessions where you are confident you won’t be overheard, so you can speak freely.

The usual boundaries of confidentiality are the same for online therapy as they are for face-to-face sessions. There are a few situations in which I may be required to break confidentiality (such as risk of significant harm to someone under 18), but there are rare and I will discuss them with you when you start therapy.

What do I need for an online counselling session?

You need a private space where you will not be interrupted or overheard. You need access to the internet. A computer is usually better than a phone, just so that you can be hands-free and see the therapist clearly, but a phone will do if you don’t have a computer. You need somewhere where you will be comfortable sitting for 50 minutes. That’s it.

Why choose me?

 

I’m a very experienced therapist - I’ve been seeing individuals and couples for over 15 years. With a long history of working with overseas clients, I’m also very experienced in online therapy. I’m easy to talk to, warm, insightful and down-to-earth.

I offer free introductory chats and half price initial consultations so that you don’t have to spend a lot to get a feel for whether I’m a good fit for you. Most clients who come for an initial consultation with me choose to continue with me, but if I’m not the right fit for you I will be happy to refer you to a colleague. I manage a large team of therapists so if I’m not the perfect fit for you there’s a good chance I know someone who is!

Next steps

If that sounds good to you, it’s easy to book an initial consultation or a free introductory phone call here…

If you want to find out more first, feel free to contact me and I’ll get back to you promptly.