Does ONLINE therapy work?

If you’re considering online therapy, you’ve come to the right place! Below, we answer some commonly asked questions about online therapy to help you make an informed decision about what might work best for you.

What does ONLINE therapy look like?

Online therapy (also referred to as virtual therapy) is therapy that is delivered using a video-based platform. You log on to a secure video platform and then meet with your therapist and talk in the same way you would if the appointment was in person.

Is online therapy as EFFECTIVE as in-person therapy?

Research suggests that online psychotherapy is as effective as therapy provided in person (Venturo-Conerly, K. E., et al., 2021; Fernandez et al., 2021).

Ultimately, what’s most important is that you’re able to form a strong “therapeutic alliance” with your therapist, regardless of whether you meet with them online or in-person. We know that a strong “therapeutic alliance” (i.e., the emotional bond between client and therapist and level of agreement on the tasks and goals of therapy) is associated with better outcomes, Tasca et al. (2018).

Are online therapists legit?

There’s no difference in credentials between therapists who choose to provide therapy on-line and those who meet with you in an office.

All individuals providing “psychotherapy” in Ontario, must be registered with a regulated health profession/college that has psychotherapy within its scope of practice or be supervised by a registered professional. This includes professions like psychologists, registered social workers, registered psychotherapists, psychiatrists, and some occupational therapists.

Your receipts will have the license/registration number of the provider. You can also confirm that the individual is a registered professional by looking them up on their college website (e.g., CPO, CPRO, OCSWSSW).

Is ONLINE therapy for me?

We recommend online therapy to…

  • individuals who have access to a private space in their home where they can feel comfortable talking openly

  • individuals/families that have access to a steady wifi connection

  • individuals/families that are comfortable being on camera

  • individuals/families that prefer not to spend time commuting to and from appointments or who may have difficulty leaving the home

  • families where part of the session may be with the child and part with the parent; with online therapy you don’t have to wait in a waiting room and can instead carry on in your own home while your child is being seen.

While there is limited research investigating for whom in-person therapy is indicated, our experience providing virtual services over the past two years suggests that young children or those with significant attentional difficulties may struggle to fully engage in sessions online. Often therapy for this population involves the use of fidgets, toys, or games and so we recommend in-person services for these children, unless we are taking a parent-led approach, where the majority of session time is actually spent with parents.

Is ONLINE therapy covered by insurance?

Whether services are offered online or in-person should not affect your entitlement to benefits. Some insurance plans only cover certain mental health professions (e.g., psychologists, social workers, or registered psychotherapists) and so you may want to check with them about that in case it affects whom you decide to work with.