The internet has created a whole new way of seeing a mental health professional for common problems such as anxiety, depression, and academic problems: online therapy. Basically, you choose a particular E clinic and select from a list of online psychologists, clinical social workers, family and marriage therapists, or counselors. Then, you set up a date and time on the website, pay, and are good to go. On the day you are scheduled to see the therapist you are sent a reminder email, then go to your computer, click a link, and then talk or chat with your therapist who you can actually see via video-audio-conferencing, audio-conferencing, or just chat. Sometimes you can also communicate via email for routine questions that do not involve ongoing therapy.
As easy as it is to see an online therapist at an E clinic it is important to watch out for a few red flags:
1. First, if your therapist charges per minute do not see a therapist using that E clinic. They should charged per half hour or hour as it is unethical and unprofessional to charge people who already are having problems concentrating and thinking per minute because it is just simply hard to calculate how much you will pay at the end of your session. Sometimes when you are having psychological difficulties you just want to talk forever or just can’t tell how fast time goes by.
2. Second, if your therapist gets publicly rated and reviewed stay away from that online therapy center. The reason is that mental health professionals deal with clients who may be angry today because of the therapy process and happy tomorrow. Also, if an online therapist is being rated, he or she may simply feel that to attract other clients he must make you happy and this is not how therapy works. The truth sometimes hurt but leads you to better mental health.
