Is Online Counseling Effective for Social Anxiety?
As access to virtual therapy becomes more readily available many people ask the question, is it effective for individuals seeking help with social anxiety disorder? So, let us dive deep in online counseling and try to figure out, if online social anxiety disorder counseling is effective for curing social anxiety.
What is Social Anxiety Disorder Counseling
Social anxiety disorder counseling is a form of psychotherapy meant to help individuals deal with overwhelming fear in social situations.
Traditionally, if you seek counseling, you would meet with a counselor face-to-face and follow a variety of treatment strategies such as cognitive-behavioral and dialectical behavioral therapy to change the unhealthy thinking patterns.
This results in you and the counselor doing individual scheduling for follow-up meetings while also continuing the treatment as prescribed by the counselor.
Advantages of Online Counseling for Social Anxiety
The most immediate advantage of online social anxiety disorder counseling is its accessibility. If you struggle to go outside of your house due to anxiety, you will find it easier to open up to your counselor in online social anxiety disorder counseling as you are not required to walk into a counseling office.
The certainty of being in a relaxed and comfortable setting can very well lead to more honest communication, which is necessary to help build that first step of trust in the therapy process. Moreover, online counseling also eliminates barriers like travel time which can be overwhelming to manage when you are struggling with social anxiety.
Techniques Utilized in Online Counseling
Online social anxiety disorder counseling for social anxiety disorder uses the same techniques as more traditional means. Each of the above instances like CBT, exposure therapy, and mindfulness-based interventions can be successfully executed via online platforms. Therapists can use video calls and texting, and sometimes more interactive software, during the session.
Therapeutic Connection in the Digital Realm
The client's therapeutic relationship is critical for effective social anxiety disorder therapy. Also, a strong therapeutic relationship can naturally occur through both verbal and visual expressions and behaviors relying strongly on verbal communication and facial expressions provided to clients through the online screen.
Patients who undergo online social anxiety disorder counseling often say that they feel less judged and less scrutinized in an online setting.
Although the context changes, the progress online social anxiety disorder counseling can foster, with a good therapist, can still meet the mental health goal of developing a client-therapeutic connection.
Is Online Counseling Appropriate for Everyone?
The applicability of online counseling for social anxiety disorder varies individually. It is usually considered the best strategy if you experience mild to moderate levels of anxiety.
However, if you have more complicated mental health needs, you may be better served by a hybrid or in-person treatment. In the end, the quality of any counseling experience no matter the format will rely heavily on the level of therapist skill, your engagement with the treatment, and therapeutic alliance.
So, if you are looking for a reliable counselor to receive social anxiety disorder counseling in Woodstock, contact Advent Counseling today.