If you have come this far to read this article perhaps it is because you have unresolved questions or concerns about how we psychologists who practice online psychotherapy work. You may have wondered before reading this article… How do they work? Is it reliable? What does it cost? Is it effective?

From now on I will try to clarify and answer these questions about the services that psychologists do on the Internet .

Frequently asked questions about online psychotherapy

Maybe you are thinking that you need to go to psychotherapy, and you think you could do it online, from the tranquility, intimacy and comfort of your home , without having to make any trips and without having to face a waiting room.

But as it is something new and unknown for you, it can generate many uncertainties, so you will ask yourself some questions to be sure before deciding to start an online psychotherapeutic process. Perhaps some of the questions that arise are the following.

1. What are the online psychology sessions like?

These sessions usually work by means of videoconference, from the platforms that facilitate the video call . The psychotherapy session can be carried out without image, only with sound, by audio-conference or by telephone; also without image or sound, only written in real time, by chat or even by deferred email.

Anyway, I only recommend doing online psychotherapy only by video conference, I consider it the most effective way as it is the one that achieves the best results.

2. How do I pay the price of the online psychotherapy sessions?

Surely you have made a purchase on the Internet, because in the same way that you pay for online purchases, you can also pay your psychologist online. There are currently many electronic payment gateways , or sending and transferring money (such as Pay Pal), and payments can be made through them.

Other alternative means of payment can be bank transfers, account deposits or also money transfers via Western Union.

3. Are the psychotherapy sessions completely online or does it ever have to be face-to-face?

The psychological therapy can be completely online, since both the diagnosis and the treatment can be carried out by video call and the payments as we have just said through internet payment gateways, or by transfer or deposit in account.

You should know that psychology, unlike other health disciplines such as medicine, is not essential for physical contact with the patient to make a diagnosis, nor to carry out psychotherapeutic intervention; therefore it is only necessary to do so through video conferencing.

4. Is it reliable to do therapy with an online psychologist?

I could tell you that just as you can trust a psychologist who works in person. After all, the only thing that changes is the way you communicate with the psychologist.

As a psychologist working online I can accredit my university degrees both as a graduate in psychology and as a Specialist in Clinical Psychology. You can also see my website www.rizaldos.com for patient testimonials, as well as for face-to-face testimonials.

Of course you can find a phony or an impostor, but that can also happen to you in person and in that case you will have to report it to the authorities for professional intrusion. But what you will usually find is that we are the same psychologists who have face-to-face consultations who now also carry out online psychotherapy.

Anyway, nowadays you can consult the fingerprint, the therapist’s prestige and other patients’ opinions of a psychologist before deciding to start a psychotherapeutic process.

5. How much does an online psychotherapy session cost?

I am one of those who believe that the price of both online and face-to-face psychology sessions should be the same, because the psychologist provides the same work .

You will have seen that there are more or less economic rates. This will depend on the training, experience and prestige of the psychology professional, and the same goes for sessions held in person.

What is more economical is the time and travel required to reach the psychologist’s office.

6. What do you think of free online psychology?

There are many people who come to certain websites that offer free online psychology. Unfortunately, these so-called psychology services are not reliable and do not deserve your trust in any case, they are a fraud. Going to the psychologist’s office is not free, just like the plumber or the lawyer.

The psychologist is a professional who charges for his work, like any other profession. We cannot give service for free , because, like everyone else, we have to make a living from our work.

Perhaps there are psychologists who work and their services are free or subsidized since they are part of a program financed by some Public Administration, by a Charitable Foundation or by an NGO. In these cases I do not have the inconveniences mentioned at the beginning.

7. Will online psychotherapy be effective for me?

I would say that at the same level as the psychotherapy that we do in a face-to-face way is effective. The techniques and therapies that endorse the science we use in face-to-face psychotherapy sessions to treat and help people with psychological problems are the same as those we use online. The only difference is the way in which they are delivered to the patient .

I wish I had answered your questions about online psychotherapy. It is a viable option, not the only one, that you should not discard without knowing its benefits and effectiveness.