New technologies have brought about changes in many areas of our lives, and of course in the way we relate to others. Today, we can shop online, study a career online and even go to psychological therapy without having to attend a clinic in person.

In this sense, online therapy brings many benefits and is just as useful as traditional therapy. Many people have improved their well-being and quality of life with this type of psychotherapy.

Interview with Pilar Conde, director of Origen-alive

Knowing the above, we wanted to talk to Pilar Conde, health psychologist and technical director of the psychotherapy centre, so that she could tell us how online therapy works and explain to us what its advantages are.

Juan Armando Corbin: Good morning, Pilar. Tell us what is Origen. Why was it born?

Pilar Conde: Origin, was born with the objective of allowing access to psychological treatments, coaching and pharmacological processes, at any time of day and from any place. The contracted treatment can be either in person or online.

What exactly does online therapy consist of? What advantages does it have over conventional therapy?

The procedure of the online treatment is the same as the face-to-face one. The treatments are divided into an assessment phase, a hypothesis or psychoeducational phase, an intervention phase and a follow-up phase.

The difference is that the material between sessions will be given in digital format and through e-mail, and the interaction between people and professionals will be through an electronic device. In our case it is not necessary to have a program installed, since we send the link to the e-mail, and accessing it opens the connection.

In terms of benefits, there is no need to miss therapy sessions due to work or travel, nor is it necessary to waste time going to and from the consultation, which facilitates the reconciliation of personal and professional life. Furthermore, the sessions can be carried out from any place where the patient is comfortable, such as the living room of his/her house or on his/her terrace and it is possible to have psychotherapy sessions with the professionals of Clínicas Origen even if the patient is not in the same city.

How does online therapy work? What steps should a patient interested in this type of therapy follow?

It is very simple, the interested person has to go to www.origen-alive.com and choose the treatment that he or she considers to fit his or her needs, among the existing treatments, which fit different profiles. At origen-alive we have online and in-clinic therapies, both of which will be enhanced by the specialists at Clínicas Origen.

The process of buying or booking treatments online is very simple, with one user and following the purchase steps in a few clicks the interested party will have the key to be happier.

Once you have contracted or booked, an advisor from our clinics will contact you to inform you about our clinics, make an appointment with the psychologist and assess your needs and suitability for the treatment.

In online therapy, is there less trust between therapist and patient due to the physical distance? And what about adherence to treatment?

Today, technologies and the way people relate to each other have changed. Online therapy has many benefits as I have mentioned, and technology allows us to evolve and adapt to a greater number of personal needs and circumstances. If it is used in a creative and professional way, it will benefit and enhance the therapeutic processes and the relationship of trust between the patient and the therapist.

Adherence to treatment can even be facilitated, as it is easier to access from anywhere than the travel required for face-to-face sessions.

Do you think that online therapy is equally beneficial for any person or any kind of problem?

Online therapy is no different from any other therapy, what changes is the access route. If people are willing and motivated, it shouldn’t be a problem. There are certain symptoms that could be thought of as an inconvenience at first, for example in people who have agoraphobia, who tend not to leave the house.

In principle it could be seen as a difficulty, but if we are creative we will see how it can be used to your advantage. For example, it may be that this type of access allows access to some people who, for various reasons, are not willing to attend in person at first and can help them in that process. In other situations, the sessions can be held online in the street, accompanying you in the exhibition process.

What psychological problems do you most frequently treat from Origin-alive?

We treat many problems, although anxiety disorders and mood disorders are more common. We also work on coaching processes.

What skills do you think the psychologist should promote in online therapy sessions?

In any kind of therapy the psychologist has to have developed empathy, active listening, unconditional acceptance, training, experience. In online therapy, one would add the ability to handle the necessary applications, such as mail and a program to perform the sessions online.

What is the difference between Origin-Alive and other online therapy clinics?

Origen-alive is a clinic specialized in online treatment, and we have a specific program for the sessions that does not require the installation of any program in the computer. Our methodology facilitates the understanding of everything the patient works on in the session, and the psychologist sends the material weekly to your mail.

One of our goals is to break down the barriers about the prejudices that exist when it comes to going to a psychologist. For us, going to a psychologist is synonymous with intelligence, with being aware that to improve and grow psychologically, emotionally and socially you need training from a professional, in this case a psychologist.

The patients of Origen-alive belong to a network of clinics and their psychologists are part of a team of professionals, who receive continuous training. We also ensure that all our professionals have the health accreditation to practice, as well as the mandatory requirements for the practice of therapy.

The fact of belonging to a network of clinics such as Origen, makes our patients benefit from the discounts and promotions of our clinics. At Origen we are concerned about the well-being of our patients, and for this reason we ensure that the treatments they receive are of the highest quality.