Like so many therapists, I became a Toronto online therapist, offering virtual therapy services, due to the pandemic that began in 2020. We were all told to stay home to protect each other. I continued to practice, but offered online therapy services, not going to the office.
Although I had met with clients online occasionally before 2020, what the pandemic gave me was the experience and realization that in so may cases online therapy services is preferable and has serious perks for you, a client receiving mental health services. It also allowed me to expand my practice to all of Ontario, to better meet your online therapy needs.
So I have fallen in love with it and will never look back!
Here’s Why You Might Want to Try Online or Virtual Therapy Services in Toronto:
There is no travel required, no commute to get to our online therapy services. My full-time office was in downtown Toronto, so traffic and parking issues contributed to late arrivals with you showing up stressed and annoyed.
This makes connecting and getting into the work more challenging. It also means my clients had to give a half day or whole evening to our time together, making it hard to meet weekly and devote the time you may need to have a fully immersive therapy experience. Online therapy services can help!
And when meeting virtually weather is not an issue, always touch and go in our fabulous northern country, right? Freezing rain and snow make our day harder without having to commute around the city, rather than to get to one main spot for your day. This way you can either work from home or get to work, seeing me for online therapy services for an hour as only part of your day.
Pre-pandemic we just cancelled, now meeting online for therapy is more natural for so many of us. We have gotten more comfortable meeting this way.
If you travel for work often, some therapists may still able to see you for online therapy services, rather than losing your valuable therapy session that you so need and/or look forward to, to feel grounded and clear of mind.
More Accessible Online Therapy Services:
I love the accessibility that is improved with online therapy services. I work with complex trauma, especially in the LGBTQAI2S community. Traditionally, in rural areas you would be likely to find more generalist therapists as they needed to generalize to help as many people as possible and were working within small populations. With online therapy services you can live rurally and choose anyone you want to work with in a given regulated area ex. Ontario. You can find a therapist that specializes in what is important to you ex. polyamorous relationships, gender dysphoria. You can also choose a therapist you connect with rather than having to choose the only therapist in town. Especially if you know them or may see them in town between sessions! Awkward. Lol.
Trauma Online Therapy Services in Toronto:
As I specialize in trauma and offer emotion-focused therapy treatment, I am aware of how hard some sessions can be as we talk about your past, hard memories. Online therapy services can be at home, so you don’t have to face the world after a hard session, driving home after crying with that inevitable cry headache.
Here’s Why Couple Counselling Online Therapy Services in Toronto:
My clients do not have to worry so much about childcare because we meet for online therapy services, so they can go to therapy, especially couple counselling. Whether you are coordinating with your spouse to watch the children or getting extended help to go to couple counselling, using modern technology or online therapy services can make it more accessible to you.
This can be true even if you are a new parent, home with an infant. I can see you while they nap or even while you breast feed. I have used this special time to co-regulate with your baby. Isn’t this a time you need support and it has always seemed impossible to make it work? Get online therapy services!
Another piece I love about online therapy services is seeing couples online in their home, sitting on a couch. Couples are more real at home, enabling me to see problematic dynamics in vivo, more raw. This means we go deeper and I can better help you.
Weird little fact? I can see faces closer on screen to better use facial expressions in our work together, rather than across a room. In some families, I can see you online after your kids go to bed, no childcare needed.
What about privacy?
Do you live with your parents or want to talk about your boyfriend and he is at home too?
I have seen clients in their car. We can get creative to get you the help you need, seeing you in a private meeting room at work.
I do find online services can be contraindicated due to due some particular mental health issues, ex. vegetative depression, chronic suicidality, as we need to be able to take care of you. In person sessions may be best here.
But if you struggle with severe Depression and phone sessions are the only way to get help, online therapy services can still be set up in a way that feels safe and means you can actually start the healing process.
Lisa S.