online therapy and in-person therapy for teens: Your Choice
Online Psychotherapy with Teenagers:
Could your teenager benefit from telehealth counseling? Does your adolescent want to talk to a therapist, but it feels like too much to meet face to face? Is your family’s busy schedule making it hard for your teen to get to therapy? Teen online therapy may be the solution your child needs.
Video conference counseling sessions are a convenient and comfortable way for your teen to participate in counseling. From the familiarity of their own room, your adolescent can have one on one therapy sessions. In many cases, teens feel it is just as effective as meeting in person.
And, when you and your teen work together in a session, it’s as simple as you sitting next to them in front of the computer.
How Does Online Teen Counseling Work?:
Online counseling, sometimes called teen telehealth counseling or teletherapy, is done using video conference technology. By using a program that functions like Zoom or FaceTime, your teen and their counselor see and hear each other in real time. Sessions are still 50 minutes long, just as they are in the office.
Does Online Therapy for Teens Work?
In short, yes, online therapy for teens does work. At Teen Therapy OC, we can attest to many stories of teenagers helped with the online counseling format. For a lot of families, this method of doing therapy makes it easier to come consistently. Consistency is one of the keys to successful counseling.
Interestingly, The American Psychological Association published an article in July of 2020 covering this topic of studies completed on teletherapy. In fact, in many situations the research shows equal efficacy to face to face therapy. This is great news because many teenagers have better access to consistent therapy when telehealth counseling is an option.
Advantages of Sessions with an Online Adolescent Therapist:
YOUR TEEN CAN BE ANYWHERE, EVEN ON VACATION
You can access your therapist from anywhere. Because all Teen Therapy OC therapists are licensed in the state of California, we work with teens who live anywhere in California.
We see clients who live too far to drive to the office, whose parents are unable to take the time to drive them to see a therapist, or who live too remotely to access a therapist in the office. We also work with teenagers who want weekly sessions, but can only come to the office occasionally. By using internet counseling sessions, these teens have regular access to the help they want (including support while on vacation).
Another advantage: You don’t have to drive!
When you come to the office, you need to plan for driving time and the session time. If your teenager doesn’t have a driver’s license yet, you have to bring them and wait in the lobby during their session. By seeing an online therapist, you can go about your normal day while your teenager has a counseling session in your home.
Besides just convenience, adolescents are at ease with technology. They email teachers, FaceTime with friends, and text regularly. Meeting a therapist through their tablet or computer may actually feel more comfortable for your adolescent than meeting in person.
Also, online counseling sessions enable your adolescent to be in the comfort of their home as they work through their feelings.
Disadvantages of Online Counseling for Teens:
Online therapy is not the right fit for every situation. For family sessions with more than two to three people it can be a difficult format to use. It is also usually not recommended for teenagers who are likely to be distracted by their computer during a session. This format of counseling works really well for clients who are good at engaging and have some level of comfort with technology.
When you call, we help you determine if your teenager is a good fit for online counseling, or whether in-person sessions are recommended. To find out if your teen is a good candidate for online teen counseling sessions, please call at 949-394-0607.
Experience with Teen Telecounseling:
We have specialized in working with teens and their families for several years and in various settings. We have conducted online counseling with teens consistently since 2010. The clients who elect to do their therapy through internet counseling have enjoyed the process, and the Teen Therapy OC therapists have all found it to be a successful mode of treatment.
Teens like the independence of being able to set an appointment around their schedule without worrying about whether their parent can bring them.
Ideally, your teen comes to in-person counseling some of the time. However, that isn’t realistic for every family. We are glad to be able to offer your family the flexibility most modern families need to better manage busy lives. Feel free to chat with us about your specific situation so we can help you decide if telehealth is a reasonable option for your teenager.