Do you find yourself searching for anxiety help late at night, wondering whether online or in-person therapy could make a difference, well, you are not alone. Anxiety online treatment is now one of the most common ways individuals start their therapy journey. We often get asked, does it actually work if you are not sitting in the room together? This would always depend on the individual receiving the support but in most cases yes it does help, some may just prefer an in-person session which is absolutely fine. Here is what we have learned:
Online treatment isn’t an app, AI, a chatbot or a set of worksheets that have been emailed to you. At Dr Jo Gee, it means the same evidence-based care that we offer in-person in our Guildford clinic. That includes CBT, counselling and psychiatric reviews, all delivered over secure channel.
It is worth noting that you will always get the same thorough assessment, agree the same shared goals and perform the same between-session practices as you would in our clinic room. Whether you need psychotherapist for anxiety or a psychiatrist to review your symptoms and medication. The structure of care does not change whether you are sitting in our clinic room or sitting on your sofa in the lounge.
The NHS set out clinical guidance through the NICE programme, it always recommends CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) as the first-line treatment. Often for generalised anxiety disorders, panic disorders and social anxiety. This matters because CBT is structured and very much skills-based therapy, which tend to translate well to video.
Believe it or not, the research in the UK, including studies from NHS Talking Therapies services, they have found that CBT online products comparable results as to face-to-face sessions for common anxiety problems. People tent to improve at similar rates and stay in treatment just as well.
We will always be honest about the gaps, some areas are less studied including severe agoraphobia. Where staying at home would help reinforce the avoidance that as a psychiatrist we would be looking to reduce. That is why we would always recommend a call to discuss your options carefully ensuring you get the best level of care.
Our online sessions tend to work best for:
There will be times that we would suggest a slightly different starting point. If you are finding it difficult to find a private space at home or if face-to-face generally feels safer for you. If exposure work is required to help with your anxiety going forwards then in-person sessions can help and can always do both options.
We would recommend taking part in a psychiatrist appointment to start with, if your anxiety also involves low mood. Or if you are looking for OCD anxiety treatment where the obsessions/ compulsions are significantly affecting your daily life. Many people that search for a therapist whether that be for anxiety or depression, often benefit from a joined-up plan. Having both psychiatry and therapy under one roof makes it a lot easier.
Your first session no matter whether it be online or in-person, will always begin mostly with a conversation. Answering simple questions like what’s been happening, how long have you been dealing with this and what you would like the outcome to be.
We always like to help you understand anxiety, how the thoughts, physical sensations and behaviours all feed into each other and why avoidance only brings short-term relief. This is completely understandable as it helps remove the fear of your symptoms. A struggling factor can also be explaining it to the people around you from your partner, parent or work. We can help you put into words an explanation for all.
Together we can agree clear goals and use short questionnaires to measure progress over time, this helps you to understand the changes you have made etc.
Then there is the dreaded ‘homework’, but don’t worry not the type of homework you got when you were at school. This could be anything from noticing your anxious thoughts when they pop up, practicing breathing techniques or taking a small step towards whatever you have been avoiding. It only will take roughly 10-20 minutes of your day but this is where the real change happens.
Honestly, the easiest step is a free 15-minute call where you have no pressure and a chance to ask questions and find out if anxiety online treatment is for you. Whether or not in-person or online sessions would suit you best or if to mix them both up.