This is a challenging time at a global level. More than ever, mental health needs to be tended to and taken care of. Online therapy (video and phone therapy), is a great way to get the support and treatment your mental health deserves during these times. Therapeutic-writing therapy services are also available, but only for patients I have met with over video for at least a few sessions. Learn about some tips to help with coping with the pandemic here.
Online therapy and teletherapy is available now. Life doesn’t stop just because of the times. You may have thought you will wait to do therapy until this is all over.  The challenge is, we don’t know when this will be over.   In the current situation, challenges like stress, anxiety, depression, and trauma don’t go away.  In fact, they can be aggravated by the pandemic and lockdowns.  Where structure was once imposed on us and our lives were so busy, we may find ourselves not having adequate coping strategies to adjust to the current reality.  Online therapy and teletherapy is a way to get help now and work together to figure out different and adaptive coping mechanisms.

​In order to receive this service through Smart Therapy, you must be a resident of Ontario, British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland & Labrador, Nunavut, Northwest Territories, or Yukon.

Effective Treatment

There is growing evidence that distance and virtual therapy can be highly effective for a variety of concerns. This is terrific news if 1.) there is a pandemic, 2.) you do not have a therapist close to you, 3.) if you would prefer sessions without having to commute to an office.

​I use the same treatment approaches with distance therapy as in-person therapy. The treatment itself if the same.

There have been numerous studies conducted on the effectiveness of online therapy and teletherapy for treating depression, PTSD and eating disorders.  Some of these are Wagner, Horn, and Maercker (2013), Acierno et al. (2014), Mitchel et al. (2008).  All three of these studies found that results from teletherapy vs traditional in-person therapy were as good if not better (Wagner, Horn, and Maercker (2013).

Disinhibition Effect

Some studies have shown there are benefits to distance and virtual therapy that in-person therapy does not offer. One of the benefits is the "Disinhibition Effect," meaning people feel more comfortable talking about things they otherwise might not have brought up in person. Many people have found distance therapy to be more comfortable since they can do it from their own home or space.

Easy to Use & Confidential

I use a video platform and booking system that is designed for health care providers and is PHIPA compliant, meaning it provides confidentiality for your mental health treatment. People have reported that they have found distance therapy to be an easy, accessible, and convenient therapy method. All you need is a phone or a computer, a set of headphones (or not), and a private enough space and you are set! No travelling time, no parking, no gas, and no dealing with traffic and transit. The 50 minute appointment really does only take up 50 minutes of your day and does not use up extra time getting there and back from the appointment.