Ten years ago, when I first began seeing a therapist, it was an incredibly difficult decision. There was the cost to consider, but also the sheer anxiety I felt about divulging the details of my life to a stranger. It seemed counterproductive. But over the years, it has become a valuable tool, and my therapist has become far from a stranger – she’s the person who knows more about me than anyone else. I look forward to our sessions the way one might anticipate a show they’ve been itching to se, or dinner with a best friend. And that’s because of one big common thread: it’s an emotional recharge. I talk, she listens the drain clears (until next week).
Since the start of the pandemic, we’ve switched from in-person sessions to over-the-phone. It’s certainly a change she can’t see the feelings I can’t verbalize play across my face (though after all this time, I’m sure she can guess), and I can’t see her brow furrow or her lips purse when I delve deep into my worries.
My worries are heightened because of the pandemic and because of all my pre-existing stresses. Therapy, in other words, is a necessary resource for me right now, but also for everyone experiencing the same thing on top of the loneliness, relationship issues and job stress compounded by the COVID-19 outbreak.
Throw it all in the pile – it’s all relevant.
I was skeptical of how helpful phone therapy would be, but it’s proven to be just as effective – and my experience is in line with many studies as well. There is still someone listening to me and providing advice and tactics for stress management.
The key to phone therapy is carving out the time and space. Sure, your phone might disconnect, your internet might freeze, your child might run into the room, but the more committed you are to investing in therapy, the better experience you’ll have. And there are benefits that are unique to telehealth: you can have your pet in your lap for comfort while you FaceTime you can email your therapist something you want to address later you can regularly check-in via text. There’s space to be flexible, creative and work around your day, however demanding.
Online therapy options
I’m not the only one taking advantage. Online therapy platform Talkspace (starts at USD $65/week) reported that, in just the past month, it has seen a 25 per cent rise in users, while BetterHelp (starts at USD $40/week, betterhelp.com) has seen its users double from the same period last year. These are two of the largest digital health platforms, with thousands of licensed therapists at the ready 24/7. Both offer therapy through video, live chat, text and their respective apps, which have seen a surge in downloads.
It makes sense: according to digital mental health services provider Morneau Shepell’s monthly Mental Health Index, there was an “unprecedented” 16 per cent drop in Canadians’ mental health this month, specifically in regards to anxiety, helplessness, optimism and isolation.
“We can’t ignore the reality that mental health concerns and anxieties will continue to worsen as COVID-19 escalates,” Morneau Shepell president Stephen Liptrap said in a statement. “Now is the time for business leaders and governments to take action, ramp up mental health efforts and help normalize the anxieties that individuals may be feeling.”
On April 2, Premier Doug Ford announced a $12-million investment into digital mental health services, including BounceBack, an online skill-building program for teens and adults, and Kids Help Phone, which saw a $7.5-million investment from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau just days before.
Other useful services include Inkblot ($37.50 for 30 minutes), which provides access to counsellors and life coaches, and offers an initial free session Layla ($130 for 50 minutes), which offers a variety of therapy styles, including dialectical behaviour therapy, emotion-focused therapy and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing Maple ($120 for one hour), which is available 24/7, although each session will feature a different doctor due to availability and Hasu (starts at $29/week), which is also accessible 24/7 and includes the most affordable rate for unlimited text therapy.
For those still hesitant to engage with a therapist, there are digital programs providing support, including Beacon’s Stronger Minds, which offers daily guidance via resilience-building activities and there’s a virtual stress management program available through Shoppers Drug Mart in association with SilverCloud Health. Both are free.
According to a King’s College London study, the vast majority of people living with depression and other mental illnesses don’t seek treatment simply because of the stigma associated with psychiatry. But studies have proven that even a few therapy sessions can reduce the risk of suicide. And based on research by the American Psychological Association, the benefits of therapy continue long after treatment ends. Even a single session can be a game-changer.
With so many turning to therapy now, at a time when stress is at a global high, it may finally lose its stigma and become a more common practice. If normalized, it’ll be defined by a generation – through just one call or DM.
