Now, more than ever, people are seeking ways to decompress, process and manage their feelings and thoughts. However, stay-at-home orders and social distancing regimens have forced psychotherapists to adjust quickly to a new normal of teletherapy sessions. What’s more, online therapy services—like TalkSpace, Wysa and others—are booming in membership as the population struggles to cope with the impact of COVID-19. Seeking advice and guidance from a professional is always a smart healthy choice to make, but how can we get the most out of these online appointments? Here, we spoke with therapists and patients who’ve had to adjust to this digital shift for their most effective teletherapy advice. So if it feels a little weird, that’s OK. It’s odd for everyone, but together, you and your therapist can figure it out. And if you start to feel bad over making quick judgments, keep in mind that not everyone is comfortable with the same type of people. As Jacob explains, she’s less at ease talking about her sex life with an older woman than she is with someone her age or younger. She also prefers a female therapist over a male. This may not be the case with you, but the same goes for finding an online therapist as it does for an in-person therapist: It’s worth exploring what therapy matches will benefit you the most. And, if you can, Mehri recommends having a weekly or bi-weekly cadence. “For me, I’ve decided to commit to seeing my therapist every week because life is not normal and every day there’s some new challenge that pops up,” she continues. “Because we can’t escape and distract ourselves with travel, the gym, going to an office, hanging with friends, and so on, we tend to overthink, sit in our thoughts and let our emotions take over. Being able to talk to someone who isn’t in your inner circle helps put things into perspective.” *Name changed upon request. RELATED: A Psychologist Shares the Best (and Worst) Ways to Deal With Uncertainty
