As the seasons turn, so do many people’s moods. If you’ve been wondering how to start online counseling and if you should, autumn is a great time to do so. In fact, many people reach out to counselors in the fall, both in-person and over video call through telehealth services. Unless you’ve gone to counseling before, you may have many questions about how to get started, especially if you’re doing virtual counseling this time around, so you might be wondering how to start online counseling. In this article, we’ll explore how to start online counseling during the autumn season.
Why Fall Is a Good Time to Start Online Counseling
Millions of people experience increased mental health challenges in the fall and winter due to a variety of factors, including Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), adjusting to different life changes, or even grief around the loss of a loved one during the holidays. While there are certainly types of therapy techniques you can try out at home to help with your challenges, speaking to a trained professional may best suit your needs. If you aren’t sure if you need therapy to begin with, we recommend checking out our guide to figuring that out.
As with any other form of treatment, getting ahead of symptoms (or catching them before they get worse), often leads to them resolving with more ease. However, even if you feel like you’re already in the thick of things, starting counseling now can be beneficial to you because you’ll be able to learn how to better manage your symptoms. Teletherapy can provide you with a myriad of benefits, so if you’re wondering how to start online counseling or when to do so, now is the time to find out!
How to Start Online Counseling: 4 Steps
1. Identify What You Want to Get Out of Online Counseling
Knowing what you want to get out of counseling helps you narrow down your therapist search and find someone who really specializes in working with similar clients. In some cases, it may even help you figure out what type of therapist you should be looking for.
For example, many people come into therapy wanting help with depression or anxiety. If that sounds like you, you’ll want to keep that in mind when you start looking for your therapist (more on that in the next section). Likewise, you’ll also want to know whether you want to pair talk therapy with medication or see how much you improve with the techniques your therapist gives you.
2. Search for a Mental Health Professional
Starting the search for a qualified mental health professional might sound easy, but many people get bogged down by the sheer number of options available to them. But don’t worry; the right fit is out there for you. Plus, if you already know what you’re coming to counseling for, finding the right therapist will be a bit easier!
Another comforting factor: online counseling platforms have developed a matching feature that gives you a brief quiz and asks what you’re hoping to get out of therapy. Then, these algorithms search their extensive database of thousands of therapists to see which ones they think will be right for you. If you’re not certain about your first match, you can go on to view other ones (and even read what other customers have to say about them) until you find the right one! And don’t be afraid to shop around; therapists understand that finding the right match is the best indicator of therapeutic success and aren’t offended if a client needs to move on.
When seeking a therapist, consider the qualities you value since therapists differ in personality and style despite similar training. Some offer reflective therapy with a warm, caring approach, while others use directive counseling for quicker, more straightforward outcomes, which can feel blunt. Many therapists blend both styles, challenging clients as needed while maintaining warmth. Reading client reviews can help you better understand a therapist before scheduling a session.
When looking for a therapist, you should keep the qualities you want to see in them in mind. While most therapists receive a similar basic education, they vary widely in terms of personality and style. Some counselors provide more reflective therapy, which usually results in a warm and caring style that helps you explore what’s going on at a slower pace that feels comfortable.
Other online counseling counselors do more directive counseling, which usually focuses a bit more on challenging the client and can result in faster, to-the-point outcomes, but it can also come across as blunt. Some therapists also blend the two, using challenges when needed but otherwise focusing on that warmth. Reading client reviews will help you come to a firmer understanding of a therapist before booking your first session.
Let’s revisit the paragraph in the last section where we talked about medication. Not every therapist can prescribe medication. In fact, only those who have been through medical school can do so. So, if you want to get medication, look for a psychiatrist or psychiatric nurse practitioner. Some of these professionals also practice talk therapy, but you may benefit from a licensed counselor as well.
3. Book Your Session and Finish the Intake
Once you find the right therapist for you, go ahead and book your session! Afterward, the therapist will likely put you through their intake process.
Each counselor does the intake slightly differently. For example, some will do the intake over the phone or in your first session, while others will just send you a paperwork packet to fill out. Some intake questions might feel a little bit unusual, such as questions about suicide or whether you’ve ever been involved with the law, but rest assured all your information is private and will be used for therapeutic purposes only. It’s also important to be honest with your answers. After all, the more your therapist knows, the sooner they prepare a treatment plan that will work for you.
4. Preparing for Your First Session
It’s normal to feel nervous before your first online counseling session with a new therapist. At the end of the day, you’re meeting a complete stranger with whom you hope to share some of the most intimate details of your life! Let’s take a few deep breaths and remember: therapists are used to this. It’s okay to develop the trust slowly if you need to, and if you don’t trust your counselor, it’s okay to find someone else who offers the type of online counseling you need.
In addition, coming prepared to your online counseling session with something to talk about might be helpful, but it’s not mandatory. A good counselor won’t kick you out of their office or think poorly of you if you show up to your first session and go, “I don’t know what’s going on. I just don’t feel right.” In fact, therapists hear “I don’t know” every single day because if everyone knew what to do, we wouldn’t need therapists!
Taking Care of Your Mental Health with Online Counseling
Now that you know how to start online counseling this fall, we hope you get an appointment with the right therapist for you as soon as possible. Just remember: if you’ve determined how to start online counseling and are anxiously awaiting your appointment, know that due to the demand for counseling, there’s a chance you may not be able to secure one for at least a few days or weeks. If you need to take care of your mental health in between now and then, here are some tips!
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