What Are the Types and Benefits of Online Therapy?
Last Updated on February 7, 2025 by Prath
Reviewed by April Justice, LICSW
- Published on 7 February 2025
Even if you’re unfamiliar with online therapy, chances are you’ve heard that there are different types of approaches and benefits.
Online therapy is common worldwide. People usually seek this option to improve their emotional well-being and prefer the convenience of joining sessions from work or at night from their residence.
Are you wondering if online therapy is right for you? Research shows that e-therapy is just as effective as in-person therapy.
It may be the right option if you prefer convenience, accessibility, and ease of booking!
In this article, let’s explore some of the types of approaches used in online sessions and the benefits of seeking teletherapy.
This Article Contains:
Ethics of Online Therapy
The American Psychological Association (APA) has developed a strong code of ethics for using technology to provide therapy services.
Some of the ethics include:
- Having sufficient understanding and experience using technology. This includes knowing how to secure online sessions and protect clients’ private information. At TYHO, we provide a secure and encrypted platform and screen Therapists for their ability to conduct online therapy.
- Working within the professional’s scope of knowledge and specialisations. For example, a mental health therapist who specialises in mood disorders like depression should only offer services pertaining to these conditions.
- Seeking out resources, research, and supervision. To provide the most effective service to clients, it’s important that Therapists are constantly in touch with the mental health field and receive clinical supervision and feedback on their approaches.
- Adhering to laws and regulations. Every country has different regulation criteria. To provide therapy in Australia, we screen Therapists for a minimum master’s degree in their relevant specialisation and assess if they have substantial clinical training and experience.
Different Types of Online Therapy
During online therapy in Australia, you may work with a mental health Therapist to develop a personalised therapeutic plan and framework to meet your goals.
The type of therapy chosen for you may depend on your:
- Personal preferences
- Issues and presenting problems
- Comfort level
- Therapy goals
Initially, regardless of the type of therapy, you may spend a couple of sessions getting to know the therapist and discussing personal and emotional aspects of your life.
The ultimate goal of all appraoches is to help you lead a happy and fulfilling life.
In this section, let’s explore the three most common types of online therapy.
1. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
CBT is an intervention that focuses on reframing thoughts, feelings, and behaviour. Its main goal is to equip clients with the tools to solve problems independently.
“This simple idea is that our unique patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving are significant factors in our experiences, both good and bad. Since these patterns significantly impact our experiences, it follows that altering these patterns can change our experiences .”
(Martin, 2016).
During online therapy, you may work on cognitive distortions – inaccurate and negative thoughts or feelings about yourself or the world.
An example of cognitive distortion is emotional reasoning. If you have this distortion, you may be thinking, “Because I feel unattractive, I must be unattractive.”
We think that our feelings are ‘right’, even if they’re harmful. Online therapists may help you overcome these thoughts through several scientific tools.
Most of the CBT tools can be used in therapy and everyday life.
Some of the tools you may learn during online therapy may include:
- Cognitive restructuring: Instead of accepting your negative beliefs about yourself, you may learn how to expand your beliefs in such a way as to increase respect and trust in yourself.
- Interoceptive exposure: Your therapist may gradually help you face your fears and guide you towards new sensations that may serve you better.
2. Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)
DBT is an intervention with a solid educational component. Online therapists who provide DBT may teach you skills for managing intense feelings and navigating social relationships.
In this approach, ‘dialectic’ means acknowledging that life is complex and mental health is an evolving process requiring careful and proactive self-dialogue.
During this therapy, you may constantly learn how to balance the opposing forces of your beliefs and the truth.
Your online therapist in Australia may focus on providing 4 essential DBT skills:
- Mindfulness: This technique is used during online therapy to accept your feelings just as they are.
- Distress tolerance: Tolerating distress is a skill that can help you hold and provide space for all emotions rather than suppressing or avoiding them.
- Emotional regulation: Similar to the above two skills, the Therapist also teaches you how to manage and change intense emotions.
- Interpersonal effectiveness: A major aspect of DBT is helping you learn how to communicate healthily and assertively with your loved one.
“If you don’t like something, you first have to accept that it is the way it is before you can try to [change] it. If you’re not accepting something, you’ll be so busy fighting that reality that you don’t have the energy to put towards trying to change it.”
(Tartakovsky, 2015).
3. Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT)
EFT is an intervention that focuses on regulating emotions and improving interpersonal relationships.
Online therapists in Australia who offer EFT believe in the evidence that feelings are an organising principle of human life.
This means that every emotion has a direct proactive action you can take.
For example, feeling sad or missing someone is a powerful way to rekindle lost connections with loved ones. Once the bond is restored through therapeutic skills, it becomes a renewable source of comfort, trust, and fulfilment in life.
During online therapy, your emotional experiences are the centre of sessions.
The three stages of EFT include:
- Cycle de-escalation: Identifying how negative emotions create a cycle of distress. After identification, your Therapist in Australia will help you create detachment from the stress you’re facing and equip you with tools to de-escalate the distress cycle.
- Changing interaction patterns: In this step, the mental health therapist will help you identify your attachment styles that may be contributing to the distress cycle. You may then learn to develop your attachment in a way that allows you to express compassion for yourself and others.
- Consolidation and integration: In the final step, you may learn how to use effective communication styles to create new solutions that are healthy and sustainable.
Benefits of Online Therapy
Below are some of the benefits of teletherapy:
1. Convenience
Are you stretched thin by too many responsibilities at work or home? It can be challenging to choose in-person therapy if you have to make time for travel.
One major benefit of online therapy in Australia is the option to book sessions from home.
In fact, you can also book same-day sessions with TYHO if you prefer to talk to a Therapist via video call.
2. Accessibility
Many people may face physical barriers to talking to a therapist face-to-face. For example, people with a tight schedule may not find time to travel, or if someone lives in a remote area, it can be hard to find the right professional.
In such cases, online therapy can be accessible to everyone, provided they have a device and a stable internet connection.
3. Affordability & Privacy
With online therapy, you can cut expenses such as travel and food or rent for a private space.
Further, you may find it easier to attend sessions with peace of mind. This is true if you’re especially worried about meeting someone you know near or around the therapy centre.
If you prefer to attend sessions without your loved ones’ knowledge for any reason (eg safety or trust issues), talking to a Therapist via video calls can be private.
Conclusion
If you’re struggling with distress, you do not have to suffer in silence. Online therapy can be beneficial if you want to talk to a Therapist privately.
Therapists at TYHO are well-qualified in many different types of therapy services, including CBT, DBT, and EFT.
Sometimes, just talking out loud and gaining a professional perspective can help you more than you realise!
