Croton, NY: 
We make it our mission here at Relationships & More to offer as many therapy and counseling opportunities as we can in Rye and throughout Westchester County. Our job has been made more difficult by the ongoing COVID crisis. Like everyone else, we have to offer counseling services with a mind toward not exposing people to unnecessary risk. One of the ways we do that is through online counseling.
We understand that some of our clients are hesitant about online counseling. Many are unsure about it to the extent that they wonder whether it is effective. For most people, it is. It’s also convenient and private. If you are in need of individual or couple’s counseling and COVID is preventing you from coming into the office, we strongly urge you to consider online counseling.
Studies Showing Effectiveness
While it is fairly common to assume that in-person counseling is superior to anything offered online, numerous studies have showed the effectiveness of the online model for certain needs. For example, a 2014 study involving patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder showed that online counseling was as effective as its in-person counterpart.
Similar studies involving post-traumatic stress disorder, eating disorders, and mental disorders for which cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is appropriate have demonstrated similar results. Online counseling is just as effective as visiting with a counselor at the office.
This is not to say that you can’t still benefit from in-person visits. For some people, the in-person connection is too valuable to give up. We get that. That’s why we continue to schedule office visits for clients who want them. But we do not want you to avoid accessing individual or couple’s counseling simply because COVID-related circumstances prevent you from coming to the office.
We Are Here to Help
At both of our local offices, clients find a warm and welcoming environment designed to be supportive. We emphasize making clients feel comfortable and cared for, knowing that when people feel relaxed and secure, they are more willing to open up and talk about their problems.
We try to create the same type of environment with our online counseling sessions. From our perspective, it is actually easier to do online because clients reach out to us from the comfort of their own homes. They are already in a place where they feel relaxed and secure.
Regardless of which counseling environment you choose, we are here to help. Our fully trained and highly experienced counselors will listen carefully to what you have to say. We will work with you to help you understand why you are struggling. When it comes time to offer advice, rest assured that said advice will be based on the latest standards of therapy combined with your counselor’s extensive knowledge base and years of experience.
Do Not Put Off Counseling
In closing this post, we want to encourage you to not put off counseling for any reason – including the ongoing COVID problem. Individual, adolescent, and couples’ counseling can be just as effective online as in-person. So even if coming to the office is not an option for you, we can schedule online sessions instead.
Know that putting off counseling only prolongs your difficulties. It only makes finding solutions more challenging. The sooner counseling can start, the sooner we can help you work things out.
Is online counseling right for you? The only way to know is to give it a try. If you would like to know more, feel free to contact us at your earliest convenience. We will answer your questions and get your first session scheduled right away.