No, don't do online therapy. For one, it costs the same as in person. But most importantly, the way a good therapist works is by reflecting and empathizing with you. And this is only effective when you are in a room together, their focus is on you, you don't have distractions, and you see their face and hear their voice. The content of their words is secondary. It's all about developing a human connection and opening up.

Even the process of getting up, driving to their office, writing the check, the fact that you have to be on time and have only this one window of time to talk, it all matters because it's a series of tangible steps you're completing for your own self improvement. The computer elides all of this in the name of "convenience"

> But most importantly, the way a good therapist works is by reflecting and empathizing with you.

In my very humble opinion this is the way a bad therapist works.

I've gone to therapy to deal with real problems - attention issues, a bout of anxiety - and having somebody mostly repeat back to me what I said was so, so unhelpful.

Those are more physiological or psychiatric issues that meds can usually solve.

> real problems

Do you hear what you just said?

That!

I don't have any experience with them, so I can't say for sure, but I personally believe much of the benefit comes from seeing someone in person. I can't fully describe why, but I think it has to do with the bandwidth needed to convey mental health issues. That being said, I think any therapy is better than no therapy, so if the choice is between a remote service or nothing, pick the remote service.

Got an opinion based on zero experience and can't explain it but you'll guess anyway? Two can play that game:

I guess that phone and videochat have the necessary "bandwidth" to convey mental issues. After all, people talk for hours via phone or videochat about their lives and problems. And the availability and convenience these media enable helps address the ancestor comment about the difficulty of seeking treatment.

You could be right! And I could be wrong! I was simply thinking out loud.

Do you mean BetterHelp? Betterment is an investing/retirement service.

Oops, yes, I do mean BetterHelp.