8 Reasons Why Video Counselling is the Answer to Improving Mental Health

While many argue that technology has contributed to this recent mental health crisis, there is something to be gained from the online world: video counselling.

It’s no secret that mental health issues are on the rise, with only one-third of the 1 in 5 Canadians who suffer, getting the help they need. There is a significant gap in mental health resources across the country. Waitlists are too long and the barriers to getting help are often too difficult for us to navigate, especially when we’re struggling. And while many argue that social media and other technologies have contributed to this mental health crisis in recent years, there is also something to be gained from the online world, namely, video counselling. This innovative approach is pushing to the forefront of mental health care and is proving to be a major game-changer.

1. Psychotherapy, aka talk therapy, aka counselling, is the most effective way to treat depression, anxiety and other mood disorders.

Overall, for depression, anxiety disorders, and related mood disorders, the strength of psychotherapeutic effects is similar or superior to what is typically found with the pharmacological treatment of these disorders. Because medication has negative side-effects, many mental health practitioners recommend therapy/counselling as the first treatment option. Depending on the nature and severity of the issue, a combination of psychotherapy and medication may be beneficial. Left untreated, these issues only get worse. 

Psychotherapy is not just for treating mental health disorders, we can all benefit from talking to a trained professional objectively, without an agenda, knowing that their job is to understand us, help us understand ourselves, and achieve mental wellness. Because psychotherapy is the best way to discover ourselves and learn to cope with difficult emotions, thoughts and behaviours that are an inevitable part of being human, we think everyone should try it!

2. You choose your therapist/counsellor.

Traditionally when seeking a counsellor, we were forced to sign up with whoever was recommended to us by our doctor, one of the few options in our community, or perhaps a recommendation from a close friend. This may have worked out perfectly well for some, however, more times than not, the counsellor who happened to be available was not the best-suited for our unique needs. Sometimes, on paper, a counsellor seems like a good fit, but for whatever reason, the connection just isn’t there. We shouldn’t have to settle for someone who doesn’t feel right.

With video counselling, you are in the unique position of being able to choose from a selection of counsellors that are matched specifically to your needs and preferences, rather than geographic proximity. From language and religious preferences to various specializations and methodologies, you have the opportunity to curate your match from a number of counsellors located across Canada. Connecting with the right counsellor is an important first step towards feeling better and with Inkblot, you don’t pay until you have found the right counsellor for you!

3. Therapy happens at home, or wherever you are most comfortable.

Life is busy and the last thing we need is to deal with the inevitable hassle of having to go through the logistics to get to another appointment. Commuting cuts into personal and professional time, and it just adds more unnecessary stress. For many people, even the simple act of sitting in a waiting room is extremely anxiety-inducing.

Video counselling happens in a place that makes you feel comfortable and relaxed so that you can let your guard down and work on feeling better. Whether at home in bed on tough days or a quiet space at work between meetings, you choose to have your completely secure and confidential video counselling sessions anywhere that works for you - all you need is an internet connection and a computer, phone or tablet. 

And when you travel, or if you happen to relocate, your counsellor can always go with you!

4. Shorter wait times.

When it comes to mental health care, long wait times are both dangerous and, sadly, the norm. For instance, in Ontario wait times of six months to one year are common. This is what one of Inkblot’s clients, a university student, had to say about wait times in between sessions, which is also a huge issue:

“At my university, the most I could see a counsellor was once a month. The wait times made the therapy almost meaningless, as the issues I had would often change quicker than I could update the therapist. At Inkblot, my wait time wasn’t even a week for my first session. I have the flexibility to book my appointments as often as I’d like and my therapist even asked if she could make more convenient times available for me.”

A person that is in the midst of a mental health crisis does not have time to wait to see a mental health care provider and now they don’t have to. Inkblot’s mental health practitioners are available within hours to days.

5. Inkblot video counselling is covered by private health insurance, it is half the cost of the national average for traditional therapy AND it is free until you find the right counsellor for you.

It is important to check your health coverage, because Inkblot’s online video counselling is covered by most workplace and student health insurance plans. This means convenient help really is just a few clicks away AND might not even cost you a dime. Furthermore, you get a lot more sessions with Inkblot as it is half the cost of the national average for traditional therapy.

If you do not have access to private health insurance via work, school or a family member, video counselling is still a much more affordable option than traditional therapy. Inkblot even offers half-hour sessions, which are easy on the wallet. 

Once you remove the cost of transit, parking, gas, lost time, and wasted money trying out different therapists, video counselling proves itself to be the most affordable option. 

6. You’re already very comfortable on your device - at least, most of us are!

Banking, playing games, attending online classes, watching movies, looking for jobs, chatting with friends and family members, ordering food, buying toilet paper - we do all of these things with the help of the internet. It’s not a huge leap to think that we should be checking in with our mental well-being while we are at it. Inkblot’s completely confidential and secure technology is in our back pocket… we should make the most of it. 

7. You deserve to feel better.

You deserve to eat wholesome food, to nurture positive relationships, to foster your interests and passions, to get outside for some fresh air… and you deserve to feel mentally well. Self-care comes in many forms, and it is time that we start thinking about therapy as one of the most useful self-care tools in our kit. 

There is no doubt that psychotherapy is useful in treating mental illness, but checking in with a counsellor isn’t just for people in the throws of a major mental health crisis. Sometimes the most successful and productive therapy sessions happen when we are feeling generally well, and it is the work we do in those sessions that contributes to a lifetime of good mental well-being, which is something we all deserve. 

8. No, seriously, you deserve to feel better.

This one is worth repeating. We have all been curious about what therapy is really like at some point and whether or not it is for us. Some of us don’t think our issues are big enough for therapy, others have not been able to traverse the barriers of traditional therapy, and a lot of us just don’t think we deserve to feel better - or that feeling better is even possible. We do - and it is.

Inkblot